Wonderful Wednesday with Oh My Heartsie Girl

Time flies and we are on the second full week of the New Year. I have to say that even in the beginning to year, I am already (half) buried with works, some outstanding from the previous year and some are completely new. But for sure, the spirits run high and I can feel ideas are freely sparking here and there. 

And we were quite busy with Bo's project for school. This time, as they learnt about the lives of Native Americans, we made a triorama depicting the life of Lenape People. We managed to have a wigwam, a canoe, one Lenape chief and a lady, and a traditional rug. 

It was a family project so we had fun creating it. I even revived my old habit of threading bracelets with colorful threads for cross stitch. 

the bracelet-turn-into-mini-rug :)

The patterns of the 'mini bracelet' turned out to be a lovely Native American rug. Well, not exactly the same but it looks similar. Quite a colorful addition to the triorama:). I guess I will share some patterns and how-to-make this bracelet later here on my blog as well.

colorful rug in front of the wigwam :)

And now, are you ready for another round of Wonderful  Wednesday?

It is our 84th "Oh My Heartsie Girls "Wonderful" Wednesday's Linky Party and we welcome You. We have lots of inspiration to share. And we appreciate your stopping by to share your blog with us. And We wish You A Happy New Year!! 

Your Links Are Seen On 10 blogs this week.

Oh My Heartsie Girl & Co-Hosts Welcome's you!! 

:❢:❢ #OMHGWW Starts Early Because Somewhere Its Already Tuesday ❢❢ 

And if you looking for something special from last week, there are so many good recipes and crafts, you can find them here 

:❢:❢ All The Entries Here :❢:❢

And If this is your first time to join us ~Welcome~ and if you are revisiting our AKA Wordless Wednesday Now... "Wonderful Wednesday Party's, since were anything but wordless....

Welcome Back!!

 

♥~Our Wonderful Wednesday Pinterest Board~♥

We hope you will Party With us each week and follow our Host and Co-Hosts This Week On Twitter or Bloglovin ♥~ MEET THE HOSTS of #OMHGWW ~♥ 

 

January's Co-Hosts For Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday!!

♥Karren-Host // Oh My Heartsie Girl // Home Decorating Trends For 2016-Color Changes, Pantone ColorsTextures and Styles Twitter | Bloglovin | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | HomeTalk

♥Co-Host Christine Mello // Must Love Home // Free Printable Winter Days Art//Buffalo plaid is super trendy again this winter and paired with a simple bucks head this print can be dressed up or down. Just print out and frame it to fit your decor. Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

♥The Fabulous Journey// Fabulous Journey // Add Movement To Your Days //I have traditional exercise days and I have movin’ it days I Add movin’ it to your current perception of exercise. Movin’ it just means to add movement to your days. Twitter | Bloglovin | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest |Instagram

 

♥Co-Host Evija Roberts// From Evija With Love //Buying Our Dream Home - Our Journey // We are saving for our dream home, so I have decided to do a series of posts to share our journey... Twitter | Bloglovin | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

♥Co-Host Donna Wirthlin // Two Chicks And A Mom // Hip Flexor Stretch// "Getting back into a fitness routine? Don't forget to stretch! Staci shares a great hip flexor stretch to ease out those muscles after a day of sitting, working out, or, as Staci is, being pregnant!" Twitter | Bloglovin | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

♥Co-Host Ashleigh // Simply Wright // I Killed Santa...// Telling my daughter the truth behind Santa. Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram | Bloglovin

♥Co-Host Sarah-Ann Hamlin // Living Intentionally Simple // Mixed Media Art Canvas // This post breaks down the steps it takes to create mixed media art. | Bloglovin | Pinterest |

♥Co-Host Christine Ryan // A Sprinkle of This and That // Key Lime Napoleons //January is a perfect month for citrus, especially on those cold, dreary days when you can use a little of that sunshine spirit. Key Lime Pie screams summer. Thinking about tropical places where key lime trees thrive keeps me warm in my mind and soul. Key Lime Napoleons will help you feel like it is summer, even in January! Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

 

