Rabu, 29 Februari 2012

'The Grey' movie review

These days I really had fun with my family.

Last night, Tuesday, February 28, 2012, I went to XXI Bintaro Plaza to watch 'The Grey' with my family.

That movie was awesome!

It was about a group of airplane crash survivals landed in the middle of nowhere. John Ottway (Liam Neeson) was a guard for an oil rig in Alaska. His job is to protect the oil rig workers from the beasts, especially wolves. One day when the project was over, it was time to leave that place. Ottway and the other workers took the plane, ready to leave. The plane took off.

John Ottway was very tired, so he closed his eyes and fell asleep. He was dreaming of his wife when suddenly he felt a hard, shocking jolt. The plane was crashing. Most of the passengers were dead. There were only seven people left.

They thought they were already passed the disaster. But the real challenge started when a group of wolves showed up. As a man that used to deal with those beasts everyday, John Ottway could tell, their plane was landed in wolves territory.

So that's all I could say about the movie. Unless I'll spoil everything out. Watch it, guys.

Well, actually, if you've got weak gut and don't like gory things, you better not watch it. The whole movie is about wolves attacks. So, there were gory things every time.

Other than watching movies and spending time with family, I also busy making up everything lately. I've got to tidy up my room, completing my diary here, and also start writing my novel. And of course my main job as professional insurance consultant. Holiday's over, Dude!

Senin, 27 Februari 2012

This Perfect Evening

Okay, so, because of the lack of internet connection and some other factors, I posted this article two days after I wrote it.

The evening after Livia left.
was Sunday, February 26, 2012


"Oh… this is so… perfect! Now I’m sitting here, in the hotel’s balcony, watching the evening sky, the clouds, the trees, the pool and the sounds of children laughing from there.
I can see Merapi in distance.
Deany and Bapak is still sleeping in our room. While they were sleeping, I took a nice bath, washed my hair, and enjoyed some little time in the bath tub, snacking while enjoying the warmth from the water. Then I decided to take a walk and look around the hotel. I checked on the gift shop, the other lobby, and then I found the balcony.
Oh it was great! I sat here for a while, it was raining. I watched Merapi. Then I just thought it would be great to take my computer here. This is such a perfect place to write. So inspiring!
So then I went back to my room, took my computer, and got back here. So I spent my time here, writing anything, enjoying the atmosphere."

And that was how I enjoyed my last nice, relaxing evening in Jogja.

Good bye, Livia!


*to know the people in this post, just open:
http://everythingaboutastaripahlevi.blogspot.com/2012/02/astari-pahlevis-family-tree-part-2.html


Sunday, February 26, 2012

This is Livia's last day in Jogja. This afternoon, Tante Didi, Peter, and Livia would go to Singapore. They'll go back to Switzerland from Singapore.

This morning I walked around the hotel with Deany, Bapak, and Budhe. We checked on the spa but it was still closed because it was still 7 something in the morning. Bapak and Budhe went to the swimming pool and enjoyed the sun while Deany and I had breakfast at hotel restaurant.

At 8.30, we went back to our room and got ready to meet the rest of the family in Ambarukmo. This morning we all met in Ambarukmo Hotel to have breakfast together for the farewell. There were Tante Didi, Peter, and Livia of course, and Uncle Mike, Tante Inggit, Pakde Minoel, Budhe Tut, and Om Ical. Budhe Nuk just came to say good bye, because then some of Pakde Yon relatives picked her up at the hotel.

That was my, and Deany's last chance to play with Livia. Because we were at the restaurant, Livia played waitress. She asked what Deany want, then told me to tell the waitress. But then she asked the waitress herself. Oh she's so cute! Everybody loves her.

Then she asked for cream cheese, the waitress gave her the cream cheese, and then she walked cheerfully with a plate of Croisant and cream cheese, singing, "I like cream cheese, I like cream cheese..." and I was like... OMG!! What an adorable kid!!

We ate breakfast there until 10 am (OMG Deany and I already ate a lot of breakfast in Sheraton, and we still ate in Ambarukmo). Livia fed Deany her bread. Then Livia and Deany went to the pool side and played there.

Deany jr. and the sr.

Livia the Next Top Model

Adorable Little Livia from Deany's pudding camera

Finally it was time to say good bye. We all gather in the hotel lobby. Tante Didi and Peter were ready to go. But Livia was shocked that suddenly she's got to say good bye to her Mbak Deany. So she started crying, and her crying was really a heartbreaking crying. Oh my goodness... Deany started to cry. Even I almost cry. But Peter cheered us, said that it's a good thing that Livia cries, it means she likes us a lot.

