27.9.12

Throwback - Morotai

I went to this island about 4 months ago, between our works for Awareness of North Mollucan endemic birds and its parrots conservation. The island is like a diamond in the rough. Despite of unorganized infrastructure and developments, the history value of this island is valid. It has a big part in the Pacific War on World War II, where MacArthur selected this island for air bases to support the liberation of Mindanao.






Happy Belated Birthday

The guy now is 30 years old.
I did my best to prepare surprises and it failed big time hahaha, 
but this guy kept smiling and being happy as i expected he'd be. 


26.9.12

Explore - Morning Walk

So i did a little walk around where i live. I was surprised to see so many little beauties i found along the walk.




24.9.12

Foodstagram



Recently i was being told that i have too much thoughts focused just on food and gastronomy. 
I guess from now on i have to share my love for other things, they might be as excited as well.
 And this wasn't planned to be a sad blog, actually, but i'm about to cry now. hahaha.



21.9.12

Throwback - Lombok

Two years ago we had a short trip to one of my favorite places.
Flying, riding, sailing, hopping, diving, from beach to beach. 




9.7.12

Summer Playlist



Just got back from another trip! Swimming with turtles, manta rays, and hundreds of jelly fish! 
I am lame in doing updated posts, but for now let me share a playlist i've made recently. 

You should be able to listen to it by clicking here. 


29.6.12

Trip - A Bay at The East

There are some moments when a place, weather, and people you are with, collide so perfectly. I usually adding the food element to make it even more unforgettable,but umm my point is to share one of those moments here.

This beautiful hidden bay at somewhere of east Indonesia, i get to visit on a Friday off while i was on a working trip. The beach was just so pretty, clear crystal water with a volcano background, covered with vegetation and no one else swimming beside us. I went there with very happy fun going colleagues from the site office, and they made the sunny day even much better and enjoyable. 

There are moments when everything goes so nice, you don't  think about anything even yourself, and what you do is just enjoying every second of it. 

I wish this place would stay the same forever and ever.

 Welcoming us

 Scenery along the walks

19.5.12

Eat - Papeda



I just went back from a work trip to North Maluku. No words to describe that's why i'm gonna upload more pictures to do it. But for now let me introduce you to something called 'Papeda'

My first papeda experience at Ternate. Here the system is like a buffet package. Pay 20 thou rupiah *about 2 usd, and you can grab anything served at the table. 

The papeda i have to get used to it, because it has no taste and so sticky literally like glue, we should just swallow without chewing it. But the tumeric yellow fish soup and every other dish meant to add some decent varieties that makes this food so special. 

It is important to pour the soup first to your plate so the sago congee wont stick to the plate. To put papeda to your plate is another interesting story. Needed two sticks to roll it quick and make it a sticky ball straight to the plate. After we pass this step then we can be glad and put anything else to the plate. 

Another speciality to eat with papeda is gohu ikan. It is made from raw tuna mixed with plenty of herbs (chilis, shallot, basil leaves, garlic, lime, salt, coconut oil, fried peanuts, and more).

Me personally would prefer the steamed cassava than the papeda. Just because the steamed cassava is so good and do well with the tumeric soup. Yum :)

15.2.12

Learn - Dragonfly



Straight-edged Red Parasol (Neurothemis terminata)

Dragonfly is probably the most insect i could bear. Well, beside the cute ladybugs. And butterflies.. and.. any other beautiful colorful insects i can't remember right now.

Most thing i like about dragonflies is the fact that they eat mosquitoes.

There are more than 5000 species of dragonfly worldwide. We human, homo species, has been having only 8 species, and we, the only still exist homo in this worldwide is just a/one/single left species called Homo sapiens sapiens.

The other fact i like about them is they actually can fly really like helicopter. like up and down, hover and they could mate mid-air! (i know.. i know..)

The eyes contain up to 30,000 lenses, and they are taking most of the part of its head, with ability to see nearly 360 degress around it all the times. Wicked!