♥Co-Host Indah // My Purple World //Botok Tempe - Steamed Spicy Tempe// Botok Tempe, tempe anyone? // Let's continue our adventurous culinary journey by trying this simple recipe from Indonesia which will surely add some flavors to your table. Bon appetite Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

♥Co-Host Susan B Mead // Susan B Mead // Safe. Secure. Serene. // THE STORMS OF LIFE That’s where we lose our balance and our bearings, teetering, falling, toppling into despair. Oh, Father, I truly don’t want to go there…I want to be SAFE. SECURE. SERENE Twitter | Bloglovin| Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

 

Your Co-Hosts Picks From Last Week 

Co-Host Pick Sara-Ann Hamlin Living Intentionally Simple// A Sprinkle of This and That // Key Lime Napoleons

 

Co-Host Pick by Donna Two Chicks and A Mom // Bomb Shell Bling // Simple Heart Hair Clip

Co-Host Pick By Christine Mello of Must Love Home // C.R.A.F.T.// Adult Valentines  

Co-Host Pick by Evija of Evija With Love // Designer Trapped // Stacked Wood Lamp

Co-Host Pick Indah of My Purple World // A Sprinkle of This and That // Quick Chicken Corn Chowder

Co-Host Pick By Shellie of The Fabulous Journey // My Side of Fifty// New Years Resolution-Not 

To Lose Weight

Co-Host Pick by of Susan B Mead // Crystal and Company// Crock-Pot Recipes

 

Co-Host Pick by Christine Ryan of A Sprinkle of This and That // Tumbleweed Contessa // Meyer 

Lemon Meringue Pie 

Host Pick by Karren of Oh My Heartsie Girl // Honey & Burch // 8 Layer Taco Dip

Host Pick by Karren of Oh My Heartsie Girl // Penny's Treasures // Winter Swan

Host Pick by Karren of Oh My Heartsie Girl // Honey & Burch // 8 Layer Taco Dip

Host Pick by Karren of Oh My Heartsie Girl // Posy Classy Mom // Purple Rain

♥Disclaimer: When you add your link along with your email, it will be used only to send you an invitation to join us for the party. It also gives Oh My Heartsie Girl or Co-Hosts permission to share your posts, pictures and links if featured in upcoming posts. Any content used will be given proper credit and link-backs will be provided. But Now.....Let's Party!! ..And Open for a Week.. Stop by add new Links all week long!! Share With Us your recipes, reviews ,crafts, home decor, fashion posts, jewelry, paper crafts and yes, Linky Parties and Giveaways. Please Don't Link and Run-Comments Are Welcome & Link-backs are Appreciated We Want To See It All! And Please Feel Free To Pin A Few of Our Features

Click Here To Be Notified When Party Starts Each Week

:❢:❢Take a Minute and Tweet To Let Your Friends Know About Our Party❢:❢:

But Now.....Let's Party!! …...

Botok Tempe - Steamed Spicy Tempe

Ready for another Indonesian delicious home cooking?

I am back with easy breezy Indonesian food for you to try. This time, I am still using tempe as the main ingredient.

Botok tempe, everyone?

Tempe is surely one of the most popular ingredients back home in Indonesia. This fermented soybean cake is famous for its exquisite taste and unique texture. And I have to say it's addictive! That is why I was super excited when I found that tempe is easy to find here in NYC. And I am not only talking about buying it in Asian market or shops, but I can also find tempe in many big chained supermarkets in NYC like D'Agostino and Trader Joe's. Apparently it becomes quite famous as vegan staples here. Great! So I can introduce you all with more Indonesian food using tempe as one of the ingredients.

Siapa yang tidak suka tempe?

Rasanya jarang saya menemukan orang Indonesia yang tidak suka dengan makanan sederhana namun sehat ini. Yang ada malah ketagihan seperti saya. Ke mana pun pergi, selalu menyempatkan diri (dan berusaha keras :)) mencari tempe. Rasanya kalau bisa mendapatkan tempe seperti memenangkan undian berhadiah lipstik setahun #eeeh. Dan bahagianya, di New York City tempe bukanlah bahan langka. Asal hapal jadwal tempe-tempe ini didrop di berbagai toko bahan makanan khas asia, maka tempe segar yang biasanya dipasok dari daerah Philadelphia dan New Jersey pun bisa kita nikmati. Bahkan dengan bonus bahan makanan khas tanah air lainnya seperti sambal pedas, bumbu-bumbu masakan, sampai teh kotak :).

