Peeking out of the window

It's a week of national holiday in China, and I am not going anywhere. People said this is the best time to go explore China because the weather is perfect. I don't know, I don't feel like going anywhere, I haven't slow down since last summer holiday so this is the best time for me to stay put and catch up some looong sleep. Plus, I have tons of homework which frankly speaking I haven't done it yet even though my one week off is almost up.

But I feel like writing today, because I stop by on my favorite websites and look how they are already change their lay out and updated some news here and there. These are the things that I love to do and I miss most since I arrived in Beijing last year. I have no time to do nothing, to just sit and daydream or to peek on everybody's webpages or just to stroll down a park...do absolutely nothing like I used to do in DA...Beijing after all is a busy city... you would be left behind if you don't run in the same pace like everyone else.

This is why my son and I miss Darmstadt so much. On our weekends back in DA, we don't have any fancy plan..just to go to a park and have a small picnic...could brighten our day. Some of my dullest day I would stroll down to a Marktplatz and bought beautiful cutting flowers to put some colors in my home. But hey, we don't want to dwell on the past and we feel like we are ready to create some new memories...

Besides, this is Beijing...it rocks if you could find the right place to go...there is so much to be explored..only this time we opt to stay indoor have a rest and look at the outside world from our window. We might as well go on a bike tour to the Houhai lake this Saturday, if we feel like to go...Anyway speaking about window, I have an obsession of looking at the window frame everywhere I go. Below is some of them that I captured during my travels.

Istanbul

 

 

Mauer strasse, DA

Forbidden City, Beijing

DA

Fort Rotterdam,Makassar
 

 

 

Do you know why I love windows ? I think because it can tell you so many stories, if you look from outside the window you will wonder who is sitting inside and what kind of room inside those curtains..but if you stand inside a room and look out the windows you will wonder what happen on the world today, what kind of weather we have and what interesting things happen just outside our windows. What do you think..have you ever notice any windows surround you ? If you do..share with me will ya'...Have a nice evening...

My Favorite Time is Me Time

If you could choose your favorite time of your day, what would it be ? For me it would be ME TIME. Never ending domestic duties, being a mother and wife required 24/7 hours, it is certainly a full time job that's why I thought it wouldn't be too much if I requested some quiet time by the end of the day to enjoy my own me time, reading my favorite books, take hot warm bath, blog walking, or just starring to the sky. Anybody who says being a mother and full time Hausfrau is easy peasy, they are certainly never experienced being one of them.

Now, the next question is what is your most favorite Me Time ? Ever since I saw Julia Roberts inside this bathtub singing loudly, I know she shared what I like most to do by the end of the day...Would you agree with me if I said that bubble bathing is the best Me Time you could pick and is a soother for your stressful life ?

Every time I travel I always look for a nice bathtub to end my long travelling day, here are some pictures I took of bathtub that I enjoyed once.

Begawan Giri, Bali

@ Amanjiwo, Central Java

villa space, Bali

@ Losari Coffe Plantation and Resort, Central Java

and I can't resist not to post a link of pictures of beautiful bath tub from the net :

- cozy bathtub

- white comforts

- big is beautiful

- simple charm

So what do you think, how do you cope with your stress ?

What do you do for your Me Time ?

Superlicious Strawberries

Aww..now is the best time to eat Strawberries. Spring is the season when fresh strawberries are available abundantly on the supermarket or traditional markets. I  am sure you are aware of all the vitamins and beneficial of this red-hot-colored fruits. You can have 'em fresh, juiced or you could have it as the best homemade desserts strawberry short-kind-of-cake (the one that I love most).

Have a bite, will ya' ?

Bake-Risk

I am wondering why is it that whenever I pass through a bakery, it seems like I don't trust my nose at all. It felt like it has its own will (my nose, that is). So I have to be honest with you that I have the Berliner ungefüllt crises here. How can you ignore the smell of fresh croissant ? That would be like fighting your own destiny...what with the re-proclaimed resolution to loose some weight this year (no fat chance)...

Look at these..can you resist them..? 

This is the bakery that keeps me coming back for more...

famous bakery @ Linz, Austria

Magnum Mini

Hellow..I didn't know that magnum ice cream has a mini collection, do you ? This afternoon my son and I strolled around Luisen platz to search for any ice cream cafe. What ?? yes 1° C degree and we are feeling like having some ice cream !! No wonder all of those ice cream outlet are closed, no one would dare to eat ice cream this time of the year.

