Remember how last week I was writing about the beauty of Cisayong? Well that was only the jist of it.  The previous post was dedicated especially to Ecky and Sam, so this post will talk more about what we did in Tasikmalaya. ‘We’, as in Elyani, Parvita, Toni, Yefta and me.

Deciding on transportation was a bit of a fickle but once we were set, we were ready to go. Parvita agreed to ride with us in our tiny green Karimun Estilo all the way to Tasik, and Yefta agreed to drive. I told him earlier on that I’d gladly take turns with him but of course, he’d have none of it.

When we’re about to leave, and I was literally getting on the car, one thing crossed my mind and all of a sudden I freaked out; the cupcakes! Yes, Anita had ordered 53 cupcakes with messages on each especially for Ecky and she asked me to bring it to Ecky’s wedding, and they were supposed to be delivered at 8 in the morning, but we were about to leave at 9 and the cupcakes were nowhere to be seen! I seriously don’t want to imagine what would happen if I didn’t remember about the cupcakes. In the end we had to drop by at the bakery to pick them up, adjust them a little so that they won’t slide around in the back (there will be some crazy, sharp turns as we got nearer to Tasik, that was what I’d been told by Ecky)….

And then we were off. We stopped over at Bandung to have lunch (Parvita kindly showed the way) at Kabayan restaurant which had this yummy mango chilli sauce (I must get the recipe!) and then continued to Tasik.  Understanding the road signs was a bit tricky but we figured it out eventually.

Now here’s some funny things we noticed on our way there:

• We passed a lot of kids who looked like they were elementary students running on the side of the streets of Nagrek in their school’s sports uniform – under the direct sunlight. Maybe it was Friday and it was supposed to be a sport’s day, who knows? By the time we got to Tasik, we noticed the same view, except that this time the kids were running in opposite directions. The current joke that was running between Parvita, Yefta and me at the time was that these were some superhuman kids who could outrun cars and even planes – because when we were at Nagrek, they were going towards Tasik, but when we got to Tasik, they were already going back!

• During our stopover in Bandung we noticed some hilarious candidate posters – not because of the images – well, okay, not only because of the images, but because of some of the names these candidates had. Happy Bone Zulkarnaen was one of the names of the candidates that I noticed but missed by Parvita, who is probably still curious about it until this very moment, mostly because she had in her mind this very candidate posing with different types of dogs and winning votes from dog lovers due to his name alone. I seriously couldn’t imagine what kind of parents would name their child, Happy Bone. Apparently this one would!

By the time we checked in to the hotel, everything was fine and dandy, and I left Yefta for a while to have a rest while I joined Parvita at the hotel’s coffee shop. We were chatting and enjoying tea and coffee when Elyani phoned me to inform that she just got back after photographing Ecky’s Siraman ceremony. Soon enough, we were accompanied with Elyani and Toni who looked like they could use a few snacks. Initially, Parvita ordered more tea and coffee and banana fritters (which wasn’t in the restaurant’s menu but they made it for us anyway) and afterwards, we were all happily chatting. I woke Yefta up to join us, and we were there until around 7 pm, when Elyani said she had to go back to Cisayong to photograph Ecky’s Ngeyeuk Sereh ceremony.

So what is Ngeyeuk Sereh exactly? Read all about it in Toni’s blog – it’s in Indonesian but once you see the photos (which are awesome) I’m sure you’d know what it means.

What happened afterwards? Stay tuned, peeps, there are plenty more to tell!

“How great was the power of God Almighty that He was able to destine Ecky  from Cisayong, Indonesia, with Sam who came all the way from Australia to meet and spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife.”

It was what the MC of Sam and Ecky’s wedding had said before they got officially married, and I agreed wholeheartedly. Looking at Cisayong and all its terrace padi fields, the fish ponds and the small roads where some parts were not even touched by electricity, I couldn’t help but think whether it had ever crossed the mind of Ecky’s mother – who had spent her life in the very village that I was standing in – that  her daughter would end up marrying someone from a country that is a thousand miles away from Indonesia.

And that was where I was, last Saturday. When I received the invitation to Ecky’s wedding in Tasikmalaya, without hesitation, I’d already decided that I wanted to go. I had never been to Tasikmalaya, and I was in desperate need of a holiday too.

I’d known Ecky from her blog, which has its unique name that already indicated where she came from.  Working in an advertising agency made her postings fun and thoughtful to read. She always kept things light and easy to read, which was why I decided to keep her blog in my regular to-read list. It was also a surprise to know that she was in fact best friends with Anita McKay whose blog I’d started to read during the same time that I’d started reading Ecky’s.

So off I went, with my fiancé who had kindly volunteered to drive – the whole five hours drive from Bekasi to Tasikmalaya via Bandung, to and fro! – as well as Parvita, who I bet must be keen to take some interesting photographs. Toni and Elyani were also coming, because they were the official photographers who were appointed to capture every special moment of the whole wedding process.

