Working hard on it.

Source: mango-watermelon-love.tumblr.com via C on Pinterest

Thanksgiving Spread, 2011 Edition

Photo to come later. I will make this a yearly post kinda thing.

• Deep fried turkey.
• Mashed potatoes.
• Caramelized pan fried yams.
• Haricot Verts, Baby Bella, and Fried Onion Casserole.
• Cranberry Orange Sauce with Spiced Rum. 
• Stuffing.
• Turkey gravy.
• No Bake pumpkin pie.

This Thanksgiving is a little different than others. We are celebrating it at home, only the four of us. Also, our oven is broken, so we have to revise and re-adjust our recipes. No big deal though, as thankfully we have all the equipments needed to safely deep fry that big bird outdoor.

Next exciting part is, of course, the Black Friday shopping. I’m giddy already, and I’ve only had one beer. 

On to the Chocolate Bock now..

Bon appetite, tumblr.

Thanksgiving Edition, 2011

I’m thankful for:

• My husband and my child. Everyday. I get to have a family here, far far away from home. Things may not always be easy, but things are always good. 
• Our house. The first house we own. It’s spacious, it’s affordable, and the location is just all I could ask for. 
• My husband’s new jobs and old job. Things happen for our best interest and both those jobs have contributed to our lives in a variety of ways.
• My son’s developmental progress. It’s beyond amazing.
• Getting to spend so much time doing so much outdoor activities this summer/fall.
• Getting to spend some precious time with my Mama and sister this summer after years of separation. I will always remember of this as being the brightest highlight of my life after years, only second to my son’s birth.
• Simple moments of eating delicious breakfast every morning with my son and my dad in law.
• Meeting some lovely new friends. 
• The ability to stop overanalyzing some things. You have no idea how massive of a deal it is for me. Almost life changing (I say almost because I don’t wanna jinx it, haha).
• Happiness. It’s been a constant struggle throughout life, but now I am able to find it and feel it, and work for it.
• Self honesty. I am thankful that I am now able to articulate my true feelings. I feel more honest and true to myself. 

Thank you God for all these blessings. I am far from deserving but it amazes me how You just don’t give up. I won’t either, I promise, I will try harder.

Happy Thanksgiving. Eat some turkey, drink mulled wine and be merry.

I don’t know when exactly I became Americanized. I don’t know when exactly I adopted America’s culture into my soul.

Maybe it’s the one day I had a really bad day and craved for nothing more than a good ol’ grilled sandwich and a bowl of warm soup to comfort me.

Maybe it’s the first autumn I craved for pumpkin ale and pumpkin spiced lattes.

Maybe it’s the first Christmas I decided to purchase a set of decorative lights for my porch.

Maybe it’s the first time I thought that mulled wine cider would be a fantastic addition to my Thanksgiving spread.

Maybe it’s the one morning I decided I will not care anymore about the gossip mongers I have the misfortune of calling neighbors.

Maybe it’s the one night I realize that nowadays, nothing makes me happier than ending the day watching my favorite (American) tv series, glass of Norton in hand.

… I feel bittersweet. I don’t want to loose who I am, where I’m from. My country is and will always be engraved in my soul. My culture will always be the one defining me. But America, in its sneaky ways, has found the little crans and nooks inside me to store itself in.

I’ve become Americanized, I realized it.

But deep inside me, I am, and will always be,

an Indonesian.

Forever.

Bored to Death is one of the funniest tv series I’ve ever seen.

I mean, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson and Jason Schwartzman.. I know you’re laughing already.

It really is the best.

Tumblr, meet my newest tv crush.

Grant Gustin of Glee.

Would you get a load of that?

All the feelings, I have them.

If there ever a question of who my Hollywood girl crush is, the answer is simple. Megan fucking Fox. 

Something about her personality. Unapologetic. Free spirited. You can’t keep her down. She’s no Mindy Kaling or Olivia Wilde or Katie Holmes, but she isn’t worried about it.

And she’s fine as heck.

(photo via)

A cup of warm apple cider (the adult kind) at 1:23 PM ?

Don’t mind if I do.

Christmas Wishlist

Not that we even have any gift giving tradition. But whatever, it’smyblogiwritewhatiwant and all that shit.

So here goes my metaphorical x-mas wishlist.

1. A pair of Warby Parker. Because, well.. I am nothing but a sheep.

2. Brown riding boots. This is a need basis, mind you.

3. An LBD from Zara. Any LBD from Zara.

4. Kindle Fire.

5. Essie nail polish. I refuse to shell out $8 for nail polish, that’s why.

6. Leopard flats.

7. Nude wedge lace up bootie. 

8. A vacation to Santorini.

I’d like to think I’m keepin’ it simple enough.

A girl can dream.

Food, food, food.

Baby B’s recent favorite lunch meal is PB&J. I have no qualms about this. I served it with some grapes or apples and milk or juice. Pretty standard.

Today I added a slice of smoked turkey into his PB&J. Either he wasn’t hungry (boy hadn’t had much appetite for a while now) or it simply didn’t taste good, he barely touched it.

As for me, I found myself feeling inspired to make my own version of PB&J meets grilled turkey&cheese sammich.

So I spread PB and J to my slices of bread, added turkey and cheese and squirted some sriracha in between the turkey and cheese. Then I melted butter in the pan, and ‘grilled’ the sammich.

It. was. delicious. The combo of the sweet, savory, cheesy, and a little kick from the rooster sauce was just perfect.

Currently I just finished eating mr. Goodbar, raided straight out of Baby B’s Halloween pumpkin basket treat. Don’t worry, I only sometimes stole it. Only when the craving for candies calls (which isn’t that often, if ever). And I’m about to get myself a cup of raspberry yoghurt.

Also, tomorrow we might be going to an Indian buffet for dinner. I have been craving Indian food something fierce.

Winter hasn’t even begun yet and my appetite has spiked like mad. Time to hit the gym again.