Five Simple Things You Can Do to Relax in the Weekend

Here comes the weekend, yeaaah!
Do you have any plans for your lovely weekend?
Or just relaxing at home with your loved ones doing noting?
Sounds like a plan to me.

Sudah lama aku merindukan akhir pekan yang tenang.
Akhir pekan yang benar-benar aku nikmati tanpa harus memikirkan bahan pertemuan, rancangan pernyataan atau butir wicara untuk para pimpinan.
Tiga bulan terakhir ini hari-hariku memang dipenuhi dengan berbagai kegiatan dan jadwal pekerjaan kantor yang luar biasa banyaknya. Mulai dari perjalanan ke luar negeri untuk berbagai sidang sampai pertemuan-pertemuan di berbagai kota di Indonesia yang jadwalnya pada merayap. Dalam tiga bulan, saya bertugas ke tiga negara danentah breara kota di Indonesia.
At one point I love it but I cannot deny that I am tired.

Makanya, saat ahir pekan tiba, I am sooo excited.
Kalau hari libur atau akhir pekan, biasanya aku punya banyak cita-cita.
Mau inilah, mau itulah. Ke sana, ke sini...
Padahal sebenernya butuh istirahat dan recharge.
Plus menghabiskan waktu dengan keluarga tercinta atau melanjutkn hobi yang mungkin sempat tertunda saat di hari kerja.
Jadi, mau ngapain kita di hari libur?

That’s the question for the 20th day challenge of the #BPN30dayChallenge2018.
Then it makes me think of 5 simple things we can do to relax in the weekend.
Well the question is during the holiday but I take weekend as my holiday.
Most of the time, I try to focus on relaxing or recharging myself.
So here are five simple things you can do to relax in the weekend.


Getting a massage - Pijat

Ini salah satu kegiatan favoritku akhir-akhir ini.
Pijat memang benar-benar bikin ak relaks banget.
How I love getting massage and this is what makes me miss Indonesia terribly
This is the place where you can easily go to one of the traditional spas or massage parlour or even order the therapist online and she will come to your house!
Go massage is one of the most -used apps I have in my phone and I'm super happy!
With Rp 110.000,- or less than USD 10 before tip, you can get 1.5 hours full body massage.

Listening to music and sing - Dengerin lags favorit dan nyanyi

Aku tuh paling seneng dengerin musik dan ujung-ujungnya pasti nyanyi!
Ini cara paling sederhana untuk boost up my spirit dan murah meriah, karena hanya bermodalkan Spotify or playlist yang kita punya, sambungkan ke speakers dan bisa nyanyi sambil bégaya. Pokoknya judulnya suka-suka deeeh!

Put on your favorite playlist, link it up to your speakers and voila, enjoy you favorite songs and sing them out loud! For me, music has a healing power and listening to those lovely beats and lyrics will bring back my energy and good mood. Don't forget to sing them! Let it out and sing it! You will feel much, much better and relax after that. 
Trust me :).

Watching TV at home with my family - Nonton TV bareng keluarga

Whenever Netflix or whatever paid TV you have at home has new movies or series suitable for you and your kids, make sure you watch it together with your family.
I rarely watch TV on weekdays so I try to catch up on my favorite series of movie during the weekend. It is much better and fun if you do it together with your loved ones.

Buatku bisa tonton TV bareng anak-anak dan Suami or keluarga itu adalah suatu kemewahan tersendiri. Beneran lho! Karena itu tidak bisa dilakukan setiap hari. Terasa istimewa banget saat kami sudah menyiapkan minuman dan cemilan favorit plus bantal untuk nonton film or seri kesayangan di TV saat akhir pekan or liburan. Priceless!

Cooking your favorite food - masak makanan kesukaan

For me, cooking is somehow relaxing!
Indeed!
Regardless the fact that cooking requires  preparation and follow certain protocols or process, for me, cooking is relaxing because I love it! 
Especially if you are making one that your family love so that they will devour it once you got it ready.
During the weekend, I usually cook something easy and fast but my family loves it. 
You know, like pancake, mie goreng or fried noodles and fried rice, soup then martabak.

