Wonderful Wednesday with Oh My Heartsie Girls

And summer continues.

#summerisON.

While enjoying super hot NYC, we managed fully enjoy NYC Restaurant Week.
Do you like to explore some cool eating places during this promotional week?
I do!
Here are a few snaps I have from my visit to 4 different restaurants this week.

NYC Restaurant Week

We also strolled around the city and spent some cool time with the kids.

We were actually thinking about heading somewhere in the upstate NY to enjoy cooler breeze but we decided to stay around as the trip would be super hot and we might not enjoy it after all.

cheers from Dumbo, Brooklyn

So, there we were.

Strolling around the city, catching Pokemon and having cool time with lots of ice cream and cook drinks involved :).

cheers

Although it was more than 100 degree F, Bo et Obi insisted on going to the beach. 

Well, why not...

As long as it's not in the middle of the day >_<. 

So we went to Plumb Beach in Brooklyn when the sun almost set.

Plumb Beach, Brooklyn

And now, I am happy to invite you to join our weekly linky party.  Ready?

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Feature Pick By Evija // Evija With Love-DIY Marble Art Vintage Floral Mod Podged Ladder Shelving-Flamingo Toes ( Re-Pin It ) This vintage ladder is made with shelving, Satin Mod Podge and Floral Napkins making this a little rustic for Bev's new home.

 

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eature Pick By Joanne // Our Unschooling Journey Through Life-Drip Painted Pots Nutter Butter Cookie Cheesecake Sandwich-Marilyns Treats ( Re-Pin It ) Peanut Butter Oreo's and Sandwich cookies make up the crust, Cream cheese, sour cream and peanut butter make up the filling. 

Feature Pick By Donna // Two Chicks and a Mom-Fall Front Door Sweet Pineapple Zipper Pouch-Flamingo Toes ( Re-Pin It ) What a cute little zipper pouch, the Pineapple craft is darling!

Feature Pick by Christine // Must Love Home- Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad Gray Container Garden Vignette-Master Pieces Of My Life ( Re-Pin It )

Galvanized buckets, florist vases and a feed container here to name a few. Some are old some are new to make up this lovely vignette!!

Feature Pick By Indah // My Purple World-Sop Buntut - Indonesian Oxtail Soup The Breakfast Elvis Peanut Butter, Bacon & Caramelized Banana Spiced French Toast-Pink Heels Pink Truck ( Re-Pin It ) OK I think we all love Elvis and he has my vote for the PB Bacon Banana French Toast!!!


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Feature Pick by Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl-Pumpkin Hand Pies Recipe Salted Caramel Apple & Almond Galette-Delightfule Made ( Re-Pin It ) What a wonderful treat for fall, so easy to made with Store bought pie crust, fresh apples, store bought Salted Caramel sauce and topped with ice cream, it shouts fall!!

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Sop Buntut - Indonesian Oxtail Soup

More Indonesian culinary experience from my kitchen table :).

Let me introduce you all to Sop Buntut - Indonesian oxtail soup.

I recently went to our local supermarket here in Astoria and found halal oxtail. Yup, oxtail.

Although oxtail is obviously not a common ingredients here, but I found various menus from different countries using the same ingredients, like oxtail osso bucco and oxtail stew, for example.

Back home in Indonesia, sop buntut or oxtail soup has been widely known as a famous plate. Not only in authentic warung or street food vendors, but also in five-star hotels in Jakarta. Hotel Borobudur Jakarta, one of the luxurious hotels in the Capital, has long been recognized as 'the place' for the best sop buntut in town. 

Served with a warm plate of steamed rice and crackers, be it kerupuk or emping - or bitter nut crackers, sop buntut is one of the favorite choice for lunch or dinner. The rich texture and tender meat, enhanced with special aroma from the spices being used, makes sop buntut a yummy 

Some of you might not get a chance to try it in the restaurant here in the US,  but if you want, you can cook it at home.

Ingredients:

Oxtail - 2 pounds, usually it's already cleaned and chopped to pieces.

Garlic - 3 cloves

Shallot - 2 medium cloves

Coriander - 1 teaspoon
Candlenuts - 3 pieces

Nutmeg powder - as desired

Salt and pepper - as desired

Sugar - as desired
Vegetable oil
Carrots - cut in dice
Celery or cilantro or spring onion - all serves as garnish and my fave is cilantro and spring onion
Tomatoes

In some recipes, they use cloves. You are indeed welcomed to use it as it brings an exquisite aroma to the soup. I don't find one here so I skip it. But I make sure that nutmeg is added as it is sort of a 'signature' hint for this soup, at least in my family's recipe :). 

