bener bener udah di SG ...huaihhhhh !@#$%&^&!(&#...campur aduk rasanya

Pheuwwww !!

U’ve heard it. U’ve seen it. Yup, I really am back in SG. My feet are stepping on this hot tropical land. Huaih !!

Don noe why, suddenly today : I MISS STATES SO SO SO SO SO MUCH !!! huaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Especially knowing that they are going to celebrate Thanksgiving soon. A part of me really wants to be with those beautiful ppl in LA, eating turkey, giving thanks, sharing love, and enjoy the cold weather the country can offer! Kyk msh ga percaya that the holiday of my life, my dreamland, dreamt momentz, are finally over.

So now what ? Ga jelas!! Lost lg. En still not believing that life got to run busy messy crazy (office wise) for a short while before another short break in Indo.

Oh Lord, boleh ga Lissa stay di States aja ? Cari duit sana, cari pacar sana, idup di sana ? hehehehe :P

Guess I’m asking for too much ! hoho

When on the last day (Saturday Nov 21) when I was rushing to buy some last minute shopping list (and another luggage : hehe * peace sign *), a strange feeling cross my mind that I’m actually kind of tired of this shopping, walking around, killing time, enjoying scenery moment, and burning a hole in my wallet.

I figured it happened cause I don’t do anything much there that make me feel usefull. I’m not productive. I’m only bumming around, shop, and shop, and shop again and again, repotin org terus nganterin ke sana sini, keep satisfying all that I want and need, but what’s all in the end? Even when I can get everything that I want, I still feel kind of empty somehow. This socialite Paradise tai tai kind of life, seems not to be suitable for me.

So I thought, well, it’s good that this holiday has come to it’s end. I need to be back to earth, to remind myself again that money is not easy to find. It’s a blessing that one has to manage wisely & smartly. (yah Ie Joanne? Hehe). And this unforgettable holiday is only a gift from above. Not my hard earned rights!

In the end I just conclude, even all the money in the world will never satisfy our human’s greed. So with that, I fly back to Singapore. My gruelling earth.

I think I got back to earth TOO SOON :P Gravity has pulled me down too fast and burried me with tons of work !! huaih, I want to fly back to Paradise :P * sempet kepikir waktu di Narita, boarding gate nya SQ11/12 deketin neh, and gua ga inget mana yg pulang SG. Kl gua salah2 pesawat bisa jadi I wont be back to SG, instead fly back to LA. WAH !! GOOD IDEA :P *

Yah sutra lah! I can only look back to all the pictures, remember the good time, keep this super sweet memories inside my heart, and keep the passion for coming back to States ( whether holiday / to live there, whatever it is) burning !!


So here’s how I spent my last week in LA.
Ga jadi ketemu Bella hari Senin coz dia ada kelas, I end up going to the nearest mall and beli titipan bath & body works plus vic’s secretnya orang orang. Malemnya coz udah pada tutup tokonya, we end up eating at applebees. Nice Steak & reasonable price too.

Selasanya: jalan2 sama Ie Joanne ke Pasadena where we visit this shoes outlet called : DSW !! Wah: this is a very fruitfull trip bok. I got VERY VERY GOOD DEALS for shoes there. Gileeeeaaauuu deh. Stuart Weissman (bener salah nulisnya aja gua ga tau), Liz Clairbone, Coach, Guess, Jimmy Choo, Nine West, berseliweran dengan harga yg udah kena slash berapa puluh percent jg ga jelas gua.

Malemnya kita jalan2 sama Ci Lily ke: De Grove. Mall baru !! Bagus loh J Then makan di Farmer’s market mereka, brazilian food yg bayarnya ditimbang !! Ie Yong Tsuey traktir….. yuhuu. hohoho ! Thank u Ie, enak loh.

Rabunya: tadinya mau ke Disneyland sama Bella. Nah Bella kena stomach cram di Selasa malem. Dia nawarin buat kesana sama Tory, dia nyusul. I thought, mending bareng2 aja lah perginya, so kita reschedule hari jumat barengan ! I was kind of afraid waktu nanya dia mau pergi atau ga, takut dia ga mau ke Disneyland. It’s not cheap. But when we finally go there on Friday, she told me: aku tuh udah kepengen banget tau ga she Ci, ke disneyland !! HUAH Puji Tuhan !!