Sleeping - tidur

Obviously, something sleeping is the only thing you need.
During the weekend or day off, you have the privilege to have some extra time for sleeping. I won't think twice and will certainly use my time to sleep for a while. 
A short deep sleep is what we need. 

So, that's five simple things you can do to relax in the weekend.
Do you have anything else in mind?
please let me know :)

Have a great weekend!

Morning Beats to Keep You Energized

Morning beats to keep you energized

"Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo' face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place
Singin'
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you.."

My hands were busy banging the dashboard while I sang We Will Rock you with all my heart that morning. My hubby did the same thing and people outside the car who happened to take a glance at us would be wondering what we had for breakfast to look that crazy and fierce.

Then the tune changed to Maroon Five's This love.

Oh I sang along with the sexy Adam Levine, holding my brush which unceremonially turned into a fantasy mike. 

" This love has taken its toll on me

She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore, 

hoooooaaaah, hoooah, hooooah.."

Done with it, my hubby put Bob Marley on the list.

Then our karaoke session in the morning continued, with Is This Love, Buffalo Soldiers, Three Little Birds, No Women No Cry and Redemption Song beautifully and loudly played from our player.

Traffic outside was crazy.
We were jammed packed with lines of other cars, buses, motorcycles and more.

All heading to the same directions apparently, making us trapped in daily traffic jam.
Jakarta, this is when I don't like you at all!

let's hit it!

But anyway, there are ways to beat the traffic jam for sure.

And music is always on top of the list as it has proven to be  helpful.

I am so used to having upbeat music in the morning to pump up the spirit.

My 9-year experience in the radio even gives me more privilege of memorising the lyrics of hundreds of top-40s, current hits, even the oldies.

So, as the 19th day of #BPN30dayChallenge2018 asks about ten songs I have on my playlist, I will certainly be more than happy to share my favorite tunes.

I have been musically raised up by my parents with hits of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, while I myself enjoy the 90s and beyond.

So, don't blame me for loving Queen, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Tony Bennet, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Franks, the Wham, the Supremes, and more.

I can go on and on and on remembering those great times listening to those golden tunes and singing them with my dad.

Really a melange of incredible and talented singers of their times!

I can say I learn English for the first time from those songs!

Then I love female vocalists, like Sheryl Crow, Lisa Loeb, Amy Winehouse, Lisa Stanfield, Macy Gray, Tracy Chapman, Christina Augiliura, Natalie Imbruglia, Pink, Adele, Frente, Alicia Kara, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa and more.

As my hubby is a great musician (he mostly plays bass but he's a great guitarist and drummer as well), we usually sing the acoustic songs and we have lists of our favorite songs.

And as my hubby's favorite bands are also awesome, we both enjoy Aerosmith, Stone Temple Pilot, Blues Travellers, Vertical Horizon, Bush, Oasis, Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses, Metallica, Sound Garden, Radiohead, U2, Imagine Dragons and more, besides the legendary BB Kings, Eric Clapton, Sting, and more.

Well I also love the latest singers like Shawn Mendez, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Cardy B, Justin Bieber and more. But again, what stay in my heart are those I love so much.

Oh my...I just can't stop talking about music!

So, before I forgot, here's the ten song I always have on my playlist in the morning

We Will Rock You - Queen

Thunder - Imagine Dragons

This Love - Maroon 5

We are Young - Fun 

Crazy - Aerosmith

I Try - Macy Gray

Ironic - Alanis Morisette

Valerie - Amy Winehouse 

Redemption Song - Bob Marley

With or Without you - U2

Surely I have more song I love to play in the morning.

I know they might have different beat and ambience but I just love 'em.

Don't ask me why I love them 'coz I just can't get enough of 'em!

Now, how about you?

What do you like to hear in the morning?

Tell me and let's sing together!

Lima Youtuber Favoritku

Siapakah 5 Youtuberku favoritku?

Continuing our #BPN30dayChallenge, here comes the 18th day of the challenge and today’s question is who are my favorite youtubers? I can only list 5 so again, I’m looking at my long list of favorite YouTubers here.

I love YouTube accounts which are entertaining, fun, and awesome.

Who wouldn't like those hilarious, viral contents, right?

