Globalisation is catching up with yr Indonesian friend who lives in Singapore, over Italian coffee and food in a German city. And then had a pee stop in Holland and now back for dinner in Belgium.

Sat, 8 Dec

The immigration police at the France-UK border has never seen an Indonesian before. So he called his friend to catch a glimpse of this rare Indonesienne sighting. If they stare 2 seconds longer, I'd charge them 2 Euros each.

Six hours later I arrived in Brussel. My friend Aki has the whole weekend planned for us. He straight away whisked me to snowy Cologne in the warmth of his Audi. We toured the Christmas markets, drank warm wine (Aki) and hot chocolates (just me) and checking out the Dom cathedral. It's beautiful at night. We then drove to snow-covered Dusseldorf. The temp was -10 degree at one point. I saw only white from our hotel room.

We explored the zentrum and discovered my new fave beverage - kinderpunsch!

We're back in Brussel by dinner time. He took me to old school Aux Armes de Bruxelles where I had the best vol-au-vent and  kue semprong. Brussel's Christmas market is even better - the scent from the waffle stalls and hot fruit juices complement this 'warm' city. After sub-zero Germany, Brussel's 5 degree temp feels 'mild'.

Dusseldorf
The red hat figurine remind me of my fave tale character - Noddy.

I'm obsessed with that elf. I want it!

Aki and busy mini bakers.

Dressing up for Christy Turlington

I have avoided severe winter climate all my life. The only time I got 'caught' in freezing cold weather was during a tail end of winter in Istanbul a few years back, which I escaped by fleeing to Cyprus.

So when I find out I'm going to attend the Trust Women Conference in 4-degree rainy London next week, how to survive the cold became a second major concern after getting the visa clearance.

Winter shopping is a foreign concept to me. Luckily, warm clothes are easily found in stores around Singapore. I never noticed before. The shopping part was a bit overwhelming. There are (too) many things to help us stay warm, including the affordable 'thermal' range. But sometime I don't find them pretty.

So I called on my personal stylists - namely my 2 sisters in Jakarta, Carina and Canari. The brief was simple; I'm going to be in the same room with Christy Turlington and Queen Noor. Dress me up.

A few days later, I received a shipment of a small suitcase filled with fancy clothes suitable for cold climate and a pair of black leather boots. I'm impressed.

I just need to make a few additional shop visits for the smaller items like gloves, ear muffs and socks. Even this was not an easy feat.

What kind of gloves should I get? Knitted, leather, flannel? My friend said it's better to coordinate the color with the shoes.

What's the different between leggings and tights? 65% Cotton and 30% polyimide OR 50% cotton and 40% polyimide - which one keeps me warmer? What the heck is polyimide? Even the shopkeepers don't know.

I also received some fashion advises:

"Layer like you're on crack".

"Can not do stylo mylo like dat. Must wear proper pants", a colleague said after I showed her a legging warm enough for strolling around Tanjong Pagar.

"Your outfits must be as fabulous as hers", my sister referring to Christy Turlington who will be speaking at the conference.

Well, I have 48 more hours to prepare. London winter, here I come.

The lady I strive to be #Dreambig

Glamilla

In the mind of my emerging artis friend, my alter ego is blond, tanned and wear head garland. She has unconditional glam status,too.

Makasi Tay! :)

Glamilla

Check out her other work at http://iniruthmarbun.blogspot.sg/

Petugas TNI tidak memukuli wartawan...

I despise an incident that happened in Riau, Indonesia last Tuesday. Three reporters were assaulted by the members of the army while covering the site of a plane crash accident. They got a bashing from some army crew and their cameras were confiscated. The unfortunate plane belong(ed) to the Air Force.

The picture below, showing a guy in uniform (doing what looks like) strangling a Riau Post reporter went viral. As a freelance writer, and a human being, I feel like hitting the army guy with the three confiscated cameras. 

I feel a little victory when 2 Indonesian tweeps, @thepopo and @oomleo, made a mockery out of the army guy. Their twitpic conversation yesterday exchanged a series of superimposed pix - another take of what could have been the army guy. Cracks me up.each time.

Ternyata ada petugas TNI yang bantuin wartawan.

Petugas TNI lagi mimpin sholat berjama'ah

Petugas TNI ternyata mau berlayar

..ngomong².. touring ke majalengka barengan club tiger TNI, ..jadi nggak, sih? ..udah ready, nich.. 

Buat wawasan anak band:
Kenapa gitar Bang Rhoma buntung? ternyataaa....

MY FAVORITE : petugas TNI nggak tau caranya keluar dari bajaj!

Petugas TNI kepleset kulit pisang

Ternyata do'i suka yang rada nge-beat

Petugas TNI lagi santai

Petugas TNI belah duren

Petugas TNI buka kursus buat Idul Adha

Udahan? Kok sepi?

The Man I am Most Loyal to

For more than seven years, I didn't allow anyone else to cut my hair except my trustee Kenneth Chan.
And I cut my hair as often as once a month for a couple of years. Now I go every two or three months.

I see Kenneth more often than I see my dad. He knows my next holiday plan, what I'm up to at work and who's going to visit me in Singapore. I took my sister and a few of my best friends to his salon. Now, some of them make regular special trips to Singapore just to get a hair cut. On one new year eve, my friend Fanny and I got a symbolic hair make over at 7pm on 31 Dec - to kick start the new year. We went straight to Kenneth after Fanny landed from Jakarta.

Kenneth gets me, and my hair, without much detailed explanation. Even when I don't know how I want my hair to look. He never did wrong.

The best part is I still pay the same rate as I did seven years ago.

As long as Kenneth is still reachable by MRT, I don't need no other.

Shakespear and Seal

It was another Friday night in Singapore. I was hanging out by the Shakespear park, chatting with Queen Victoria and Richard III, and play fencing with Hamlet.

 

Then I heard the raspy beautiful singing voice of..... Seal! People start screaming and approached him. Including me. We all followed him to the stage and listen to an intimate 1-hour session of Seal!! I was Kissed by a Rose - all over....

The priceless moment was organized by MasterCard, who converted part of the brand new Marina Bay cruise center into a party scene for their Priceless Singapore launch. Good food, free massage, chocolate tasting bar and Seal. 

 
FUN.

Now I'm off to bed. I have a dragon boat to race in 10 hours. Wheeee....

If every child listens to this sing over and over again, it might reduces crime rate.

It's great to be able to stop, when you plan the thing that's wrong, and be able to do something else instead, and think this song.

I can stop whenever I want to. Can stop when I wish. Can stop stop stop anytime.
And what a good feeling to feel like this.
Know that the feeling is really mine.Know that there's something deep inside.that helps us become what we can.

For a girl can be comeday a lady.For a boy can be someday a man.

http://front.moveon.org/over-forty-years-ago-mister-rogers-fought-for-pbs-and-gave-the-us-senate-goose-bumps/?rc=fb.fan