So yah, anyway jadinya Rabunya kita pergi ke Rodeo drive. Sederet panjang toko2 mahal, tempat artis2 belanja. Nice stretch of road. Off course gua ga belanja disana lah hoh :P Tp foto2. Sayang ga ketemu artis :P

Then Kamis : OUTLET TIME !!! hoah :P gile gilee gilee!! Udah gua nanti2kan outlet ini dari zaman gua di Seattle & Chicago. Sampe udah gua search gimana caranya kesana, udah pinjem GPS, en udah pastiin si Gucci ada disana. Pergi bareng sama Jenna (yg temenin gua ke Universal) & seorang perempuan yg cablak abies (yg dia orang bilang sm kayak gua cablaknya… padahal udah jelas gua lebih pemalu ....aihhhhh), si mbak Vera yg udah accidentally ketemu gua & Ie Joanne waktu kita tour tour-an. More on this mbak cablak later :P So berangkatlah kita ber 4, Ie Joanne, Jenna, Vera & me. Siap perang !!! huah !! ga sempet breakfast kita, but seriously : none of us are hungry !! haha...

ga lama dari waktu kita mendarat, si mbak Vera udah tenggelam di Tommy Hilfigher & DKNY nya. Gua, Ie Joanne and Jenna form one gank jalan bareng. First stop : BCBG !! ....Lanjut2, hari pun habis, tangan penuh belanjaan, dompet pun terasa tipis, pertanda SOS butuh bala bantuan :) Jenna pun suddenly kangen ortu di Indo, dia kirimkan SOS internasional, perlu setruman dana neh. And.....dapetlah dia, donor dari PMI (Papa Mama di Indonesia), sementara gua ? HAHHAHAHA :p yg ada dpt tagihan credit card yg panjang.....so kuterima nasibku yg tidak berhasil menemukan Prince charming pendonor dana :P

I walked out from outlet with a vow not to buy anymore bags in 1 year ! (remind me kl gua lupa janji ini)

Jumat: ke Disneyland jg akhirnya. Sabtu belanja last minute, minggu pulang.
Sorry kl difast forward gini, karena pada dasarnya udah ga kuat lagi lanjutin cerita.

Why? Karena cerita panjang lebar di atas diketik di hari Kamis sore tertanggal 26 Nov, dan sekarang udah December 1 subuh. Kenapa bisa lama gitu belon di post ? Blame it on Singapore that has its time speed like bullet train in Japan.

Ngantuk pula sekarang.....tidur ah !!
msh jetlag neh :) haeuhauhe

bombie {=^o^=}

back

in SG. Safely & soundly landed.

First day @ work: the big news came: My highest Boss, the Iron woman ~ leader of the pack, is resigning. Wow:P How life take it's turn !!

Still in jetlag mode on now. So I'm gonna sleep soon. Will write what I felt on my last moments @ LA when my eyes are wide open.

@ least for now, let me juz say : I'm happy to be back with u Singapore. I'm happy to be back to my home of 9 years :) & never regret any choice I made during this entire process of stepping foot to STATES :)

gratefull bie {=^o^=}

bentar lg pulang

huhuhu..bentar lg pulang...
sedih :P senang :P campur aduk :P ga jelas :P ga tau ah gelap :P

ga mo mikirin !! Bsk Disneyland!! Welcome me Singapore :P

bombie {=^o^=}

it aint over till it's over

Soon I'll be back. The thots tat my holiday is over, is excruciating :P

Well, they say all good things must come to an end one day. So is mine going over soon. Back to SG means back to work immediately. Office is waiting 7 hours after I landed. 2 meetings waiting at the end of the week that I'm back :) hua hua hua hua.... and when I ask where has my youth been gone ? U noe the answer !! tadada dadada dadada :) (answer is : Gone for the glory of the Lord : HALELUYAH AMEN !!! )

Gitulah hidup kata Ieie gua. Terus berputar. Loe baik sama orang, orang lain lagi yg akan berbaik hati sama loe. Erm..ga nyambung yah ? heuheuh:P anyway : buat gua waktu itu yg terus berputar :P hahahah :)

Back to my last stay in States, I'm supposed to go to Disneyland with Bella today. But since dia stomach cram kemaren (aduh kasian banget) en that she has a project meeting today, we will be going on Friday instead. So my schedule for today : going Beverly Hill, Rodeo Drive & beli koper at the end of the day :P *hahahaha butuh banget yg ini*

Went to the mall near my Aunt's place on Monday, Pasadena & De grove yesterday (I got the BEST DEALS for shoes @ DSW ! Cant believe my eyes), en beverly hills today. Not going to Vegas this time around. Well, not a gambler in the first place, not fancying lights @ buildings, and might not be happy going Vegas alone, I decided to stay & just enjoy LA for a full week, while waiting for my cousins or any group of friends who want to go to Vegas together !!! ehhehehe :) gua tungguin yah guys !! My Ieie says : Vegas itu lbh enak kl perginya rame rame * en gua percaya hal itu benar *

Some tips for those going States next year : Come during Thanksgiving or Christmas for the best shopping deal. Off course u have to queue and maybe do some grabbing here & there, rub many ppl's shoulder altogether, fight a lil bit, give in a lil bit. They call it : the Black Friday (Friday after thanks giving). I dont know wad they call it during Christmas. It was a crazy sale that some things go for just 1 dollar!

