Monday Mode ☆ Le Petit Society
The other day I had a play date with my two girl friends in Jakarta, Erica of expatria, baby and Ana of Stumble Abroad. It was a play date with a fashion value added where all of our kids wore Le Petit Society clothes. Thanks to Erica and Le Petit Society, my baby son received a couple of really adorable outfits as a gift. Lucky boy! Thank you, Erica and Le Petit Society! The best part to me was that this gave me an excuse to see my two lovely girl friends, dress up my baby boy in adorable clothing, and take photos of the cute kids playing. That’s like a candy to me.
Oh yes, by the way, I gave my son a haircut. Can you tell the amateur look…?
先日、ジャカルタで２人のお友達、expatria, babyのエリカとStumble Abroadのアナとプレイデートをしました。エリカとLe Petit Society（ル・プティ・ソサエティー）のお陰で、息子はとても可愛いお洋服を贈り物として頂いちゃいました。有り難いです。エリカとLe Petit Society、どうもありがとう！私にとってもっと嬉しかったのは、２人のお友達とプレイデートをする口実ができた事、息子に可愛い服を着せられた事、そして子供達が遊ぶ可愛い姿を写真に撮る事が出来た事です。私には嬉しい甘い出来事でした。
そうそう、息子の髪の毛を私が切りました。ド素人のカット分かります。。。？
If you are interested in learning more about Le Petit Society, please scroll down.
Le Petit Societyについて興味がある方は、下の方までどうぞ。
Erica
expatria, baby
I found Erica’s blog through Little Steps Asia. I was attracted to her blog because she was an expat blogger in Jakarta just like me. As soon as I entered her blog, I fell in love with Erica’s breath-taking photos which she takes in Jakarta and I was sucked into her world of beauty. I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities to get to know her in Jakarta.
エリカの事は、Little Steps Asiaというサイトを通して知りました。彼女は私と同じようにジャカルタに住む駐在員で、しかもブログをしているというところに惹かれました。彼女のブログに行き、ジャカルタで撮る彼女の写真の虜になり、エリカの素敵な世界に引き込まれました。ジャカルタに居たお陰で、彼女とお友達になれる機会に恵まれました。
Ana
Stumble Abroad
Ana is a talented friend of mine with amazing eye for design. I have had prestige to witness her stunning birthday parties for her sons. Here are the posts for Nautical Birthday Party and Space Birthday Party. We both were pregnant at the same time in 2011 and now we have boys of the same age. She’s been a wonderful friend and a blogger buddy to me in Jakarta.
アナは、デザインセンス抜群のとても才能を持つ友人です。ジャカルタ在住中、彼女が息子さん２人のために開いたお誕生日パーティーを実際に見る機会に恵まれました。以下が彼女の誕生日パーティーのブログの記事になります。航海がテーマのパーティー and 宇宙がテーマのパーティー。彼女も私も2011年に妊娠しており、今は同い年になる息子がいます。ジャカルタでのとても素敵なお友達であり、ブログ仲間でもあります。
Le Petit Society
Le Petit Socity is a babies and kids clothing brand found by two Singaporeans who base their business in Hong Kong: Robyn Liang and Dylan Onga kids. Le Petit Socity is a harbinger in kids fashion based in Asia who aims to be the brand that is trendy, chic, and fun to wear with European quality and more importantly, approachable prices. Great news for those who live in Asia is that shipping within Asia is free! (Le Petit Society Shipping Information)
Happy Shopping!
ル・プティ・ソサエティーは、ベビー服とキッズ服のブランドで、香港をベースにする２人のシンガポール人、ロビン・リアンとディラン・オンガによって創立されました。ル・プティ・ソサエティーは、質はヨーロッパ並みでも値段はお手頃で、デザインはトレンディーで、シックで、ポップな服を目指すアジアベースのキッズファッション業界の先駆者です。アジア在住の人に嬉しいのは、アジア圏内の郵送料が無料ということ。（詳しくはLe Petit Society Shipping Informationまで）
買い物楽しんで下さいね。
Le Petit Society
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Weekend Get-Away ☆ Sheraton, Bandung ☆ Indonesia
On the last weekend of April, 2013, I took a trip with my 3 kids and nanny to Bandung as my husband was away on his man-cation in Bali and Komodo island for a week. The weekend away in Bandung was a blast!!! I only wish my husband was there with us, but you know what? It was great for him that he was in Komodo island snorkeling with his guy friends just like back in his college years. I was happy for him. I was also glad that I was able to go to Bandung one more time before leaving Indonesia. Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers made it possible for me. I was there for overnight from Saturday till Sunday, so it was a quick trip. It was well worth the almost 3-hour car ride from Jakarta to Bandung though. Even my kids did not want to leave on the next day. Thank you, Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers!!!
