MOJO PICON

We supposed to attend a birthday party. We ended eating garlic prawns.

After week of constant raining, the sight of sun pumped new energy for us to go out. And my son got a birthday invitation from his new kindergarten friend (mind you, he only been to kindergarten for 12 days, 3 birthday parties already). So, we went to the venue, a playing ground called Lollipop Play land on Moore Park. The only thing that bothers me is the party time, which stretched from 1pm to 5pm.

Since the beginning, I told my son I don’t really want to stay that long, 15 minutes presumably long enough (good mom, huh?). I just can’t stand the noise, constant happy screaming from kids whiles they running around, or their coffee. That’s it. So, I told him that we will only handed the birthday present, make up story for an excuse for leaving early, and heading to the city for great lunch.

Instead of went to city, we got stranded around this playground –Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park-. Once I’m out from Lollipop, I felt massive headache caused by very confusing conversation between me and birthday boy’s mom (and this boy cannot stop screaming every time his mom moved an inch away from him!). Oh, and another things, I haven’t met this boy before, neither his mom. Every time I asked my son –Rama- about him when I dropped or picked him up from school, I never saw his presence. Sometimes the devil though inside me said he doesn’t exist. No wonder it was very hard to find him, or his mom, even though they’re all wore a big badges and birthday boy/birthday boy’s mom written on it.

Ok, back to my headache, that so severe I profusely rejected my husband idea to off to city just for lunch. Too much. My empty tummy cannot wait any longer, the more I wait for food, the more the headache. So we wandering around the show ring area with Saturday Farmers Market inside it, and beautifully organic fruits or vegetables or food from around the world displayed. Very tempting. Until we saw on the very end of the market isle, there are kind of small wooden bar table with quite classy wooden barstools under black small marquee displayed “Garlic Prawns, Chorizos and Salsas”.

We are garlic prawns lover.
What would be better rather than prawns to cure my headache?

As we sat on the stools, we saw kind of medium size BBQ stove (or grill or whatever you want to called it) and prawns and prawns and chorizos being cooked on it. When the chef splashy added the sauce, the smell of the sauce spread thinly to the air, we couldn’t resist the prawns.

Only in less than 10 minutes, our order was deliver. 3 garlic prawns coated in generous homemade salsa sauce accompany with bread rolls. The prawns served on small metal-I soufflé-I bowl with pair of handle (gosh, I don’t know how to describe it…), putting above an ellipse shape wooden plate as the base. Looked beautiful, tasted fantastic! And they don’t do any cheap-ordinary drink like coke or ice tea (ok, coke or ice teas not cheap...) instead they stocked bottles water and San Pellegrino Sparkling Flavored water. Perfect. Flushed away my headaches.

Later on, I chatted with one of the girl who served the food (I suspecting she is the brain behind this yummy food) about the sauce, and she told me she grew up with this sauce on her homeland in Canary Island (firstly I was thinking this place must be close to Spain-as they speak Spanish during cooking – and must be full of Canaries. I proved myself completely wrong when I googled it later on. In fact, this island next to Africa, and was Spain colony). We liked the Salsa sauce too, and decided to buy one small jar. She didn’t have to convince us, the sauce and prawns speak for it.

At the end, another surprised when I only pay about $46 fro 3 garlic prawns –with heaps of prawns, not like in our favorite Italian restaurant which only 5 prawns swum in a bowl for $15. I shouldn’t compare, they different though- 3 San Pellegrino drink and 1 jar of sauce.

Love MOJO PICON!


PS: As written in the sauce jar, Mojo means Passion…hmmmm….

Welcome to the Year of the Rat

This is not Beijing

Nor Shanghai

but Sydney

Labeled as the biggest Chinese New Year Parade outside China (mainland), as a Sydneysider I am as proud as Sydney Lord Mayor to said so.

The parade that took over part of George Street –Sydney City bloodstream- passed through Chinatown and finished in Darling Harbor lasted only about1.5 hours, with around 80,000 crowd flocked on every inch of the street passed by parade, and in some place it was like 4 people deep. But somehow, made me feel I’m not in Sydney, nor China, but Indonesia.