I also love inspiring videos, be it on daily life, health, beauty, and beyond, - and religious contents which help me and my family learning more about our religion.

Well, nowadays YouTube has been bombarded by soooo many creative people with their out-of-this box ideas, contents and creations. I really salute those people who dedicate themselves in providing such world-class entertainment. Sometimes I feel ashamed of claiming myself a YouTuber if I take look at my super simple and modest videos. Well, but then I said to myself that I put my video in Youtube for my own memories and hopefully it will be beneficial for others as well, not for  mere publicity.

Of course we do have some bad and negative influence in YouTube so we really have to filter those ugly, hideous contents and protect our children.  I am also trying to find great YouTuber who will be as entertaining for my kids as for us adults. It's not always that easy but there are many family-friendly contents out there. 

Hopefully we can be persistent in protecting our children from YouTube bad influence!

Anyway, here's 5 YouTubers I love to watch 

Zach King

He's the king!

Kami sekeluarga seneeeng banget dengan Zach King karena memang videonya itu luar biasa> Keren, menghibur, dan kebayang buatnya susah, hehehehe! Rasanya idenya memang ngga habis-habis dan semuanya asli keren. Anak-anakku juga suka bangeeet nonton videonya Zach yang heboh-heboh dan selalu membuat kami tersenyum. Aaah pokoknya favorit deeeh!

Huda Beauty

Call me old fashioned tapi di tengah gempuran banyaknya beauty blogger yang asli keren-kereeeen, Aku masiiih tetap setia dengan Huda hehehe.

There is something about her yang membuat Aku ngga mau ketingga;an video-video terbarunya. Aku juga suka dengan berbagai tutorial yang dishare di akunnya. Huda tuh terampil banget dan kayaknya semuaaa gampang deh kalau dia yang dandan :).

Pinodita

Papin Pinot and Mamin Dita are our favorite! We can always watch their videos again and again. Besides, they are our neighbours! Literally loving a few blocks away from my house in Astoria, NYC. At this point, they share a lot of Ditut’s sketch book works and bwlieve me, they are amazing! 

Aku suka banget liat Dita gambar.
So effortless yet beautiful!
Her strength works are with watercolors and she did a lot of amazing works. And now she has produced a lot of stuff such as scarf and tote bags.

Raditya Dika

Kalau ngga mau pusing dan pengen ngakak ya pantengin ajaaa channel Raditya Dika :).
Hal-hal sederhana aja bisa jadi super lucuuuu di tangannya.
Aku sebenernya kenal akun ini dari suamiku yang sudah lebih dulu suka menonyon stand up comedy. And he is now very famous indeed.

Marischka Prudence

I love to see her diving videos!
Asli bikin mupeng beraaaat! Dan juga perjalanan lain yang ia lakukan.
Dan videonya pun kereeen- kereeen.
Quite inspiring!

So that’s my favorite YouTubers so far.
I bet you know them all.
Which one is your favorite?

What's In Store for Me in 2019

2019.

We are officially counting our days in 2018 as December is here.

Goodness Lord, how time flies!

So, do you have any plans for the coming year?

My hubby and I have been talking a lot about our plans for 2019 and 2020 as a matter of fact. We are trying to be better prepared and considering the situation at home, we might be around for sometimes. Dan saat berada di tanah air seperti ini, biasanya Aku dan suami punya banyak cita-cita :). Boleh kan? Apalagi karena biasanya kami hanya tinggal beberapa saat di Indonesia, jadi jangan sampai waktu selama di sini tidak dimanfaatkan dengan baik. Semoga selalu sehat dan diberi rezeki serta kesempatan oleh-Nya untuk menjalani semua rencana ini.

Then, what's in store for me in 2019?

Umroh

Aku dan suami pengeeeeen banget umroh.

Pengen haji juga tapi kami merencanakan untuk berangkat haji saat kami penempatan di luar tanah air supaya tidak terlalu lama antri menunggu giliran.