And this is my favorite part: here, there's an old myth if you tickle your kid's belly button with a dragonfly's tail, your kid would actually stop wetting the bed at night.. hahaha.

14.2.12

Trip - Taking a break

Already broke my resolution for one day one post..
but here are some snaps while i was away for a weekend..







18.1.12

Learn - Ginger Flower




Despite of its unique and beautiful look, this flower could actually gives you security.
It is big and so hard you can actually use it as a bat to hit random bad guys..
('random bad guys' as like when you watch thriller movies and these random guys come and try to do bad things, if you get me. if you don't then that's understandable.)

We usually having it for big flower arrangement, it is pretty and lasts very long too.

Torch ginger flower - Etlingera elatior
and
Indonesia Wax ginger flower - Tapeinochilus ananassae


Who needs 911.

17.1.12

The Instagram Thing


Looking back to last year i did Instagram quite a lot. Somehow i do it less and less now. I just checked their lastest updated app and it already has so many fun things to do with it, so i'm excited to bring my ipod again whenever i go now. And i'll do this as soon as i remember my username there.. But I'm pretty sure it's natanoja :)

16.1.12

Throwback - Tondano

April 2010 - Easter trip.

Went to North Sulawesi with my mother and her friends to meet her another friend and her friends. Beside of gathering new mom's friends, what i love from this trip were:
  1. Purple cross and hand-made Jesus' empty graves-replicas al over the streets. It was very Easter-y
  2. Beautiful, beautiful, sceneries.
  3. Gospel Minahasa cassettes playing all over the markets
  4. Six different kinds of chili sauce on every meal. And probably about 23 kinds of dishes per meal? Boy, do Minahasa people know how to eat well!
  5. Motorbike riders and passengers don't have to wear helmet to church. This is because police officers would understand that you dont want to mess your hairdo. They go to church too. Same rule when you're invited to wedding receptions, because police officers got invited too.
Tondano lake, people, and of course food. I would love so much to go back.





Talk the Talk Walk the Dog

I talk to my dogs and i tell them this often: "I'll walk you more."
My first boy Kay von Elingprigel, is an 11 year old massive, big-headed, giant-eared, round eyed, jumping-around-thinks-he's-a-small-puppy, super spoiled german shepherd. He can do whatever he wants freely in our front yard. When i go to work or when i got home that's what tell him. Last week i found out that he couldnt walk, barely could stand (but still enthusiastically eating fast and alot, halleluyah). We took him to the vet and after one week he is now able to stand and walk to me whenever he sees me.Took him for a morning walk and he loved it. Sad to see that he gets tired so fast now. But i will try my best to keep him being a happy puppy.

"Shall we go now? Shall we? now?"

Life is Bitter but Bitter is GOOD!


Every time we have big family gathering, there are two dishes that will always be there. Well actually there are many, but these two are special and healthy too, that's why i'm gonna share it. (but i will share unhealthy food as well, maybe more of that than the healthy ones.) I particulary loves these two because it taste good and i can eat them as many as i could. Because it's healthy. But i'd probably wouldnt eat it without rice.. which is not that healhty.
Anyway, here come the recipes.

Spicy Papaya flowers

Papaya flowers 300 gr
Papaya leaves 50 gr - sliced
Red Chilis 5 pcs - sliced
Basil leaves 50 gr
Bay leaves 2 pcs
Lemon grass 2 pcs
Salt, Pepper, Sugar
Ginger 1 pcs - sliced
Shallots 5-10 gr - sliced
Garlic 3 cloves -sliced
Cooking oil 1 tbs - sliced. haha.