But Livia wouldn't stop crying. So finally Deany and I had to go to the airport with them. On the way to the airport we played doctors like the other day. Livia was really happy. Then when we arrived at the airport, she wasn't crying anymore, and she was ready to say good bye. She waved cheerfully to us before going into the airport. Aww... adorable little princess.

After Tante Didi and her family left, the hotel car took me back to Ambarukmo Hotel where the other family member were waiting. We sat at the hotel lounge. Om Ical was sleeping. Bapak, Pakde Minoel, and Uncle Mike were reading newspaper. Budhe Tut and Deany were talking about their experiences as intern dentist while Tante Inggit and I listened to them. We were there until it was time to leave for Tante Inggit and Uncle Mike. They were about leaving to Singapore. So they would be with Livia again in no time.

Then, after saying good bye to the Stockwells, Pakde Minoel, Budhe Tut, Om Ical, Bapak, Deany, and I went to Taman Cemara to meet Mas Krisna and Lieke. Mas Krisna didn't join us those days before because he was out of town. He just got back today. But he already met Livia before he left.

We spent time in Taman Cemara, eating, drinking, chatting, playing with Lieke, sleeping. Then we all went to Nyonya Soeharti restaurant to eat fried chicken. If you're not indonesian, I'll tell you, Nyonya Soeharti is very famous for its fried chicken. If you visit Java, especially Central Java or Jogja, you MUST eat at Nyonya Soeharti. Oh, and BTW, she's got nothing to do with our former president Soeharto. :-p

Deany and I already ate a lot in Sheraton and Ambarukmo, so when we were at the Nyonya Soeharti, we couldn't eat anything anymore. We were really full. But then, when the meal came, I still ate anyway. It was good!

After the lunch at Nyonya Soeharti, me, Deany, and Bapak said good bye to Mas Krisna, Om Ical, Pakde Minoel, and Budhe Tut. We went back to our hotel and took a nap.

Minggu, 26 Februari 2012

Big Family Dinner


*to know the people in this post, just open:
http://everythingaboutastaripahlevi.blogspot.com/2012/02/astari-pahlevis-family-tree-part-2.html


Saturday, February 25, 2012

We left Mesa Stila at 11 am or so. I was with Tante Inngit and Uncle Mike. Budhe, Bapak, and Deany in the other car. We went to a small organic restaurant, Amboja.


We planned to meet Tante Didi and family there. But Tante Didi couldn't make it. She was trapped in the traffic. So we then left the restaurant and picked Tante Didi and Livia up in Mbah Carik cafe. Tante Didi went with me, Uncle Mike, and Tante Inggit, and Livia with Deany in the other car. Wow! I was amazed that Livia didn't mind separated with her mother. What a brave kid.

We went to have lunch at jeJamuran restaurant. That is a famous vegetarian restaurant in Jogja. I think I've wrote about this restaurant in my older post when I came to Jogja last year. I don't know, I'll check it later, and if I haven't, I'll explain.

But now, at jeJamuran, Livia kept holding Deany's hand. She was upset with something, maybe also tired, she was less active than usual. But she kept playing with Deany. She wanted Deany to carry her, hug her, and played with Deany's arm. So cute! She likes Deany a lot!

From jeJamuran, Livia wanted to come to Sheraton with us. Hahaha! I was like, "OMG, we won't be able to take a rest!" (But it was worth it, really! LOL)

Me, Livia, Deany, Bapak, and Budhe Nuk went to Sheraton. All the way back to Sheraton, Livia kept playing with us, non-stop! We played family, princess and prince and the cat, restaurant, and mostly play doctors. Deany was always the patient. Some times Budhe Nuk joined us in the play. We couldn't stop laughing. Livia is very funny!

Until we arrived at the hotel, Livia still playing. She was getting even active. She took Deany and I to hide inside the closet. But finally I took a bath, leaving Deany with Livia. Then finally Deany could make Livia a little less active by giving her a smartphone to play. Livia really enjoyed taking pictures with Deany's smartphone.

While Livia was distracted with her new toy, Deany went to take a bath. But then Livia came to the bathroom too. I was sitting on the floor, trying to write my trip to Mesa Stila in my blog. Livia climbed up my neck. I had to carry her on my neck. So I turned off my computer then took Livia around, on my neck! Hahaha! But she's not heavy, that's funny.

And finally, we went to Ambarukmo Hotel to meet Pakde Minoel, Budhe Tut, Om Ical, and finally Peter. We also met Tante Didi, Tante Inggit, and Uncle Mike again. We all went to have family dinner at some restaurant inside the Keraton (Javanese King palace).

(Photos will be uploaded later...sorry...)