So, what do we have here today.
I'd love to introduce you to Botok Tempe - steamed spicy tempe.
A la mama Bo et Obi :).

Kali ini saya mau berbagi resep sederhana a la dapur Astoria. 

Botok tempe :).
Botok itself is a famous dish in Indonesia and it has many varieties. It can be mainly composed of tempe, tofu, mushroom, and other vegetables. Some use grated coconut and dried fish as well. Originally, it's wrapped in banana leaves, which make it somehow more delicious, before you steam it. But for the practical reason, I just put it in the steamer without wrapping it with banana leaves. Back home, I just need to go to the backyard to fetch some banana leaves. But surely not here in NYC :).

And here we go.

Ingredients:
Tempe - one pack, cute in cubes 
Red onion or shallots - thinly slices
Garlic - peeled
Coriander - one tea spoon, seeds of powder 
Kemiri or candlenut - 2 pieces
Fresh chili - if desired
Cilantro - sliced
Salt - as desired
Sugar - as desired

Bahannya sederhana dan relatif mudah didapat, bahkan untuk teman-teman yang sedang tidak berada di Indonesia. Tempe, bawang merah, bawang putih, cabe, dan bumbu-bumbu khas Indonesia seperti ketumbar dan kemiri. Kemiri juga relatif mudah dijumpai di sini karena ternyata banyak yang menggunakannya untuk memasak. Di sini saya juga menggunakan cilantro, bukan daun bawang, karena wanginya yang khas. Berhubung tidak ada kemangi, kebanyakan adanya daun basil, maka cilantro is a good substitute.

How to cook:

Put all the spices - garlic, red onion/shallot, coriander, candlenut and chili in the grinder. I usually use stone grinder because it feels authentic, like cooking it at home (I do bring my stone grinder from Indonesia :). But you can of course use your usual grinder or food processor for this. Once it's well grounded, add tempe, coarsely grind it and mix it well with the spices. Add salt and sugar as desired. 

using the stone grinder, we mix all the ingredients

If everything is well mixed, put them in a bowl or steamer and steam it for 20 minutes. Once it's ready, it will be best to eat it with steamed rice.

ready to steam :)

You can certainly substitute or add the ingredients with tofu or mushrooms. These are two of my favorite ingredients.

Gampang kaaan buatnya. Kalau di tanah air, botok tempe biasanya dicampur dengan teri asin atau sayuran lainnya seperti pete cina ya. Tapi berhubung di sini mencari bahan-bahannya perlu perjuangan, jadi memasaknya memanfaatkan bahan yang ada. Dapet tempe aja bahagianya sampai sejagad raya :).

Bon appetite!

Lime Crime Velvetines Wicked Review

Holaaaa, y'all.

Finally.
Akhirnyaaaa.

Jadi juga saya (mencoba) membuat postingan review untuk lipstik andalan saya ini. 
Ceritanya  tahun ini saya juga mau jajaaal aah jadi blogger beauty (ala-alaaa). 
Naaaah, I'm not a beauty blogger, but I guess I am a beautiful blogger :) #mintadicubit.

However, it will certainly be super fun to review some of my favorite beauty products.
Apalagi kalau melihat koleksi produk kecantikan yang bisa buat suami melotot karena banyaknya ngalah-ngalahin pensil warna koleksi Bo et Obi hehehe.

But, bicara soal lipstik, or lippen, or gincu bibir, or whatever the name is, memang seru ya. Apalagi buat kita para perempuan yang mencintai keindahan, rajin dandan or simply ingin terlihat fresh. Saya saja, yang sempat menyangka (dan mengklaim) diri tomboy berat (seriously, mereka yang kenal saya SMP, SMA dan kuliah pasti setuju dengan klaim ini :p), ternyata jadi punya hobi baru. Koleksi dan mencoba aneka macam lipstik! 