When I was a young –I mean kid, because I am still young now-, we –Indonesian- had big parade once a year, on Indonesia Independence Day. Some small cities done quite simple with people marching with traditional costume represent tribes and cultures of Indonesia. As I grown-up –mean high school student- I found the Independence Day Parade as the way we compete against other high school to perform the best car decorated with a theme. Biggest parade –of course- is in Jakarta. With cars decorated with flowers, every province sent their contingent to this biggest parade in Indonesia. There are Government and Private Offices to. And TVRI –the only one national television back to my era- had the live coverage of this parade, people all around Indonesia seems glued to their TV, watched this parade with joy of Independence Day.

I don’t think that such Independence Day Parade still exist in Indonesia now. Not that I’ve known. Sad.

Back to Sydney, this Chinese New Year Parade is getting bigger and bigger by year. Not only from the amount of spectators, also had had the presenter or groups joined the parade itself. More people or groups flew direct from China to present. I can wrap only in one word about it is: fantastic! And if you don’t bother to watch this parade behind the fence, standing for like 1 hours before it starts to secure the best view you can get, now City of Sydney sell some best view seat for $55, located in front of Town hall and guarantee you’ll sit close to Sydney Lord Mayor and the Councilors. Good isn’t it? This city moved quickly when it comes to generate money.

Anyway, welcome to Year of the Rat (or Year of the Mouse as my son said).
Gong Xi Fat Choi.
All The Best

Becak : Solo vs Sydney

First picture is my son Rama, inside Becak in Solo. Unfortunately we can't really see the driver which standing behind his Becak.

Second picture is Becak in Sydney. Very stylish, modern yet futuristic. The driver equipped with standard helmet -becak driver in Indonesia equipped themself with cap or big floppy hat to fight sun strike- and first aid inside his becak.

What a difference !

Virtual Assistant

Less than 7 days left until next week, and we will travel to Indonesia. I tried to organize everything before next friday. Since the runaway paper accident ( I assumed you've read my previous post) weeks ago, I'm careful now. Do not want to be happen again. So, all paperworks been done, all good, my luggage is half done -which is I appreciate myself for juggling and picking the perfect outfit to bring- and now I just have to deal with bit and pieces all over the house.

Things that I thought was bit and pieces, actually turn into big monster and eventually change became giant spider-web, left me strangle inside it with never ending tasks.

Let say, this simple thing: download my memory cards into my PC. I know I should do it regularly. I did, sometimes. But in the last two week, I've been constantly partying, not because I'm party-freak, simply I have to. Workplace Christmas Party (which is more like normal dinner); Farewell Party for my colleague; Graduation Party on my son PS. Another Christmas Party at my son PS. End of the year party with colleagues from HeadOffice, just to name a few. With so many party I attended, I got so many photos too. When I open my pictures folder, Oh My Oh My.....there are hundreds photo, uncategorized, because I was rushing to use the memorycard so I just downloaded it without creating new folder.

I tried to downloaded all my four memory cards with closed eyes, because I hate to see all the mess (this is why my girlfriend call me an obssesive compulsive disorded, which I strongly denied. I don't feel that bad...)

While I was doing all this process, I remembered one article on Sydney Morning Herald few weeks ago. Written by British contributor, he wrote about Virtual Assistant, that simply his life. Rather than shopping around for the best car insurance, he paid quite small amount of money to his VA to do that job for him (don't ever think about underpaid worker. We talking about global village, where you earn in Pondsterling or Euros and spend it in USD or Rupee - where his VA came from. Saving money and time, right?). He said, the result was amazing, and later on he decided to to outsourcing another task to this VA, compiling hsi family photo. Even his VA read his children bed-time story through phone-line (of course, he put the speaker on) so he was free to do other things.

(Can you imagine your kids listening their bed-time story read by an Indian or Russian girl, over the phone from the other side of the world? I don't like this idea though...)