But no, I dont want to fight Americans who are huge in general. I got couple of good news in states.

1> My dress size is considered : PETITE !! (gua...petite...HAHAHAHHA :p ngakak). Off course I took L size petite, but still's petite.

2> u've heard them. Sizes in States are ranging from a smaller number (perhaps just to make girls mind happy...psychological I suppose) Some girls fit size 0 in states. So this size 0 is around Dian, Jojo's size. I was wondering if they are size 0, wads my size ? en to my surprise ( I thot I was again minimal 8, 10 or 12) I'm size 4 !!! tada !!! hahaha :P *cukup senang to fit some size lesser than 5*. I'm pretty sure that Fenny is size -2 / -4

3> as for my jeans : I am size 6 !! nananananana nananananan :) (When I was over confident, I took 4. Off course cannot fit lah my fren)

4> When I ask them to guess my age, many believe that I am ....drum roll : 22 or even younger. When they know that I'm 28 and still serving in uth, they say that it's the benefit of staying in youth :P Percayaaaa :)

So my conclusin : life works in many wonderous way. It gets better as I aged, or should I say it gets better and better the more I know Him better. Gua cukup terharu sama cuplikan FB El that wrote : envy bombie :)

That's a real flatters El :) I never regard my life as sth that can cause ppl envys. But the journey I walked this year have changed quite many things. Yup, I enjoy this trip, this year, this journey, and the freedom that a single person can ever have, to do whatever one wants to do, achieve whatever one wants to achieve, reach the sky, paint them blue-pink-anything, without having any limitation other than one self doubt & fear. I have not loved my singleness any better than this year, any beter than I am now.

In fact one night after Nasi Boengkoes, when I remember those moments, I was laughing in bed *haha stengah gila* realizing how happy I am with the condition I'm in, single this age, and how wonderful that He made it to happen. It's a longgggggg and windingggggg and tearingggg & stormy journey I walked to reach & find this peak of happiness.

But to any of my friends who are happily married or in a relationship right now, pls don get it wrong. If only u noe how many litres of tears (1000 litres of tears kalah sama gua), sleepless nite, heartbroken pace I overcomed, believe me......u would not want to choose this path of mine.

Neither did I. In fact, this has been the toughest year that every single closest of girl friends of mine are married. U noe what I heard ? A sirene sounds like this:

"This is the final call for babies born in 1981 to board the plane called marriage. If you are in this flight, pls board the plane soon. Be sure to check in, get your boarding pass ready and we pray you enjoy your flight. "

I have no boarding pass. My visa was dis-approved. I have no choice than to wait for the next flight if there is, and if there isn't, stay in the island called singleness 4 eva. Imagine that : en u'll noe how many littre of tears I poured (together with my sweat I throw during dance practise this year --> all those contribute to the amount of waters I shed & my weight loss...hahaha)

Yet having no choice, and in a wonderful surrender heart, He has shifted my perspective and bring me a joy that I should have long discovered. Singleness --> is long translated : FREEDOM !!! I should have found this dictionary long time ago :P


So to El, thanks :) I really am flattered that I'm envied. But if there's anything that I can conclude in this trip, is that joy & happiness is best shared with ppl that you love. And to be able to find someone whom you love and loves you even more, is a pure gladness :) *ada yg bawain barang gitu loh... hahhaha. Joking*

To my friends who have find one: real congrats for you guys :) Have a safe sailing through the sea of life :)

To my friends who are in the wait : keep waiting with open heart. Who knows he/ she might just be next to you.


And to all who are enjoying whatever condition God has brought us into, just like me now, trust me :) We will never regret it. Coz He knows, much way better than us. He knows His way :) Just wait till the right time comes :)


see u in SG soon :) I do miss u all:)


bombie {=^o^=}
very much grateful for being blessed by His loving kindness:)

Picture time

Here are the pictures as promised. Nah, karena aturan blogspot, somehow foto yg lama ada di bawahan en foto yg baru ada di atasan. Jadi baca dengan chronologi terbalik.

Enjoy !!!! :)

Di rumah Wiwid while waiting for the cab to fetch me :)


Wid, Di, Lyd, Jo: mo nitip anak ke gua ? gua ajak maen and ajarin narsis deh pasti : FOTO !!!


Ini kl lagi normal jaga anaknya.


Life Changer International Church.


Mirip El yah kl lagi gini ? heheeh :P

I'm the Goddest of Moon!!

Along the bridge going down to Chicago Riverwalk

As it is : Chicago Riverwalk.

Saingan-nya hotel 81 di Singapore: presenting to you : Hotel 71 !!!

Gentlemen, look at this & behave!! hehe

Dinner @ Potbelly. Sandwich restorant aja tempatnya bagus gini :P busyet :P

Chicago Theatre !! One day my friend, we'll be dancing in REAL THEATRE !! TLG let's make it happen !! yuhooo :)

Fountain @ where ? Guess.