Dan sebelum saya berpanjang lebar bicara sejarah lipstik dan teman-temannya #untukpostinganyangsatuitu, why don't we start the review, shall we :).

Sudah tau dong Lime Crime?

Of course.

With all its controversies and the phenomenon of lip stain - catat ya, lipstain, bukan lipstik, Lime Crime has certainly stolen people's attentions. Velvety-matte finish, 

Officially launched in 2012, the Velvetines collection has arrived with a big bang (it allegedly caused a website crush due to the overwhelming online orders :). 
And I instantly fall in love with Wicked, one of the original shades from this collection.

slightly dark but it's a lot lighter than this :)

Kenapa saya suka?

Here are a few reasons why I love this lipstain.

First, wicked is so me! Percaya ngga, saat ini saya punya lebih dari 2 lusin lipstik yang semuanya saya pakai bergantian, tapi wicked remains my favorite! Saat ini saya sudah memakai tube yang ketiga, alias sudah 3 kali beli hihi. So far, saya selalu membelinya di Urban Outfitters (dan hanya di outlet yang terletak di 34th st., Broadway, mind you :), outlet OU lainnya tidak ada di NYC), supaya bisa sambil lihat-lihat warna (dan produk) yang lain.

the shade on my skin

Second, lipstain is here to stay. Aweeeet, booo, even after some food and drink :). 

Biasanya dalam sehari saya hanya perlu 2 kali mengoleskan Lime Crime, pagi-pagi saat berangkat ke kantor dan sesudah makan siang sekitar pukul 2-3 siang. Itu pun hanya topping up, merapihkan bagian tengah bibir yang terhapus karena makanan (berminyak biasanya) atau minuman. Then it will stay until the rest of the day, even the next day if you don't clean it properly :p.

Third, it's relatively affordable compared to other lipstain of the same kind. Pasti tau dong kalau lipstain sejenis sekarang booming sekali, mulai dari Anastasia Beverly Hills sampai Kate Von D dan Bite.  Belum lagi homebrand seperti Sephora dan Ulta, misalnya, yang juga mengeluarkan line yang sama. Dibandrol dengan harga $20, sebelum pajak, shipping, handling dan lain-lain ya, tentu saja harganya kompetitif sekali. Hmmm.. Tapi saya dengar harganya lumayan juga kalau sudah sampai tanah air, karena nilai tukar yang lumayan tinggi plus biaya import dan harga kekinian hehehe.

tampilan Wicked di bibir saya :)..mantaaap kan merahnyaaa :)

Fourth, it suits my lips fine alias tidak membuat kering. Once you apply it, it will stay and you won't feel it. Really lightweight and for sure it gives you a matte finish. For this, sepertinya memang setiap orang akan memiliki pengalaman yang berbeda karena kelembaban bibir juga mempengaruhi. Saya sempat baca banyak juga yang menggunakan lip premier atau lip balm sebelum menggunakan lip stain yang satu ini. Alhamdulillaaah saya asyik-asyik aja dan hasilnya, kalau di upclose, seperti foto di atas :). Ada baiknya juga untuk mengoleskan lipbalm atau vaseline jelly setelah menggunakan lip stain ini atau setelah bibir dibersihkan jika memang bibir relatif kering. Jadi bibir kita pun bisa terjaga keseksiannya #eeeh.

Fifth, it's vegan and cruelty free. At least I'm sure that there's nothing suspicious being used in this favorite lip stain of mine. As I copied from their website:
"Lime Crime products are PETA verified vegan and Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free. Our products do 
not contain any animal-derived ingredients. As part of the Leaping Bunny pledge, our suppliers also certify that no animal testing is ever performed at any point in our supply chain."Jadi tidak perlu takut kalau lipstain ini menggunakan bahan aneh-aneh atau pun diujicobakan di binatang.