But the idea of VA just snapped me. This is what I should do. Rather than spend hours in front of the screen and try to organize all photos, I better pay VA and spend my time playing with my daughter. Or cooking or writing some stories (like what I am doing now!)

I wonder if I could find VA, oh no, another NVA -Non-Virtual Assistant- that could help me with other task: do the dishes & laundry, vacuuming my lounge, or ironing my bed sheet. Might helps me a lot on this busy time, for sure.

(My husband laughing at me when I told him about NVA, here, in Sydney. "Having a maid, you mean? We couldn't afford it, dear," he said. "I'm so sorry...But you will find it, and you can have as many as you want, once we back to Indonesia......"

Ooohhhhh....I need it now, not later....*sighs* )

To Market...To Market...

I love this market. Farmers Market on Oxford St – Bondi Junction. Only open once a week, every Thursday. Not to far from my place, about 20 minutes by bus.

Things that I love are the fact this is farmers market. Everything –ok, almost- comes first hand. From farmers to us. Or at least, from farmers-distributors-us. Only one leg. And left us with fresher product than from supermarket. Fresher veggies than from local veggie shop. And there are some farmers doing organic farming, sell their product in this market too. If it is not organic, at least it is fresh.

Named these two gentlemen. They do organic coffee. “Bean, Grind, Drunk”, it says on their coffee packaging. We tried and we fall into it. Now we keep comeback for their coffee.

Or.Mr.Neville with his free range eggs. For me, his free range is the best eggs we ever taste here. The yolk is sooo smooth and creamy. Remind me of ‘telur ayam kampung’ back in Indonesia. All these eggs are always fresh, direct from the farm, never been to warehouse or stored for long time. When I had to make cupcakes for my son birthday, these eggs turned my cupcakes into the best and smoothest cupcakes ever. If you thing I exaggerated, try yourself. $6 for a dozen jumbo free ranges is no too bad if you compare with the result you going to get.

There they are: these gentlemen sell Hungarian donuts (you can look back on my older post about this donuts).Kind of pastry donuts, our favorite. Not as heavy and sweet as normal donuts. It’s heavenly yummy….Cinnamon flavor is the best, with dash of cinnamon sprinkle all over it.

There are many more stall holders which I can only name a few, like kind of Turkish Goslem or Thai Pies or Organic Breads. And it is nice to having an experience of shopping and tasting new food from all around the world and chatting with stall holder –which won’t happen if you buy your fruits or veggies from supermarket or Hypermarket-. It’s bring back my memories about my childhood, when mum use to took me to shop on traditional market, 25years ago back in Indonesia.

WEDDING TEA

A few weeks ago, my son’s preschool teacher was getting married. So, we all parents want to give her surprise party. A wedding tea. One of the mums –parent’s coordinator- organized to buy a present for her. And other teacher organized a very beautiful card which made from 2 big canvasses and all kids do their share of hand print.

Since in my culture, there is no pre-wedding party, hen night or wedding tea, I have no idea about what is wedding tea. In fact, it is an afternoon tea, with little bit extra food –cake and something for nibble- which every mum request to bring something. I brought my very famous fruit kebabs (kids love it, which is why it is famous – at least in my son pre-school. Find the recipes here). On the day of wedding tea, we’re come in on 3.15pm and the party started on 3.30pm. When I came in, Ms.T –the bride to be- asking me what happen and why every mum came in the same time to pick up their kids. It must be odd for her. As a good parent, I zipped my mouth off. She repeatly saying that she suspected something happens behind her back, and all the parents are sneaking behind her back.

When it is come to the time to unveil the surprise, all children cannot wait. Coincidentally, a boy was celebrating his 5th birthday. And the children start to spell the surprised out, telling Ms.T it will be 2nd birthday party (some children though Ms.T had a Birthday party as well).

