How turbulence affects me..

Suddenly, my mind took me back to a turbulence that happened at my first fly. I had to go express due to my aunt health issue. I was excited to get on flight and maybe that was as same feeling as someone who would go on a jet at their prime time. It was round trip and I guessed I had a very good experience flying early in the morning to Jakarta. But then, my trip back to Surabaya has become my nightmare or even a trauma until this day. During that 45 minutes floating on the air at night, a death omen seemed to be so real to me. A jet shook, ups and downs. I realized, I convinced myself, it was "only" a turbulence, it happens to all flights. It would be done within minutes, my mind said... while the trip wouldn't last an hour. Just a different feeling of it finally, it kept happening for 5 mins, 10mins, 15mins, it was only ups and downs on and on just during the length of the trip. Everyone just felt it wasn't that normal. I saw a lady next to me spelling a familiar prayer, holding tight her purse, and closing her eyes. I knew she was frightened. I saw mom was trying to be calm. I heard people behind me calling Gods all the time. The lady attendant told people to lock the belt with her trying smiley face. It wasn't really "cure" the feelings and all I saw outside of the window just dark, a lightening flash, water droplets. I witnessed how scary getting closer with the real weather. Finally a climax, the jet felt like dumped down real sudden. I didn't feel any raise against of the jet like how it supposed to overcome it. Someone's bag fell, stewardess fell on the aisle, some passengers panicked. All I said to my Lord, "I just don't want to die now, forgive me Lord... Help me Jesus". I closed my eyes as my final surrendering. Slowly, I felt struggle crawling, felt stable moves, I saw  tiny lights like running LED from furthest. I knew the jet was ready to land. Those tiny lights become so clear, I could see roofs. I praised my Lord. I could say it was safe.. I passed the storm. I landed. I told mom I wanted to just took a bus and had some walks to home. I started to "feel", how ground felt, how the bad surface of the road was realer than air. I can't believe, how scary it was. I don't care if it was cheesy. But I know, on that plane were some people who didn't have first fly like I had but felt the same anxiety and scares. I know, what have happened to the MH, Air Asia... Could be scarier than what I had during my first 45 minutes. I pray to my Lord. I know God always do something even though we never knew it or even understand it. 

Pictures below showing before the landing on Juanda international airport.

Last Christmas stuffs

It's Christmas again. It s a fast time. I remember some of my favorite stuffs from my last Christmas like my man gave me inflate Christmas tree.. Well it's not a real Christmas tree. It s a tree balloon. So cute. It came with the cute hallmark card.

I got to rip the seal on the card then took the "balloon" out out from the card. It has a straw to blow up the balloon. This is how after blown.

I got another Christmas card, still same hallmark Christmas card. When I open it, it can ring or sing a song. It s dog singing (barking) a Christmas jingle lol. My man just knows how to crack me up. 

But, he also sent me another romantic Christmas card. So he sent me 3 cards.

Back to the Christmas topic again. Last year, I also made one Christmas tree. I made it from a carton plus left over materials from my mom's sewing work. So this time I also tell you how to make it. I was just wanted one different Christmas tree. We'll it s cheap too.. I didn't have to spend some for getting the tree. These are what I needed:

1. Several motives of left over materials. Batik, floral, square, houndstood, Aztec, tri la,etc. 
2. Any glues. Super, doublel tape, gun glue, etc.. AS longsor AS it can stick strongly.
3. Thick paper to make cone. I used from thick watercolor paper, 300 gsm. Yeah I know I'm sorry.. It s expensive. I didn't have any thick one at that time.
4. (It's optional) Star topper for Christmas tree. Don't forget the stick to attach the star on the top of tree. You can get it at Hobby Lobby, Wallmart, etc. shouldn't be expensive.
5. LED light for Christmas tree. I had 1.5meters for $15 from Ace Hardware.
6. Standard to make the cone tree standing well. I used my mom's candy jar.

This is how to make it..
I made the cone pattern from the carton (or any paper you'll use). I was just folding up the paper into cone. Then I cut the bottom, the wider hole round. So the cone would have round smooth bottom. Cut the fabric materials into 5 cm diameters circle. Fold the circle material into triangle... Well rest the other side on the other side of the circle. I think, any style can work as long as you can make triangle shape from it. Glue side by side so triangle shape will remain in that shape. Now it s ready to glue it or attach it on the cone. Put it all triangle-folded materials round until reaching the top.. It will be shown like in this picture. Happy trying.