Since Ecky’s wedding was a traditional one where the bride and groom must go through cultural rituals and such, it was an interesting process to watch. I was there during the Ngeyeuk Sereh, a ceremony being held the night before the wedding where the bride and groom were given sex education through symbolism using Indonesian spices and fruits.  Before that, there was also Siraman which I missed because while the ceremony was being held, we were still on our way to Tasik. You can read more about the whole ceremonial process in Parvita’s blog, because she explained it much better than I do.

What I thought was very sensational was the wedding day itself. There were dances and parodies to begin with, and then more dancing to follow after Sam and Ecky had been officially pronounced as a married couple. Ecky looked her most beautiful, even though I could imagine how tired she must be after the whole day and night process, she was an all-smiling bride who couldn’t hide her happiness. It was then that I saw how Sam must be captured by a real Indonesian beauty. Even underneath all that heavy make-up, Ecky’s natural beauty shone right through.

Those who are close with Ecky must already know that she is very proud of her hometown. And it was some place to  be proud of – I could see how people might be very well taken by its simplicity. Even at one point Parvita made a joke that you would never find a thug who originated from Tasikmalaya because in this place, they already had everything they wanted; good food, good climate, courteous people and a quiet life to enjoy – what more could you ask? It was what people who slaved themselves earning their living in the city of Jakarta would dream of escaping to.

If only what I wrote here could capture the essence of Ecky’s wedding, but I guess we all just have to wait for the result of Toni and Elyani’s shots – the photographer duo who worked their magic fingers in capturing all those special moments and what made Cisayong a special day that day.

Right now, let’s all wish Sam and Ecky a beautiful and happy married life to look forward to, may those smiles will always be shown wherever they are, and whatever they do. Congratulations!

Photos are courtesy of Ralph Walker (first photograph) and Toni Wahid (second photograph).

The infamous Mrs. Anita McKay was back in J-town, so what better way to welcome her than to arrange a Land Coffee together at our favorite spot, Cazbar?

As well as Anita and I, there were Devi Girsang, Ecky, Tere616 and Parvita. All of them, as some of you might already know, are well-known bloggers who brighten up the Indonesian blogosphere. I myself have frequented their blogs every now and then but this would be my very first time of meeting the others, apart from Ecky, which I’ve met twice with Anita last year, and have since kept contact with her through instant messaging and Facebook.

The first to arrive, so anally early, was me, which was a record considering I was the one who lived in the outskirts of Jakarta (apart from Tere616 who actually lived very, very close to me we could’ve been neighbours!). Then Anita came, bringing her white macbook (as always) and a couple of things, such as the infamous Tunnock Tea Cakes, and six (yes, six) novels to devour, all for me, me me. I squealed with delight at the thought of having something(s) new (and in English!) to read and immerse myself in – in this weather, nothing’s better than curling up in bed with a good read and a nice cuppa.

We caught up with the latest news, and then Anita waved at someone who was coming over and as I turned around I gaped – who was this tall, fabulous woman? Those legs, those arms! Well, it was none other than Parvita. The moment we started chatting, I immediately liked her – she was sweet and calm, which made me admire her even more because after reading her blog, who wouldn’t? A combination of brain and beauty, which makes the perfect woman. And just like me, she loves dogs too!

Then came Ecky, wearing this nice rose-colored top paired with these shorts, that made her waist looked even tinier than mine could ever be, and she was still looking as gorgeously tanned as usual. By the time she came, Anita, Parvita and I had already ordered (Spicy Tuna pasta for Parvita, Goulash soup for Anita and Grilled Chicken Steak for me).

As we continued talking about everything that had been happening in Jakarta and beyond, Devi showed up with her brother, and the funny thing was that she was already standing inside, near the entrance, and we saw her but couldn’t be sure whether it was her that she had to call me on my mobile before she realized she was only twenty feet away from us! It was mostly my mistake because I heard messages coming in through to my mobile but I was too busy er.. talking, I forgot to read them, and they were all from Devi. Sorry Devi!

Devi was a tall girl with long swishy hair and a bubbly personality, and she was nice and chatty just like the rest of us.  She didn’t join to have lunch with us because she was having a toothache but just like what we did before her, she couldn’t resist having a go at one of those Tunnocks Tea Cakes! Salute, Devi! However, those cakes were simply too delicious to be missed, and thanks to Anita, we will probably crave for more of them – nice, gooey white marshmallow with soft biscuity base inside, all covered with milky melt-in-your-mouth chocolate – how can you resist?

The last to come was Tere616, and she was wearing this black dress that I adored. She was talkative, funny and very pretty, and despite having two kids, she didn’t speak like any ol’ mothers who fuss about their children – quite the contrary, she was cool and hip and happening, probably more than I could ever be!

Because Tere616 also owned a dog, and so did Parvita, there was a point where we got busy talking about our dogs and share our (mutual) feelings and experiences of owning canine companions.

Both Anita and Parvita brought their SLR cameras, even Devi brought a digicam, and I was regretting the fact that I forgot to bring mine, but we had a couple of nice pictures taken. You can see the rest of them on our Facebook profiles – sorry, members only, folks!