Birthday party finished, we started another party. Parent’s rep gave the gift –a very beautiful necklace- to her. She stood in front of the class with tears in her eyes. She might start to guess about the party we throw for her, but with the gift, the wedding tea became a different story. We all made her completely in tears when Ms.M -another teacher- handed the canvasses. These canvasses were absolute winner.

This wedding tea was my first. New experience of different culture. Just like when some parents and teachers throw me a baby shower about 1 year ago. Of course this wedding tea was a celebration for a bride in very polite way –if I may call-. Not kind of hen night with male stripper –which I don’t want the experience from that such a party, for sure.

Next couple of months; we might throw another party for Ms.T . Could be Baby Shower, who knows?

Sculpture by the Sea 2006

Rama & his dad on Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, Sculpture by the Sea last year. Zaafri did great with his photo became finalist for the photo competition, after mine scored on previous year. (http://www.sculpturebythesea.com/html/kodak_archive/2005/Kodak_101105.htm)Though he did not win, it was our best performance for the last three years.

It is a shame we're very busy this time, haven't got chance to get another shoot on our last Sculpture by the Sea -which end today-. When I got time to do it without Z, I change my mind. For the sake of my back and arms, I did not feeling walks through this coastal walk with baby Ramya on her stroller. Too much.

I wish my photo display here

This is one of many reason I love Sydney: Art and About

Every year, this event held around October for about 20 days. The most exciting thing for me is the photo competition. It’s called Sydney Life (http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/artandabout/EE/SydneyLife.asp) I am amateur, but it doesn’t stop me to send my photo to the competition. As long as we can get the best shoot on Sydney Life -it’s people, it’s culture, it’s environment- doesn’t really matter if we a pro or amateur. 20 selected photo will be print as big as queen size bed sheet (it is true, real big print) and hang on the Hyde Park Walk, the main park in the heart of Sydney ( I always called Hyde Park “Alun-alun” as alun-alun in Solo or Jogjakarta).

This year is my third shoot. Still doesn’t goes through. My photo doesn’t good enough to display, put me on tears when I got the confirmation letter from City of Sydney; notice that my photo was failed. I was disappointed because this year will be my last chance for me to submit. I don’t care about the prize-money; just see the photo being display in Hyde Park is priceless.

This year winner, not the photo I choose to win though. The juror had different eyes definitely. For me, this photo (below) was absolute winner. Very touching.

Hungarian Donuts

I went to farmers market yesterday. I love this market (unfortunately, I don't have time to write about it now; I will do it later on...). And I found this interesting food: Hungarian Donuts. It's kind of pastry rolled into approximately 50cm length stick which baked on glasses-rectangle shape oven -I should've take a pic of it...:( - and formed a very nice long donuts. Not like a common donuts we used to see. It's more like tunnel. And dipped on sugar-flavored vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon.

Yummy

Flies & Dress

I love spring. Warm and beautiful day. Not summer. Summer is to hot for me. Now, spring has come. September used to starts to warm. Bye-bye winter. But not this year. It just started to warm 2 days ago. Not really warm though, from chill & windy day carried over from winter, mercury jumped straight to 36 degrees yesterday. Damn hot. Feels like summer. It’s all because bushfire.

The most annoying thing for me on spring –and summer- is the flies. Can’t really free from the flies. These flies love humans. In Indonesia, flies are different. They only come close to food. Or rubbish. Here, they seem hated food, only after human. Not a strange view if you saw people walking with their hand busy waving in front of their face. They called it: Australia Salute. The more you go inland –to the bush- , the drier the place, the more the flies. There is such thing called anti-flies lotion. Kind of anti-mosquito thing in Indonesia (remember Autan?). I just don’t like to spread them onto my skin. I don’t like the smell of it.

For my friend, this spring is different story. Especially for my male friend. Flies don’t bother them. The way girls dressed that worries them. With this warm sunny day, seem every single girls – or women in every age- they met, dressed with tank tops, mini skirts, and short pants. And these days, still Ramadan. Fasting month for Moslem. They said, it’s not that hard to keep their appetite for food or craving for ice tea lying down. But sometimes it is hard to keep their eyes shut when there are girls with mini-skimpy-sexy dresses around. Hoo-ha…isn’t that one of the purpose of fasting in Ramadan? Control yourself, including from these entire mini-skimpy-sexy-dresses thing? They agreed me, but hard still.