Sunny Summer Drought

Sunny day in the summer time and very heavy drought.
Exif : f/ 4.0  1/100  50.0   100
Post Pro : P'CS3

Quick Sketch

Late post of my quick sketch in the afternoon. Using : white charcoal on the black pad

Visit Countryside #1

 Always love the countryside. I went there and just made pictures as always. There was a harvest time.

Tofu Kai-lan Soup

I always love kai-lan. It s so green, glossy, crunchy, and fresh. I often ate them in the stew style but never in soup.  Finally i cooked it in soup and still tasted so well. The point is how to cook the kai-lan. You want it to be still crunchy, but not under-cook or overcook. And yess, the color will change at some point you cook it. The tip is add a table spoon of baking soda. I'll explain it later. 

It's good to make for lunch or dinner and serve it with hot rice. For the filling you can add anything you like, maybe fish balls, meat balls, or chicken. 

Things you need :

300 grams or bundled of kai-lan

100 grams of chicken liver (slice it)

1 pack of tofu (chicken or egg tofu doesn't matter)

1 regular size of tomatoes (chop sideways into 8 pieces)

Ingredients :

½ of big onion

3 cloves of garlic

some cooking oil

a pinch of salt* (*very little, you may add salty soy sauce later)

a pinch of white pepper

a table spoon of Japanese salty soy sauce

a table spoon of oyster sauce

a tea spoon of rice vinegar

2 cups of water

a maizena/cornstarch water (a table spoon maizena + half cup of water)

Preparation :

For the veggies,

Wash and drain it. Let it be like that we will chop it later. Get skillet to boil some water as deep as the kai-lan can sink into. Boil a water, add a table spoon of baking soda and the kai-lan. Let the veggies sit there for 3 minutes only. 

After 3 minutes, remove from the hot water and chop it into 4 parts. Separate it on the other plate.  Now it's tofu turn. 

Slice the tofu into some pieces for half inch thick. The tofu texture is so soft. You may break it. The tip is: I use to dip the tofu into the hot water for 3 minutes before i chop it. It s believed to make the texture a bit easy to chop without breaking it. Cut from the middle.  After you slice your tofu, fry it. Fry until golden brown and the texture solid. Separate it on the other plate.

For the Ingredients, i just minced it. Slice the tomatoes. For the chicken liver, i would fry it first then sliced them into some tiny slices.

Prepare the sauces ingredients too,

you can use any cooking oil. i used olive. For the salty soy sauce, you can use other salty soy sauces if you don't have one like mine.  For me, Japanese soy sauce tastes different. 

Direction:

1. Stove on. Get on skillet and some cooking oil to saute garlic and onions. Stir well, when it gives you good smell add tomatoes. Stir well. 
   
2. Add some water and ingredients : a pinch of salt, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, a pinch of white pepper. 
   
3. Add the rest of the water, salty soy sauce, the fried tofu, chicken liver, and the maizena/cornstarch water. let it boil some. Remove from the stove.
4. Prepare the kai-lan in the other bowl. Pour the soup water on the kai-lan.
5. Serve it for 2 people with hot rice ;). 

this is how it looks,

Happy cooking :)

Easy Kwetiaw Noodle for Lunch

Hi there, it’s noodle time. I had a funny day with the noodle. When I cooked one, someone ate them up. So I wondered where it'd gone. Then my mother said she had them all.. wow.. must be so hungry :D. I decided to cook again the same. I had a hard time sleeping at night.. yeah it sounds so too much, but yes I couldn't wait morning time so I could cook. I made it for my lunch but still my mother wanted some.. :p

picture from : http://dessydinata.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/kwetiau-rice-noodles/
there explained how to make the noodle, good visit!

So, have you ever heard the “kwe tiaw” ? or maybe “he fen”? it s another type of Asian oriental noodle. Yes, it s another Chinese noodle. It is made from rice gluten. In English, we call it as “rice gluten noodle”. But in some other countries they call it with so many names like “kwetiaw" or "kwe teow" (粿條) (Southeast Asia), "guotiau" (pinyin: guǒtiáo), (Chinese, Canton), etc. The noodle is pretty stuffed. Because it s made from rice so you don't have to eat it with noodle. The good thing is the taste isn't as same as rice even though it s made from the rice. I'll share the way how to make dish from it. It s pretty easy to make and you can make it into 2 portions.

my noodle ;)

Things you need:

500 grams shahe fen noodle (i prefer wet noodle than dried noodle)

200 grams or a bundle of cai sim  ("coy sim", Chinese cabbage).