It's @ the centre of an 8th story MACY's store !! Pretty pretty pretty

Second day Breaksfast @ chicago. Omelete:)

Irene: my Angel from Chicago who has let me stay @ her home, use her internet and guide me through Chicago downtown.

See the lights, Christmas spirit starts to come :) haoehoahoe

Dan inilah restoran Pizza gua itu !! wohohohoho :) jangan2 yg punya Giordano di SG itu orang Italy jg benernya :P hehehhe


Sneak preview of my half eaten Pizza @ Giordano's !

And the one u have been waiting for : THE PIZZA CAKE !!!!!! TADAAAAAAAA... *ngiler ?ngiler ? yuk ke Chicago bareng gua..hehhehe balik lagi kita one day*

BUS STOP !!! Just like in movies. Their Bus stop is pretty & cute :)

Under man made starry starry sky :)

The building behind me is called Water place. Aduh, foto ga bisa jelasin cakepnya deh. U got to go there and see for urself :)


Another stranger help me to take this wonderful Pic. Om yg ini cukup jago :)


Sebenernya gedung belakang gua itu cakep banget. Cuman maklum stranger yg ini jepretnya ga bisa dapetin :P haih :P gapapan deh yg penting ada. Thank you stranger.

Hasil jepretan Bapak security :)

Foto di atas dan dibawah adalah berkat pertolongan seorang security yg ber suku Afro Amric (yg konon temen gua wanti2 jangan dideketin tapi in this case he's the one who offer me his help) berhasilah gua dapetin foto yg mana tampang gua riang gembira putih cemerlang :P heheheh :)

@ a structure shaped like cashew nut / half donut, where u can see urself and from whichever way u stand from the structure.

the looks from the mirror :) Matching loh kacamata & baju gua warnanya ... haha baru sadar :)

Still @ donut mirror ! Just this time me short short :P heheeh :P

@ the nichole bridge in Chicago ( mirip Nichol highway yah namanya. hehehe)

Mbak kasian mbak, anak ilang :P *kayak homeless gua*

Udah dapet foto bagus bagus...eh si Om di belakang lewat.

I'm going to conquer Chicago alone today !!!! hoho :)

Liat buildingnya...liat buildingnya...huaaaaaaa.. :P ..

Tupai di bangku taman di siang hari yg makanin Apel sisa. Lucu :) hahha :)

One of the Park in Chicago yg berhasil gua bidik with self timer and my wide angle camera yg hasilnya gua jadi kecil banget adoh :P

But look at the lamp & the bridge behind. Along Michigan Avenue, the road is filled with this kind of Park !! So ..beautiful

Chicage Hilton Hotel

After breakfast on day 1 in Chicago, liat patung2 di belakang itu ? It's a lower body sculpture with triple my heights and they have them all along the park.

My breakfast on day 1 Chicago: Bongo Room

Scramble egg, with sausage patties (yg kotak 2 biji itu) and harsh brown (nah...harsh brown nya itu kayak kentang tumis, bukan kayak HB yg kita kenal) The the scattered brown thing ? That's harsh brown !! yummy !!

Behind them is my English muffin bread !! very very filling Brunch to fill me with energy to walk long Michigan Avenue.

Isn't she lovely ? Becca: Wiwid's beloved daughter.

And my Teka, SD, SMP's best buddy : Wiwid Umbul Bachtra with her mini-her (becca), who look exactly like Wiwid's Teka version.

Aunty Melissa with Rebecca Ashley Bachtra

Minie Reunie @ Chicago : bombie, umbul, Irene.

Reuni lagi :) I love the trees behind. Scarfnya punya-nya Wiwid :) Bagus yah !! hehehe :)

IHOP Eggnog pancake

IHOP Strawberry pancake

IHOP International Omelette (with Ham, Pepper & Cheddar)

Our breakfast @ IHOP. A sumptuous morning.

The remain of me & Yuki's Red Velvet Cheesecake. Superbly YUMMY !!!

Universal Studios baby :) Last Picture

Coraline miniature. Be careful what u wish for.

And SHE'S A STAR !! *Dreaming dreaming dreaming*

When we are about to enter to Universal Studios

GOOD DEAL BABY !!! Great stuffs too :)

Kawaiiii !!!

Tadaaaa !!!!

I love you Mickey

Opposite Hollywood sign is a Lake. I have another breathtaking scenery here. Dalem banget itu kl jatoh :P heheheh

We drive all the way through small road with beautiful houses along the way (pasti artis2 punya, sapa jg yg mo tinggal di daerah secluded deket Hollywood sana kl bukan dia orang), just to get as near as possible to this Hollywood sign anddd.....WE MADE IT !!!! wohoooo !!!