Welcome to spring 2007, mate :)

Happy APEC Day

Nice to having Sydney back to normal. Ok, it might be not 100% normal; at least it is alive now.

It is kind of eerie on last 3 days to see Sydney turn into ghost town. With APEC in town, and Friday declared as public holiday, every Sidneysiders flew out of town. I was thinking to walk to downtown, take some pictures of Sydney. This is the only chance to walk in very quiet Sydney. Quieter than Christmas Day. But some friends warned me, with baby in tow and restricted street will be hard for me to walking unnoticed by police. There are policemen in every single corner of City Street. I only saw on TV, but it is enough for me to felt intimidated. Since we moved here about 3.5 years ago, we never saw more than 4 policemen in one go. My mind always telling me there are problems if I saw more than a couple police on the street.

So, I change my mind. Better stay away from city. Enjoyed long holiday that seems forever since my son get bored easily if we stayed home on weekend.

And some people liked it, having long weekend, as they said “Happy APEC” cheerily. Not for business in down town that forced to shut their door on long weekend. There is no point to open if no customer around. Too much to pay. And tourist. They not happy too, especially who only had couple of day on Sydney, unaware of APEC meeting that paralyzed the city and slammed their chance to step into Opera House steps. Not even take photos from distance, since there are high fence blocking all access and view of it.

All the sacrificed that Sydneysiders made, to let their city blocked by high fence, only for one man who –they said, not me- most powerful man in the world. You know who he is, and as usual he let his tongue slipped, called this meeting OPEC instead of APEC. Poor thing. Must’ve been hard for him to said ‘A’.

And consider it lucky, they had the best dinner in Opera House –ever- with 3 Australia’s best Chefs, the best ingredients from around Australia, with the best wine from Australia’s famous winery. Not to mention the fireworks. What a life, being such a Head of State (I clearly thinking only the best part of their job. The worst part? No ideas….)

Ok. Have to stop. I am not going to talk about politics.
Anyway, Welcome Back, Sydney.

Going Banana

I did my weekly groceries shopping yesterday (means: shop for veggies and fruits that put me on shock when I saw the price tag)

Anyway...
Carrots: check.
Potatoes: check
Herbs: check
Apples: check
Bananas: Omigod!

I saw the price: $7.98 for a kilogram of Bananas, which only 3 or 4 bananas for a kilo.
Okeeey, this is not the worst price I ever see. We had been through $12.98/kgs before, when the Banana's plantation in Queensland was ruin by hurricane. When every time I passed the isle, I only can managed to buy 1 for our son. When bought a banana felt like we bought oyster or even caviar (not really match comparison though).

And with specific order from my son to buy some bananas, it's impossible to come home with empty hand and pretend that I forget to buy. He won't forgive me.
So, I took 3 of them, carefully placed inside the plastic bag as if I place a diamond. And weight it, so I can calculate how much I should pay. This banana's price make me going banana.

When it's time to check-out, and stand on the queue that stretch for 5km as always (I think all of big supermarket try to cut-out the labor. With 20 check-out register, only 5 are open and all with long queue, make you swear not to come back shopping to this place but always come back, and swear again when they put you on long queue), I ears dropping two old ladies in front of me with trolley full of groceries which will take forever to upload and scan.

(I know ears dropping its not good habit, just can't help)

1st Lady: Fancy cup of coffee?

2nd Lady: Sure. But don't take me to your favorite coffee shop. I don't really like it.

1st: Why? They had the best coffee in this centre. And regarding the price, it's very good.

2nd: I'm not talking about their coffee. But their banana bread. It's taste like rubbish.

1st: So you ever tried rubbish then (with smile, try to tease...)

2nd: No. that’s not that I mean. I mean, the banana bread doesn't taste like banana. To much
artificial flavoring.