Sixth, kiss for free, no marks to worry about. Hahaha.. Setelah dipakai dan kering dengan  merata, lipstain yang satu ini memang tidak meninggalkan bekas :). Or istilah kerennya mah touch-proof :). But for this, jangan sembarangan cium yaaaa :).

And finally, I love the applicator. The brush comes in proper size and perfectly picks enough amount of color to be applied. 

the applicator

Aplikatornya menurut saya juara, karena pas dan tidak berlebihan berisi lipstain yang akan kita pakai dan jadinya tidak boros ataupun beleber #taukanartinya  berantakan. Saya pernah pakai lipstain lain yang aplikatornya agak lebih besar dan hasilnya jadi tidak rapi. A little tip on using this applicator, I always try from the inside part of the lips before carefully apply and shape it on the outer part of the lips, following the lip line. Saya selalu memakai lipstain dari sisi dalam bibir, baru ke arah luar dan merapikannya sesuai garis bibir kita. Dengan demikian lipstain pun bisa dipakai dengan rapi :).

So, that's my first review of Lime Crime here. 
Again, I have to underline that everything I wrote is based on my very own experience as well as opinion and it might surely differ from others. 
Mungkin kita bisa saling membandingkan pengalaman kita menggunakan produk kecantikan yang sama.

My wicked lips and I :)

Dan pastinya, masih banyak warna lain dari Lime Crime yang saya suka juga dan (semoga bisa) saya review juga.

So, wait for more and I'll be back :)

All that jazz

Anybody here love fluffy stuff?

I do, especially fluffy sky..

Yuuup.. Fluffy sky :).

Why sky? why not the pillow or food or anything else?

And the answer is..I don't know.
I just can't get enough of watching those shapes of clouds above my head...far in the horizon.
You know how I adore blue sky.
And amidst the cold and freezing days lately here in NYC, how I am so blessed to see those fluffy moments and bright blue sky on top of my head ..

feels like grabbing et hugging the sky :)

You might notice that we recently have some cold days.

Well, what's wrong with cold days? It's winter..what are you expecting, Indah.

It's about time to wear all those layers and gloves and beanies and ear muffs.

Besides, last year we started having snow in October.

With a few storms as the end-of-the-year bonus.

But since we have the autumn-like December and the  warmest Christmas in 2015 (66 degree Fahrenheit at noon)  after the last warm one in 1982 (64 degree Fahrenheit at that time), I feel like winter is not coming.

Again, I keep my hopes up too early and as the Big Apple welcomes 2016, the temperatures drop. and drop. and drop ..

From 66 to 18 degree Fahrenheit

From 19 to minus 8 degree Celcius

feels like -18 and I gotta keep myself warm..

But, the sky still looked beautifully bright.

And blue..

So captivating...

the very day when it was minus 18 :)

I truly enjoy my walked that day until I realized I couldn't feel my ears.
And my hands were numb, even behind my gloves.
Dang..

Fluffy clouds and blue sky really lured me.

when the temperature hits zero degree C or 32 F :)

But again, I still can't get enough of this eternal beauty.
Keep looking up to my Rabb.
Enjoying the masterpiece of my Creator...
Once again reminding me how blessed I am ... for life and all that jazz..

Join me on Skywatch Friday and enjoy the sky from every corner of the world :)  

Thank you :)

Transiting in Istanbul (again and again)

Happy happy New Year, everyone...
It's still the first 10 days of 2016 and I'm so excited what the new year will bring :).
Apparently, I still have tons of stories, photos and mementos from 2015 that I would love to share here in my blog.

So with that intro, brace yourself...as another story of me transiting in Istanbul (again and again) is back. 

Saya masih punya hutang cerita saat menjejakkan kaki di Istanbul bulan Desember tahun lalu ketika menuju Jenewa, Swiss, bulan lalu. No, this time is not about the purple bowl that I was so determined to buy here in this lovely city, but about the new place I happened to visit in my 9-hour transit.

Terus terang, setelah kehebohan liburan musim panas kemarin di Florida dan sekitarnya (yang sepertinya belum tuntas saya share juga di blog ini :)), kaki gatal saya memang belum menjelajah lagi ke tempat-tempat yang agak jauh, hanya di seputaran negara bagian New York dan New Jersey  saja sementara. Jadi harap maklum kalau saya jadi semangaaat banget menjelajahi Istanbul untuk yang ke sekian kalinya.