All in all, we had a great time. Would we do it again? Absolutely. Better stay tuned for the next Land Coffee, hopefully more people will turn up (as in, expecting Toni Wahid and Elyani to share and practice their awesome photography skills to us).

See you next time!

A few weeks ago, himself and I had lunch with Elyani at a new vintage-styled food court at Kelapa Gading mall – an area where she lives.

Because I talked about Elyani so much, himself was already acquainted with who she was, not to mention that she was helping me on a really big project which involve of me borrowing her awesome photography skill for the whole day, and himself was there as well to help out (as well as being a patient driver), so they got a chance to bond.

I must say, Elyani gives a positive influence on me, whether or not she realises it; because of her, I’m starting to feel aware of what I eat, and I also start to take care of my body properly.

Elyani used to suffer from endometriosis, so she took care of her health really well, and perhaps that habit had sort of caught up with me as well. She is always relishing me with advices on how important it is to exercise daily and to try to eat healthier food.

But it isn’t so much as her advices that make me really listen (I have problem listening to people); it’s because I really admire her for who she is.

She is a survivor, and a strong person – the kind of person I’d love to be when I grow up (deep down I’m still a childish teenager who jumps up and down for no reason). The first time we met, we couldn’t stop talking about our lives, and it amazed me how tough her life was, and I couldn’t help feeling weak and helpless for complaining when she had endured much more hardship that I could ever imagine.

I admire her discipline in doing things – from the smallest to the biggest, I think she is the sort of person who strives to do everything perfectly.

I also understand her fondness for animals – she often regales me with stories on how she spoils Suneo, her cat, so bad that she often gets so annoyed at his habit, but we both know we love our pets too much that we will do everything we can to make sure they live happily, and it reflects kindness in her heart, and that’s what I love about her.

She has been sort of like a sister for me – I remember when I was getting coffee from one of those mall cafes and I couldn’t take the lid off for fear of scalding myself, Elyani took the lid off so easily, that himself made fun of me for being such a wuss, and to which I replied, “That’s what having a big sis is for,” and at that time I really felt like having a big sister.

This weekend I’m planning to go to Kelapa Gading again – Micah’s food is running out and himself wants to buy some CDs – and it’s just so natural of me to think of asking her to meet up, that even himself already point that out before I manage to say it to him. And I haven’t even asked her whether she will be available this weekend!

My big sister won’t be around forever, she has her own life to live to as well, and it’s imperative that I spend as much time as I can with her.

I feel a bit sad because I know I will miss her greatly, but I’m forever grateful to have the chance to meet her – she has changed my life bit by bit and for that I am always thankful.

I was pleased to have been given the honor to do so, as I’ve been a loyal reader to her blog.

I remember it was early 2008 when I stumbled upon her blog (which was still hosted at Blogspot at the time) and since then, it had been one of the few blogs that I visited on a daily basis – not only were her postings very interesting and thought-provoking, but they also depicted of what sort of person she was; bold and classy, yet smart and kindhearted, not to mention sexy as hell!

The topics that she discussed always gave me the itch to comment (couldn’t help myself, more like), and most times I secretly wished I could’ve had come up with those topics whilst murmuring silently, “Now why didn’t I think of that?”

Anita had always been the one with kind manners, so in return she came to visit my blog as well and soon we had become friends, until the day we finally met up – did I tell you that she looked better in person?

The Header Designs

Here are the blog headers that I came up with, in which she got to choose out of the three alternatives;

She loved how the words “Finally Woken” was associated with a butterfly. It was her wedding invites that gave me the idea to incorporate the butterfly to it, because I thought it suited the whole meaning of the words – a butterfly finally awaken from its cocoon.

She also liked the swirls which gave out a romantic mood to it but she wanted something less graphical, so I suggested using a silhouette of a girl, and in my mind I was thinking of a girl lying down on her stomach with her laptop casually opened in front of her.

I actually asked my beau to take photos of me lying down on the bed with the laptop and everything,  but since the photos were much too embarrassing to be shown, I could only give you a toned down, illustrated version of one of the photos, in which you can view here.

The result of the header with the silhouetted girl was this.

Notice how the girl in the picture is bare feet, and Anita suggested her to have a different hairdo; like her hair being tied into a pony tail or being let down to fall on her shoulders, but in the end we decided that the messy, scrunched up hair looked best, because it was effortlessly sexy and relaxed.

Nevertheless, some people responded that the girl actually look naked (for the record, she was not naked, she was just wearing a really tight bodysuit)- but that was what I liked about it because it described Anita as the cheeky, sexy geek that you always imagine!

In the end, Anita asked for the final addition for the girl to wear stilettos to soften down the “naked” image, and she decided to use the header in white, gray and pink hues instead. The final result – as you can see from her own blog too – is this.

Apart from a blog header, she also asked me to design a 125×125 pixel icon for comments etc., which was the first thing that I came up with, before the whole header was finalized.

I was glad that Anita was satisfied with the logo – it was nice having her as a client because she was easy to please, and designing the header had always been fun, especially when the client was happy!

For those of you who want to get to know more of Anita, visit her blog at Finally-woken.com, she will always welcome you with open arms!