So we went to ReWe supermarket and peeked on their freezer, voila..we saw that tempting magnum minis package...gotta have it, we bought it, aaanndd..we ate it right away (yes, after we paid the cashier).... and those sweet marble ice cream were soft and melted in our tongue...who said we can not have ice cream on winter in snowyland ? well my mom did, but that doesn't count....want to try some ?

I told you the ice cream outlets were all closed. Why ? Is it sinful to eat magnum today ?

I know well, it is bad if we don't share our favorite things with our friends..

So we gave one white magnum to Echa, our dearest friend whom we met at the bus Haltestelle.

When you share your magnum with ur friends...it tasted more delicious..

and it lasted longer in ur mouth too.....

Breakfast @IKEA

What is it with IKEA that you can not resist...even the catalogue is irresistible. Especially this time of the year...when "giving is receiving" is everyone motto. Though the store is open at 10 am, people already wait inside and have their breakfast before they shop.

I really like the canteen at IKEA, not only the food are delicious, you'll get a free refill for your drinks too (psst..the hot chocolate is super delicious #1.60 euro and u can refill it till u drop)...I also like how they design the canteen, warm and cozy...so people can sit there comfortably.

really like the white standing lamp behind me..

and of course after you go round and round inside the huge store..I can't help but dreaming about my own future home whenever I saw beautiful room displayed, the furniture, the interior design..everything is inspiring (too bad i can't take a picture of them).... after that you'll end up spending most of your time in the Markthalle (yes it's a place where u don't think twice when u put something inside your cart)...

My friend Al, really wants to see what I had buy today... I told her I bought nothing, but she didn't believe me, so I guess I just have to give her a peek inside my closet to see what IKEA things are stored in already..

That white thing is called Skubb, I really need it to organized my gloves and hat and other 'small things but important' inside my cupboard...it is really a good buy of the day....and it's always nice when I could find things unusual but useful in IKEA...soo who's coming with me to IKEA next time ???

unproductive

I have been feeling so unproductive these days. Most of the time I just doing absolutely nothing. Somber mood. All I do just surfing the net without any enthusiasm.

The news about Mount Merapi eruption and Tsunami in Mentawai let me down in so many ways. Those natural disasters didn't affect my family, but seeing those pictures of people in my homeland made feel like I have been swallowed by the earth.

Pray for Indonesia, they said. When you have nothing left to be done, you just pray, they said. Whatever it is, I feel the pain for my country in turmoil. Hope there will be a better day tomorrow.

"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe." 

-Dalai Lama- 

Are U Hungry ?

Are you feeling hungry today ? Moslem around the world are still fasting today. Ramadhan will end in ten days. I wonder how people battle their hunger, we are fasting from 4.30 am until 8.30 pm here...yub... no food and no drink....but you can always stare at the food ads on the street...

and no one says that we can not stare at the restaurant menu in front of its window...

and one can always plan on what to have for break-fasting or diner..

sooo...what are you having for diner tonight ??

Not for SALE

What is it with women and sale?  It seems to me there is a magnet in front of every store I passed by this time of the year. They tried to decorate their front window as attractive as they could, so that a customer like me can not resist to go inside..(hahahahah)

"Plan the sale when you plan the ad". 
Leo Burnett 

However I think this year SALE period is not as busy as any other year - what with world cup match that has been occupied everybody's head -. This time women dressed herself with flag. As simple as that. However Summer Sale season has begin on June all around Europe, although some items might be the same in big store like H&M, one can easily find petit size in Germany as deutscher use big sizes. Aha !

Every SALE has five basic obstacles :

no need, no money

no hurry, no desire, no trust.

- Zig Ziglar -

Do you agree with ziglar, women ?  I think the thrill of buying SALE items is when you feel that the items you want perhaps won't be there again tomorrow - someone else had it, kind of think- therefore often you find yourselves don't think twice to buy everything you like...wkwkwkwkw. At least all men who paid for their wives credit card could breathe easily this year thanks to the world cup !! Well, I went to one department store in Frankfurt Nordzentrum last weekend, and there is a store called Primark which sells everything at bargain price with relatively good fabrics. I had fun picking up children sock five pairs for only 50 cent euro. I think it is a good place to buy everyday clothes for a budget. Dare to try ? Have a good day everyone !!