As I have shared previously in transiting in Istanbul (again), I literally strolling around drizzling Istanbul just to enjoy the city. Frankly, for this trip, I didn't really prepare myself for anything, just simply enjoy traveling around. But then, as I walked across Topkapi Palace, I found this park adjacent to it. 

Gulhane Park, that's the name.

Setelah lumayan jalan kaki di sekitar Sultanahmet dan Istana Topkapi, saya mencoba mencari jalan tembus lain menuju jalan utama karena saya berencana naik tram dan funicular menuju Taksim Square. Ternyata mata saya tertumbu pada gerbang cantik yang ada di sisi kanan jalan setapak dari Topkapi. Saya sempat membatin kok sepertinya belum pernah lihat ya tempat ini sebelumnya. Kaki yang sebenarnya sudah mulai letih ini pun berbelok ke taman asri yang terletak di balik gerbang tadi.

the gate..

Taman Gulhane, yang artinya rosehouse atau kurang lebih kebun mawar, ternyata memang terletak di pelataran Istana Topkapi, namun lebih ke sisi luar atau sisi jalan raya. Di masa Ottoman, taman ini menjadi bagian luar dari taman Istana Topkapi yang memang dipenuhi dengan mawar, perdu dan belukar. Sejak tahun 1912, saat Walkota istanbul dipegang oleh Vemil Topuzlu, taman ini pun dibuka untuk umum. 

Dan memang taman ini sebenarnya luas sekali, tidak tanggung-tanggung hingga 163 decare atau 163.000 meter persegi. Jika ditelusuri hingga ujungnya bisa terlihat Bosphorus. Sayang saya tidak punya cukup waktu karena masih berencana untuk ke Taksim Suare #keukeuh :).

informasi mengenai Taman Gulhane

Bahkan dari hasil intipan saya di Wikipedia, taman ini dulunya pernah dilengkapi dengan kebun binatang, pasar malam dan tempat piknik. Namun renovasi besar-besaran yang dilakukan beberapa tahun terakhir justru membuat taman ini menjadi lebih tertata dan penuh dengan tanaman sehingga terasa luas dan nyaman.

patung ini menyambut kita saat memasuki taman :)

Di tengah taman, terdapat patung mantan walikota Istanbul dan juga patung pakaian tradisional Turki yang saya tidak tahu namanya. Modelnya seperti jubah atau mungkin seperti gamis ya, dengan hiasan di dada dan motif serta aksen keemasan. Terbayang jaman dahulu belum ada mesin jahit repot kali ya membuatnya. Yang pasti saya sukaaa banget melihatnya karena warnanya ungu :). 

Terlihat juga ada kolam ikan dan jembatan di tengahnya. Sayang saat saya ke sana sepertinya sedang diperbaiki, karena kolamnya kering dan tanaman di sekitarnya tengah dibongkat. Ketika saya tanya akan ditanam apa, mereka menjawab dengan bahasa turki yang tidak saya mengerti. Tapi kalau melihat bibit bunga yang tengah ditanam, sepertinya tulip. Waaah, pasti cantik kalau sudah mekar di musim semi nanti. Jadi pengen kembali lagi ke sini #nggabosenbosen :).

Bajunyaaa unguuuu

So for you who happen to have some spare time while visiting Istanbul, Gulhane Park can be a great alternative for a leisure walk. Next time I'm coming back here, I surely will spend more time here and perhaps even try the cafe they have inside :).

Gulhane Park

Cankurtaran Mh., 34122 Istanbul

Free entrance

Thank you :)

WW: Meet the Angels at Rockefeller Center

Meet the angels at the Rockefeller Center :)

This is truly one of the perks of NYC during winter and the holiday season ...

The historic landmark

really wanna try iceskating :)

the giant nutcracker :)

super cute

Join us on (almost) Wordless Wednesday and have fun linking up :)

Thank you :)