1st: Oh dear, that's not really their fault. You know bananas price been crazy lately. They've
must try to do their best...

2nd: Their what...? Wait a sec, why you become their spokesperson now? You know what, not
only their banana bread makes me going banana, you make me going banana too.....

1st: But...

2nd: Blah...blah...blah....

(It seems I'm not alone)

My paper being stolen...again !

5:30 AM.
Whooosh...pfufff....

I heard very familiar sound, today's paper that being throwed by delivery man, and landed in front of the building. The paper rolled with some sort of plastic wrap formed a stick and created funny sound when it catapulted. Since 5:30 AM still quite dark (winter, remember...?) I was thinking to get it in another hour or so, didn't want to sacrifice my time to walk out of the building, and rather snuggle inside my doona.

7:45 AM. Sun definitely out.
Grab the keys, walked out still with my pj's on. And I couldn't see my paper around. Ok, might be the sun just too strong, can't really see without glasses.
Another look, and another...and still nothing. This is not happening. I tried to calm. Walked around the building, and still can't see. It's clean, nothing around. Gone. Missing. Full stop. Somebody apparently earlier and quicker than me, which I am the person who subscribe for Herald and AFR, and pays.

Ok, I am not angry. Take a deep breath, and I am furious!
This is the 2nd time happened this week. It happened on Monday, forced us to buy another copy from News agency because we really hate live without it. Such a nightmare spend the day knowing we don't have the paper (I must admit that I -sometimes- read it late, like yesterday I read paper from 2 days ago , and yesterday paper for today's breakfast).
But the most annoying thing is: why you take something that not yours.

And we came with thousand theories about whom and how they stole the paper.
One of the theory that really convince us (ok, we made the theories and we convinced ourselves to believe it, funny huh?) is someone that regularly walk pass our building, saw the paper with nobody name on it or claim it (since when you get the paper with your name stick to it? can’t remember) and try their luck, pick them and run before get caught. And he/she become real lucky because not only one but TWO paper inside, and AFR is quite expensive. Yesterday no luck, we woke up early, and got it. Today, must've been waiting outside since 5:30 or so, and once it whooosh...gotcha! Mine!

Since we lives in apartments -not a house- it's impossible to have the paper deliver to our door. Or asking the delivery man to squeeze it to our tiny mailbox (which I am sure it will take forever to squeeze so let's forget this option). But the idea that it will be happen again anytime soon (could be tomorrow) if I fail to command my body and walking out to pick the paper as soon as we hear that funny noise. And that is terribly hard, walking out when my mind still can feel the warmth of my doona. And my heater.

Let see tomorrow. Fingers cross.

Let's do SOUP

Winter time...paling enak makan yang hangat-hangat. Can't live without a bowl of hot soup, doesn't matter it's Chinese Style, Continental Style, or European Style. Even Bakso can do. Hmmm...yummy !


CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
(serve 4)

250gr chicken breast fillet
handfull of flat parsley (bisa diganti dengan seledri)
1 carrot, potong dadu 0.5mm x 0.5mm
3 celery stiks
125gr egg noodle pasta (merk San Remo terbukti yang terbaik)
1 onion / bawang bombay, iris halus
2 sendok makan minyak untuk menumis (paling baik : olive oil)
black pepper
salt

Rebus chicken breast fillet dengan 1ltr air (air rebusan jangan dibuang) Jika sudah matang, angkat ayam, suwir-suwir. Tumis bawang bombay sampai harum (jangan sampai gosong), masukkan wortel, tumis 30 detik, masukkan kaldu air rebusan ayam. Masukkan celery & ayam yang sudah disuwir-suwir, aduk, tunggu sampai mendidih dengan api kecil.
Jika sudah mendidih, masukkan egg noodle pasta, garam & black pepper sesuai selera, aduk, biarkan mendidih kembali (dengan api kecil).
Matikan kompor, masukkan parsley. Siap dihidangkan.
Enjoy.