2013年４月最後の週末にバンドゥンへ行って来ました。夫がその週末丁度コモド島へ男友達とスノーケリングに行って１週間留守だったので、私一人で子供３人とナニーさんを連れて行ってきました。とても楽しかったですよ！！夫も一緒だったら良かったのに、とは思ったのですが、夫にとっては、まるで大学時代に戻った様な、男だけのスノーケリング旅行が出来た事はとても貴重であったと思います。彼がこの旅行が出来て私も嬉しかったですし、私がインドネシアを離れる前にもう一回バンドゥンへ行けた事もとても嬉しかったです。この旅行は、シェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズのお陰です。１泊だけと大変短かったのですが、片道３時間程掛けても行く価値のある旅行でした。子供達もとても楽しかった様で、帰る日には、帰りたくないと言われました。シェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズさん、有り難うございます！！
Lobby
Lobby For Tower Guests
I felt like I was in a resort hotel in a mountain in the U.S.
アメリカのどこかの山にあるリゾートホテルに居るような気がしました。
How this trip came about was one email I received from Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers. I got invited to stay with Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers and the marketing personnel, Ari, mentioned a post about my experience. I was delighted. This is another gift besides the jewelry from Milky Way Gem & Jewelry that I recently received as a result of blogging over 3 years. Who would not take a free stay at a beautiful hotel like Sheraton in Bandung? Moreover, I get to take as many photos of the hotel as I want. It sounded like a great deal to me, so it was realized. What a great gift to receive from Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers and the timing could have not been better. If the email came 2 months later, I probably would have not been able to make this trip.
どうやってこの旅行が叶ったかというと、シェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズよりメールを頂いたのです。シェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズに宿泊するご招待をいただきました。マーケティングのアリーさんより、ホテルでの体験をブログにもしできれば、との事でした。３年以上ブログを続けて来て、今年になって初めて、ミルキーウェイ・ジェム＆ジュエリーからのジュエリーの贈り物、そしてシェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズより宿泊の贈り物を頂きました。シェラトンのような素敵なホテルに無料で宿泊できる贈り物を喜ばない方は居ないかとも思います。（出張経験が無い物で…）しかも写真も撮り放題なんて、こんな素敵なオファーに感激しました。タイミングも丁度良かったのです。もし頂いたメールが２ヶ月遅かったら、多分この旅行は出来なかったと思います。
Our Room in Tower
I asked for a crib for my son and a cute blue crib arrived.
ベビーベッドを頼んだ所、この可愛い青いベビーベッドが来ました。
I set up a little office for myself.
A little photography session with my excited kids.
喜ぶ子供と一緒にカメラ撮影。
Lunch
After lunch, we went to Kampung Gajah for strawberry picking as requested by my two daughters.
娘達のリクエストで、カンプン・ガジャーでの苺摘みに行ってきました。
Tea Break
For the Tower guests, tea is available after Lunch hours.
タワー客のためのラウンジでは、お昼御飯の後、お茶を楽しめます。
Happy Hour
Dinner
You will notice that I ate every single meal at Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers. When I visited Bandung before, I went to restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Vanilla, a cafe I fell in love with at the last Bandung visit, crossed my mind, but during my stay this time, I was really happy staying at Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers with all three of my kids especially with my busy 14-months-old. This was the easiest and most relaxing option for me and we all enjoyed the food at the hotel.
気づくかと思うのですが、お食事全部はホテルのレストランで済ませました。以前バンドゥンへ行った時は、朝、昼、夜の３食を外食し、前回バンドゥンへ行った時に大好きになったバニラというカフェへまた行きたい！とも思ったのですが、子供３人を連れ、しかもとても手がかかる盛りの14ヶ月の息子が一緒だったので、ホテルでお食事を取る事が一番楽で、リラックスできました。お食事も美味しかったので、迷う事もありませんでした。
Breakfast
I admit that I went a little crazy over taking photos of the food. I never have this free opportunity to take whatever photos I can take of a hotel and I went a bit overboard!
食べ物の写真を撮りすぎました。こんなに自由にホテルの写真を撮って良い機会に恵まれた事が無いので、ちょっと調子に乗りすぎたかもしれません。
Activities With Kids
Playground
Seating Areas with Gazebo
Horse Back Riding
A horse back riding is offered for free on weekends. I just paid tips after each ride. My kids were really excited and loved this!