That restaurant was gorgeous. There was a small group of musicians played any kind of latin music. Liv was very happy and asked me and Deany to dance with her.

The food is also very good, I loved it! I ate chicken salad for appetizer and lontong kikil (compact rice with something that was part of cow) for the main course. They are very delicious! I also tasted Deany's cow tongue steak with mashed potatoes and it was also very, very good! The funny thing is, usually Livia just wants to eat rice and kerupuk, but that night, she wanted everything Deany ate. Cutie!!

We left that restaurant and went back to Ambarukmo Hotel. Budhe Nuk was with Budhe Tut and Pakde Minoel. Uncle Mike with Tante Didi and Tante Inggit, and I'm with Bapak, Om Ical, Deany, Peter, and of course, the little dynamite Livia.

On the way, Livia was still very full of energy! She's like volcano! Haha! She kept talking, laughing, and asking Deany and I to play with her. But Me and Deany needed some rest. So finally I made a sleeping game. The rule is simple: the one who sleeps longer wins. So the game begun. Of course my little princess didn't really sleep, she kept peeking to see whether Deany and I were sleeping or not. Ahaha!! I wanna kiss her!

Finally we all woke up and laughed. Then we started the game again. But Peter teased Livia, of course in purpose to wake her so that she lost the game. LOL! That was fun!

We parked the cars in Ambarukmo Hotel then walked to Ambarukmo Plaza to have some drinks in a cafe. That was a nice cafe in the plaza's balcony. The parents had drinks and chat, but Deany and I kept playing with Livia. Oh my God! Livia's energy doesn't seem to have limit! Haha!

Finally we left the cafe. We left Livia, Tante Didi, Peter, Tante Inggit, and Uncle Mike in Ambarukmo, because they all stayed there. Om Ical went to Taman Cemara with Pakde Minoel and Budhe Tut. I went back to Sheraton Hotel with Bapak, Deany, and Budhe.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, we were very, very exhausted because of this very long, busy, and exhausting but perfect day.

This was a very wonderful night with my beloved family!

Losari Coffee Plantation (Mesa Stila) part 2

*to know the people in this post, just open:
http://everythingaboutastaripahlevi.blogspot.com/2012/02/astari-pahlevis-family-tree-part-2.html


Still Saturday, February 25, 2012

Wow! Telling you about this wonderful place Mesa Stila turns out to be longer than I thought. So, I'll make today as 3 posts. Whew!

So now in the last post you've read about the coffee plantation, the beautiful view, the fresh air, the other plants, and also the horses, and everything. Now I'll tell you about the other wonderful thing about Mesa Stila: the accommodations!

I'll tell you now about the beautiful cottages, pool, bathroom, restaurant.... wonderful!!



this is where President SBY and his wife Ani Yudhoyono stayed



the beautiful bathroom

huge bath tub for couple...romantic

nice sink

the swimming pool...GORGEOUS!

from this angle the pool looks like a grave...LOL

the view from the backyard,
we could see beautiful paddy field


Deany and I, sitting on the cute bench, enjoying the view

the other house

Nice living room

It would be harder to wake up, wouldn't it?

The unique design of the bath tub is killing me!!

Relaxing at the back porch.
(Deany, how could you take my picture from this angle!)

The House of Gabriela Stila





















Aaaawww... so beautiful...!!

Beautiful rooms, beautiful design, beautiful view, beautiful atmosphere... Everything just seems so peaceful here...

When we were enjoying time in the porch of the house, Tante Inggit and Uncle Mike had come.







Losari Coffee Plantation (Mesa Stila)


*to know the people in this post you can read
http://everythingaboutastaripahlevi.blogspot.com/2012/02/astari-pahlevis-family-tree-part-2.html

Saturday, February 25, 2012
Today is the main agenda of our whole vacation. So many great things happened today, so I will divide today to two posts.
First of all, I want to tell you about this great place called Mesa Stilla.

Today we went to Mesa Stilla, or used to be named Losari Coffee Plantation in Losari, somewhere between Magelang and Ambarawa. That place was amazing!

Beautiful coffee plantation.
...


In front of the lobby. This lobby was a train station.

...
The history of this place reminds me about my job. The previous owner was an Italian woman named Gabriela Stila. She bought that place from the owner before her.
...
One day she got breast cancer, and she had to sell that beautiful place to pay treatment for her illness.
...
















...
Four kind of coffee: excelsa, robusta, java, and arabica.
...





...
We enjoyed the view, drank traditional jamu, Beras Kencur and Kunyit Asam, ate bananas, sandwiches, and cake, and a cup of very good coffee.
...





The tour continued.
...

Mushroom...




Other stuffs...




Mini bamboo...



...