How to cook:

First, we get all the spices ready. Using mortar and pestle, grind the garlic, shallot, coriander and candle nut. Of course you are welcomed to use your food processor as well. Then heat one spoonful of vegetable oil and sauté the ground spices until it's well cooked and fragrant. In a large pot, boil the oxtail, together with the spices, until the meat is soft. I takes around 3 hours to get it tender, depending on the oxtail. Once the meat is tender, put carrots, celery/spring onion and boil it for 5 - 10 minutes. And sop buntut is ready.

Give some drops of fresh lime or lemon to add extra tangy kick in your soup and some fresh chopped chili if desired. You can also eat it together with a bowl of warm steamed rice.

lime or lemon gives you a fresh kick in the soup

Hope you get a chance to try this exotic culinary.
Selamat makan, bon appetit

An Afternoon at Central Park

New York City is warmin' up.

If not burning.

Or more appropriately, hot and humid.

I didn't remember New York City this hot.

Last year we spend our summer break in North Carolina and Florida, which are hotter, almost always above 100 degree Farenheit or  around 35 degree Celcius. Well, what are you expecting, it's the capital of sunshine :).

Again, we are so used to the sunny weather, just like back home. But somehow, I thought NYC in summer is hotter than Jakarta. Or perhaps, I don't expect NYC to be this hot.

Anyway, hot, sunny weather does not prevent us from walking out with the kids. And Central Park is one of our favorite spots. And an afternoon at Central Park is always lovely.

First, because it's beautiful. Alot to see and it's huge, so the kids can just run around freely. Stretching more than 50 blocks, we have a lot of space and choices as well.

Then it's so easy to reach with our Subway line. Take N or Q and stop at 5th Avenue and 59th street. And voila, one block away is Central Park.

And, finally, the kids love to be here to catch more Pokemon. I know, don't give that look LOL. And I guess I will l get back with more story on that.

look at all those Pokemon lovers :)

Well, another thing I love about Central Park is that there are so many beautiful photo spots. On the last visit, we only strolled around the 59th street, near the Grand Army Plaza. We have the statue of General Sherman, beautifully guided by an angel to victory. 

looks so royal..

Nowadays, we can easily capture all those beautiful places and moments.

Just take out your smart phone, aim and shoot.

it has its own story of immigrants :)

As always, the blue sky will always be the perfect background.

the mesmerizing blue sky

So, that's our afternoon at Central Park.
I hope you get to enjoy the clear blue sky as well, wherever you are.

Cheers...

Join us on Skywatch Friday 

Everyone is welcomed  and enjoy the magnificent skies from many corners of the world

Tiga Puluh Sembilan

Tiga Puluh Sembilan

Thirty-Nine.

That's how old I am now.

The numbers might look slightly intimidating but girl, how I feel so young at heart!

Alhamdulillah, sudah begitu banyak nikmat-Nya yang diberikan padaku dan keluargaku.

Dalm setiap hela nafasku.

Dalam seluruh butir peluhku.

Dalam semua bisikan doaku.

Dan Gusti Allah memang maha kaya dan maha pemurah.

Setelah dua tahun menyandang status sebagai survivor kanker payudara, salah satu nikmat terbesar dari-Nya adalah nikmat kesehatan. Betapa sehat itu tak 

tergantikan bahagianya. Dan untuk tetap sehat, kita memang harus selalu berjuang! I'm not saying that I am totally into a super healthy life style. A foodie like me, adalah satu tantangan terbesar untuk berhati-hati dengan makanan. But at least I try to live healthier. Physically and mentally. And that's the spirit!

But I'm not going to dwell on that.

Not in this post.

I just want to say how grateful I am to be here. Right now.

With all the greatest things God has bestowed upon me.

With all the love from my beloved family and friends surrounding me.

Happy birthday :)

Ada bisikan penuh cinta dan pelukan hangat yang diberikan ketika waktu berganti tepat tengah malam menjadi tanggal kelahiranku.

Dan kartu istimewa yang diam-diam dibuat oleh Bo, Obi et Bapak bertuliskan I love you Mom because you are special.

Juga senyum lebar ketika kado kecil yang disumputkan di bawah bantal dan diberikan di pagi buta.

Serta saat tiup lilin bersama rekan-rekan tercinta dan menikmati black forest lezat.
Plus banyak doa dan salam hangat dari teman-teman dan keluarga di berbagai media.

Ditutup dengan makan malam istimewa dan berburu Pokemon bersama.
I am blessed!

cheers

You see....betapa Tuhan begitu pemurah pada hamba-Nya ini.
Merci ya Rabb.
Semoga sisa usia ini bisa menjadi berkah dan manfaat di jalan-Mu.
Dalam cinta-Mu.
Aamiiin.

WW: Red Train at Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Who loves riding the train?

We do.

And we somehow found this lovely red train during our last visit to lake Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania. It's in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, to be exact. The trains are not used anymore but still beautifully preserved.

And perfect for a photo session :)

My Bo

together

bright red :)