Kami sudah mencoba merencanakan pergi umroh at least 2 kali tapi memang belum rezeki jadi belum kesampaian sampai sekarang. Waktu pulang dari Jenewa, kami sudah berencana mampir untuk umroh tapi ternyata kami pulang bawa bayi 6 bulan, Obi putriku yang lagi di Jenewa. Saat mau pulang dari New York City kami sempat menghidupkan kembali rencana untuk mengunjungi rumah-Nya. Namun ternyata kami harus mengubah rencana karena perpanjangan masa tugas dan jadwal sekolah anak-anak. Memang terlihat seolah-olah belum rezeki, makanya aku dan suami selalu kembali merencanakannya. Doakan kesampaian yaaaa.

Skydiving and paragliding

I am dying to try it!

Anybody has tried skydiving?

How does it feel?

Kayaknya kok seru bangeeet cobain sky diving deh..walaupun udah kebayang  bakalan heboh. Yang pasti, aku akan periksa kesehatan dan fisik supaya jika memang ada rezeki mencoba skydiving atau paragliding, aku bisa melakukannya tanpa kendala yang berarti. Aku ngebayanginnya bakal jejeritan heboh campur deg-degan plus semangat untuk mengabadikan semuaaa ini. Kira-kira bisa ngga ya? Aaah kalau rezeki ngga akan ke mana kaaan :)

Keliling Indonesia Timur, termasuk Raja Ampat

Ini salah satu cita-cita dan mimpiku dan Rudi. 
Cantiknya Indonesia Timur, yang sebenarnya sudah saya jelajahi sebagian, memang masih menyimpan banyak misteri buat kami sekeluarga.
I really enjoy going here and I wanted Udi and the kids enjoy the same thing.

Rencananya kami akan anak Bo dan Obi juga, 

Kembali Belajar Menari tradisional

Sebenarnya aku pengen Obi belajar menari tradisional, seperti waktu aku kecil.
Inget banget jaman masih SD saya ikutan latihan menari tradisional di garasi sebelah.
Kami pun sempet manggung beberapa kali di acara sekitar rumah.
Saya dulu belajar tari Yapong, Lenggang Nyai, tari Piring, dan ada beberapa tarian lain yang aku lupa namanya.
Walaupun mungkin hal ini biasa dilakukan, namun buat kami yang seringkali tinggal di luar Indonesia bisa menari tradisional itu sangat membanggakan.
Aaah semoga Obi bisa menikmati latihan menari bersama si mboknya ini.

Well, itu dia rencanaku di tahun 2019.
Kalau kalian punya rencana istimewa apa?
Share yaaaa.

Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World and Oh My Heartsie Girls

December is certainly creeping in and we will soon welcome 2019, right?

I have been presented the opportunity to widen the scope of my #itchyfeet and last week, I visited Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for the first time. It was quite an experience, involving delayed luggages, reviving my French, and beautiful transit in Istanbul. 

Traditional handcraft of Burkina Faso

A lovely encounter indeed. As usual, I will share more stories about Burkina Faso so stick around! I have shared some photos for my (almost) Wordless Wednesday.

Selamat datang di Burkina Faso

But now, party time!

Great links are waiting for you in this Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World and Oh My Heartsie Girls. As always, all of you are warmly invited to join!

Welcome To Our Weekly Linkup!!

Big Announcement Starting in January I am Accepting Signup For 5 Co-Hostesses ⇒ Read About It Signup Here ⇐ Find Us On Instagram with Hashtag #omhgww

Check It Out On Instagram Bloggers are some of the most Inspiring people we know and make our parties special!!! Were Wishing You All Beautiful Holidays!! Thank all for joining us! Linky Parties are an opportunity for us to feature other #Bloggers and #Blogwriters and for you to share what you have going on........your blogs! Please Keep Our Party Growing By Sharing! ❢ : Be Notified When This Party Starts Each Week⇒ Click Here You Can Unsubscribe Anytime: ❢ We Thank you!!

And Thank you for featuring our banner or a link somewhere on your blog!! :) 

But it is NOT mandatory.

All Features Are Pinned Each Week-And Shared on Social Media!! Our party is on 3 blogs and reaches over 60,000 followers+ over all of our blogs and on social media!!

Our Hostesses Share Our Party On Their Blogs~ Hope You Will Visit and Get To Know Them!