  • Boil papaya flowers and leaves in salt water (around 1tbs), wait until is half-cooked, leave for about 15 minutes, then wash-drain. or drain-wash-drain.
  • Saute garlic, shallots, chilis with cooking oil until it makes you cry, then add ginger, bay leaves, and lemon grass
  • Add Papaya flowers, papaya leaves, basil leaves. Then add salt, pepper and sugar, stir until it's well cooked.
  • Eat best with rice

Stir-fried Bitter Gourd

Same recipe except the chilis are thicked-slice (i'm not sure why), and replace papaya flowers/leaves with sliced bitter gourd-200 gr
And for this you can add minced chicken or peeled shrimps.


These photos arent the nicest, i took it while i was busy chewing, and the folks were so hungrily impatient and ruin all the good aspects of good foodography. Or was i just too lazy to make a good presentation. Excuses.. excuses..

12.1.12

Herbs and Spices


I have realised that one of my interest in cooking (beside eating it) is to learn more about herbs and spices. Love the smells, shapes, and taste of all exotic ingridients . Every kind of traditional market always been a fascinating place to explore for me. These pictures were taken when i went to a market in Lombok, they grow the best crunchy and thick chinese watercrass/morning glory/whateveryoucallitinenglish you'll ever taste.






10.1.12

Grow - Queen of The Night


Rare and beautiful. Though i'm not sure what's the english/latin name or even its kind. I will do more research and update this post later. For now i will share the pics when it was beautifully blooming only for one night.
And next time i will take better pictures of it.






8.1.12

Childhood


This weekend i'm returning to my childhood time favorite anime, Born to Cook (Mister Ajikko) by Daisuke Terasawa. There was no better waking-up-early-on-sunday motivation ever than this series. I love watching all exaggerating dramatic descriptions about food and cooking.
I was so thrilled when i found all the episodes here. Enjoy!

7.1.12

Learn - Nudibranch

HELLO!

Do you believe that aliens are exist? From wildest imaginations humans have created about aliens in comics and tv, there are thousands of wicked shaped real creatures living underwater.
Top of my faves list would be nudibranch [nude-a-brank].

6.1.12

Skull me.


Have you ever done a head x-ray scan? I had a motor accident back in 2009 that made me had to do some scannings. The accident was quite bad, i never thought myself as a pretty face but i never felt so unpretty faced before. haha. Thank God there was nothing serious and i have my face back to normal after several weeks. Since then i am always very cautious about motorbike riding and helmet. Life is too precious to be at risk because of ignorance isn't it.

So THIS pic of me :

reminds me of THIS :


and THIS pic of me :

reminds me of THIS:


Safe riding and driving you all :)

5.1.12

Grow - Star of Bethlehem



This one is a treasure i'm sharing. West Indies' Star of Betlehem (Isotoma longiflora).
While wikipedia say its weed can cause blindness, but with a drop and wash-wipe recipe, i've heard some people use it as herbal eye drops, even to cure cataract! I like the fact its flower blooming all the time, we have a line of this and it looks pretty at our backyard.

4.1.12

2012


I like to consider myself as a list-maker. I'm crazy about writing everything down, and make them listed. No matter how i apply it in real life. Never that much actually. Usually i forgot about the lists i've made and then time goes on. Recently i break down all my lists and realized there are too many categories that complicate my way of life actually. It doesnt matter. Life is already too complicated anyway. It also happens with 2012 resolutions. I have almost 50 on my list haha. From very detailed like 'easter at larantuka' to general ones like 'try to not get bored so easily'. Well if this list doesn't work, at least i can read it just for fun so i don't get bored easily.

3.1.12

Goodbye 2011


Saying goodbye is never easy. But when you've gained amazing things there are more positive views from goodbyes. 2011, like every year passed has given so much meaning to my life. One of the hardest goodbyes was to my beloved canine companion Tossy. She came in and shared life with me for more than 11 years. She left so sudden last May and i miss her a lot almost all of the time. I miss our picnics, i miss our cuddles, and i miss how she communicate her curiousity only with me. Most of all she has taught me the meaning of love, loyalty, trust and forgiveness that i will continue to share to others for the rest of my life. You will always be in my heart until we meet again Mama Tossy.



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