10 fish balls (slice it into 4 slices)

200 grams of chicken fillet, diced into small cubes. (you can add more, if you like chicken)

1 or 2 eggs, beaten slightly, fried, shred, separate it on another plate.

Ingredients :
3 big cloves of garlic, minced
1 or 1/2 big onion
a pinch of salt (be careful, taste it! you may add some but add it with salty soy sauce later)
salty soy sauce 
2 Table spoons of oyster sauce
A Table spoon of sweet soy sauce
A little fish sauce* (*optional, if your cooking is already salty with salt and salty soy sauce , fish sauce may no need to add. Fish sauce used to give more aroma and taste but yes, it s also tasted salty)
A table spoon of sesame oil
A pinch of white pepper
A Table spoon of rice vinegar 
A cornstarch water ( a table spoon full cornstarch four + 1/2 cup water)
water (i used about 1 - 1½ cup)

Preparations:

I showed you the noodles. I had dried noodle and the wet one. But i preferred the wet noodle. It s easier for me to process. But first, you need to wash the noodle with clean water. Sometime the noodle contain the water from the package to preserve it. So get the filter, like vegetable basket, colander, or sieve then drain it with clean water.  

For the leavy, i used cai sim. It's really easy to be found and cheap veggies. It 's rich of iron so it s good one. I chopped the cai sim into some part just like that.. beside cai sim,  you can use cabbage or sprouts. Some people may add leeks. You can add that too. But don't over cooked the veggies.. to keep the crunchy. 

minced the garlic and the onion. If your garlic cloves not big, add about 2 more.. Some people may like onion, in this cooking i used one regular size of onion. Mince it!

Direction :

1. Stove on! Get skillet on with some cooking oil. Wait until it s pretty hot to cook the onion + garlic. If it s hot enough, it s time for onion + garlic in.. cook it until golden brown and gives you good smell.
2. After onion golden brown, it's chicken time. Add the chicken cubes, keep stirring. Manage your heat (it may be a bit sticky burn). 
3. Add fish balls, stir well, cook them until the chicken changes colors to white and solid shape.
4. Add cai sim veggies. Keep stirring. Add shred fried eggs too.
5. Don't forget to add the ingredients : a pinch of salt (very little), salty soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, a pinch of white pepper, and sesame oil.
6. Add a little bit water, to cook the veggies. 
7. Add the noodles. Stir well.. 
8. Add the rest of the water to cook it.. taste the water too, if it still needs a "salty" taste you can add with fish sauce or just salty soy sauce.. the bottom line is don't be too salty.. 
9. Add the cornstarch water and stir until the water gone - thick, and remove it from the stove.
10. Serve it on your beautiful plate. You can add fried shallots and chopped chilies for the topping and don't forget to eat with chopstick ;)

Happy trying, happy cooking ;)

Looking Outside to The Sea

Looking out to the sea is like looking outside from the barrier. It tries to reach the dream outside the blocks you have. sometime it may not something easy but it something that you have to run and go for it.

Model : Gita S.P
Location : Local beach in Surabaya

A Verifying Desk

Sometime it s good to break the rule, about how i want to capture the moment..

Bloody Moon (Wannabe)

when the other side of the world had their bloody moon, i went out to capture the full moon, i wished i could have had bloody moon too. But this is what i've got.

Morning time in here.

I was riding with bike outside bringing my gear. I thought it was nice day and then the sun just hurried itself to out. The weather was a bit hot. Then maybe it s good time to get outside to see what s the day would start
 .
 

  

Painting of the day, may 22th, 2013 Autumn

i was using so many whites, ultramarine blue, crimson, sap green, olive green, cadmium red, and lemon yellow. i think it s nice to see and to feel how the autumn trees and leaves all around the ground.

Painting of the day “Wishing Atelier” 072013

I was having a busy moment. it had been long time i got out of reach with my wp. i had to do the house fixing while we know, fixing the house will get us in a lot of stresses with things and budgeting. then, i had to take care of my mom too. she s still in her medications, like i needed to go back forth to hospital. so i tried to get relieved in a bit to do quick painting. my man said i needed to go back soon to the painting things (he is the one best). it s something healing and it made me more experience to enhance my skill. this time painting, the challenge just with the lady that sits over there ( i m just being honest..). my painting tells that, i think it becomes a special part of her that she wished the place was her atelier where it s peace and green. it s inside the cafe. it seems a classic place for a tea time and a newspaper to read and spend the time. sometime cafe is more relaxing place than any..

Green Dome Church ...

Finding these picture and just falling in love to make the oil work of it.