 

♥ Indah Nuria Savitri // My Purple World Visiting the Island of Jakarta Tw | Fb | Pin | In | IN » Repin From Original

 

♥ Susan // Susan B. Mead Susan B Mead One Person Can Make a Difference Tw | Bl | Fb | In |Pin » Repin From Original

 

♥ Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl The Best Tips for De-Cluttering Your Home for the Holidays Tw | BL | G+ | FB | Pin | In » Repin From Original

Celebrating Everyday Life // A Welcoming Red White Christmas Table Magnolia leaves and Poinsettias adorn this lovely table set for Christmas

 

Kiku Corner // Cardamom-Cake-with-Rosewater-Whipped-Cream I have been reading a lot of recipes this fall using cardamom, it has a unique smell to make a delicious cake

Pennys Treasures // A Christmas Farmhouse Garland Penny's is always creative this time using clothes pins with milk pails buffalo checks, candy strips, and poinsettia papers

Feature Chosen by Indah // My Purple World My Recipe Treasures // Turkey Tetrazzini Made in one pan with leftover turkey a delicious comfort food

 

The Scrap Shoppe // Miniature Faux Tobacco Stick Christmas Trees These sticks look like wood but are actually made from sheets of foam

Feature Chosen by Indah // My Purple World DelightfulEMade.com // Penguin Cookies These cute cookies are made using Townhouse Crackers the perfect shape for penguins. A peanut butter sandwich dipped in chocolate make a salty-sweet treat

Clean and Scentsible // How to decorate your stairs with garland You can decorate without ruining the wood using clear hangers that can be removed without a trace when you take down the garland

Mama To Many Blessings // 80 + Resources To Teach Kids The Meaning of Christmas A list of great videos and books to share with your children  

 

Amys Creative Pursuits // A Casual Outfit From Stich Fix Amy subscribes to Stitch Fix Try new styles and trends hand-picked just for you by your own personal stylist. Get pieces right to your door based on your style, size & budget

 

  You Are Welcome To Link your DIY Projects, Garden Ideas, Tablescapes Outdoor Decor, Sewing Ideas, Scrapbooking, Paper Crafts, Reviews, Gardening, Favorite Recipes, Decorating Ideas and Crafts, Giveaways or Challenges and Blog Parties are Welcome!!

Pin Your Favorite From Original Source We Only Ask That You Comment and Share The Party Please Tweet Or Your Favorite Social Media

And Thank you! But Now......Lets Party.... Done!Got it!Will do!

Sepuluh Blog Favorit untuk Blogwalking

Mau tau sepuluh blog favorit untuk blogwalking? 

Lagi-lagi saya harus berpikir keras untuk menentukan sepuluh blog yang sering saya kunjungi. 

Yang pasti, ada buanyaaaaak banget blogger keren di luar sana yang blognya sering saya kunjungi, baik itu blogger Indonesia maupun blogger dari luar negeri. Dan seperti pertanyaan blog favorit, aku pun punya banyak kategori untuk blog traveling, lifestyle, beauty, fashion, technology, curhat dan lain-lain. Belum lagi para blogger yang saya penal secara pribadi dan memang orangnya menyenangkan. Rasanya mau protes ke #BPN30day Challenge2018 tapi rasanya memang itu tantangan utama untuk tentukan mana yang masuk dalam daftar. Jadi, semangaaaat!

So, let's give it a try!

Here come the 10 blogs that I usually explore for blog walking. 

theresasmixednuts.com

Again, I really enjoy reading her blog as it has so many interesting features that I love, especially all those yummy, yet easy to prepare food. She writes a lot about tips and tricks  on daily life as well traveling and recommendation or reviews for so many products. I like the way she shares her stories. 

Dan yang aku senengnya tuh, Theresa selalu BW balik ke aku dengan komentar yang tulus dan genuinely show interests to any Indonesia-related posts I have put on my blog. And you know I put a lot about it! Yang pasti, Theresa juga sangat humble dan menyenangkan.

anapleaday.com

Alissa is also one of my first blogger friends in the Big Apple! I got connected to her through Theresa as well and Alissa is a lovely art teacher who really appreciates many things I love. 

Dan Theresa maupun Alissa juga rajin BW balik ke postingan aku plus berbagai referensi untuk mendapat postingan berbayar USD juga lho. Ada bêberapa sponsored posts kami yang serupa.

wordlesswednesday.blogspot.com

Ini salah satu blog yang tiap minggu menyelenggarakan linky party untuk mereka yang publish postingan dengan foto tanpa kata or cerita. Well, ada sedikit cerita juga boleh, tapi jangan kaget kalau ada juga yang hanya menaruh satu foto saja.

I have been following the link party since 2014 and I continue to share my version of (almost) Wonderful Wednesday up until now.

It's a fun way to stay connected with bloggers from different corners of the world without being bogged down by long posts. Besides, I also got tons of photos to share!

shintaries.com

Seperti yang saya pernah tulis sebelumnya, blog mba Shinta banyak 'contekan' bermanfaat yang sangat membantu blogger awam sepertiku. Aku yang buta ilmu per-SEO-an mulai sedikit-sedikit belajar dari dirinya. Dan semua itu ilmu yang berharga banget lho!

jalanjalankenai.com

Aku kenal Mba Chie, baik di dunia blog maupun di luar, sudah lumayan lama dan aku cukup sering BW ke blognya yang penuh cerita menarik tentang berbagai perjalanan yang dilakukan oleh Chie dan keluarganya. Banyak tempat-tempat wisata asyik dan pas untuk keluarga yang pernah didatangi dan Aku jadi suka 'nyontek' itinerary or jadwal perjalanan dan tempat yang didatangi. Thanks for sharing it yaaa Mba.

etramping.com

Ini salah satu blog traveling yang diasuh oleh 2 teman baik, bukan sepasang kekasih ,walaupun mereka berteman sangat baik dan sering berpetualangan berdua. Mereka juga suka berpetualang dan mencoba berbagai hal baru setiap kali tiba di suatu tempat baru. Just like us!

beyourselfwomen.com

Mba Lus, pemilik blog ini, adalah sosok ramah yang sempat saya temui di beberapa kesempatan. Aku bahkan kerap menikmati berbagai kado istimewa barang-barang crafting yang dibuatnya. Beberapa Aku bawa ke New York City juga. Dan Mba Lus sangat consistent dengan blognya yang sarat Do-It-Yourself projects serta arts and crafts. Keren keren dan doable banget.

Fitrian.net

Aku ngga tau harus bicara apa soal pemilik blog yang satu ini tapi Lia, panggilan akrab kita semua untuknya, adalah ratu Blogwalking, termasuk mampir ke tempatku. Dan Lia juga rajiiiin banget update blognya. So, here we go, kalau ngga mampir ke sini rasanya ngga afdol.

bethere2day.com

Ini blog yang isinya benar-benar menghibur karena hanya berisi postingan lucu dan nyelenah tapi juga selalu membuka link party. Saya seneng mampir ke sini karena selalu ketemu blogger-blogger lain yang menikmati hiburan yang sama lalu saling mengunjungi via wordlesswednesday atau link lainnya. Tidak ada yang spesial banget tapi entah kenapa saya rajin main ke sini. Mungkin cari-hari saya sudah penuh dengan pekerjaan serius kali ya, jadi pengennya cari yang lucu.

fromevijawithlove.com

Kami pernah co-host bareng di weekly link party dan Aku suka banget dengan blognya Evija yang penuh dengan tips dan tricks untuk rumah, termasuk berbagai proyek DIY. Bahkan saat Evija membangun dan menghias rumah barunya dari nol, ia membaginya di blognya. Bener-bener menginspirasi lhooo!

So, that's my post on the list of blogs for blogwalking.

Kalau teman-teman suka blogwalking ke mana aja?

Ada alasan tertentu nutuk blogwaking ke blog tersebut?

See you on the next post.

WW: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, at a Glance

Here are a few snaps I took in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, while visiting this country for 3 days.

Welcome to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Me, happily wearing Godé top, a traditional fabric of Burkina Faso

Otw to the meeting venue..

I have never imagines before that I will get a chance to visit this capital city of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou. Thanks for having me, Africa!

The meeting I attended to..

Join us on (almost) Wonderful Wednesday and have fun with the link party