週末は無料で広場で馬に乗せてくれます。子供が乗った後、チップだけ支払いました。娘達は大はしゃぎ。
Swimming Pool
What To Do in Sheraton Bandung
Massage at Spa was fantastic. I highly recommend getting one if you stay because it was very inexpensive and well worth it!! I loved the traditional Indonesia Massage. I felt so relaxed that night!!!
スパでのマッサージはとても良かったですよ。しかもお値段もとてもお手頃なんです。インドネシアのトラディショナルマッサージは気持ちよかったですよ。その晩良く眠れました！
Gym
Jacuzzi
My kids loved getting in the jacuzzi as the weather was a bit chilly for swimming in Bandung.
バンドゥンはプールに入るにはちょっと涼しかったので、娘２人はジャグジーが大好きでした。
Last Lunch during the weekend get-away at Sheraton, Bandung
We did not want to leave! I get this expression often from my 14-month-old son.
帰りたくない〜。最近よく見る息子の訴える顔。。。
Thanks to everyone at the Sheraton Hotel in Bandung being very nice and welcoming all of us with warm hospitality, we had a fabulous time. If we ever have a chance to go back to Bandung again, I would love to stay there again.
シェラトンホテルの皆さんはとても優しく、暖かく迎えて下さり、お陰でとても楽しい一時を過ごさせて頂きました。また機会に恵まれたら、是非あのホテルに泊まりたいな、なんて思いました。
Thank you Ari and Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers!
アリーさんとシェラトン・バンドゥン・ホテル＆タワーズさん、ありがとうございました！
Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers
Jalan Ir. H. Juanda No. 390
Bandung, West Java 40135
Phone: (62)(22) 2500303
Monday Mode ☆ Milky Way Gems & Jewelry
In Japan, there is a proverb “Sit on a rock for 3 years” (“Ishi no ue ni mo 3 nen”). The origin of the saying means that if you continue to sit on a cold rock for 3 years, it’ll get warm. It refers to the philosophy that no matter how difficult and challenging it seems to achieve your goal, perseverance prevails. Thus, be patient. I have been blogging for a little over 3 years and I recently had two occasions that made me feel very rewarding and the meaning of the proverb felt close to my heart. It has never been my intention to blog in order to get a reward, but it certainly feels good to be rewarded for my hard work and know that what I do has a meaning.
One of the occasions is a gift from Milky Way Gems & Jewelry. If you have been around in the blog sphere for a while, it is very obvious that bloggers receive different kinds of deals. This is my very first time to receive a gift as a result of blogging. One of the founders of Milky Way Gems & Jewelry had left a few comments on my blog a while back. I’ve got to know her a bit as I also visited her blog. It was a long before she launched her business. Then recently I heard from her again by email. She wrote to me that she would like to send me some items of the jewelry sold in her online jewelry store, which was launched in April, 2013. She softly mentioned a blog post with the jewelry. I looked at the jewelry and said yes. I saw some items in the list that I could see myself wearing. I like fashion and even though I sort of fell off the track of Monday Mode, I am happy to have a resource to write and photograph about for my Monday Mode column. I was honored that Milky Way Gems & Jewelry thought of me and picked me to wear their jewelry.
So, here I am posing in front of my camera, took photos of myself and shamefully posting them on my blog. (It’s been a while since I took photos of myself for this blog, so I feel shy about this.) I wish I was a better photographer and know how to Photoshop. All the photos are pretty much untouched except for exposure, shadows, saturation and temperature. You see my blemish, red spot, pimples, wrinkles and dark spots, so I apologize. I hope that these photos can get you interested in Milky Way Gems & Jewelry. It was a pleasant surprise from my reader and it marked a nice 3 year blog-anniversary. Thank you, Milky Way Gems & Jewelry!
Black & White
With a black outfit or with a white outfit, you can wear it in a more formal way or dress down with a casual wear with this jewelry.
Happy Shopping!
Bali, INDONESIA
PHONE: +62 87 888 579 381
BBM PIN: 20F728B1
EMAIL: info@milkywaygems.com
FACEBOOK
Twitter
Lunch Set Menu ☆ KOI Mahakam
＊日本語は下にあります。
I attended my first farewell get together last week with my Japanese friends. I have roughly a month left till our departure and it already started. Eight Japanese friends and I had lunch together at KOI Mahakam, which is the topic of this post, but please allow me to write a bit about personal side.
In the past 2 years and 9 months of my stay in Jakarta, I have bid farewell to many of my friends. The turn over in the expat community every year is big in this city. I knew that my turn would come eventually at the end of our 3-year assignment, but now it has really arrived, it feels strange. In some way I don’t want any farewell gatherings for myself. I want my farewell to be a regular “see you”. I almost wish that I quietly leave Jakarta without saying a formal bye to my friends. Why? It’s easier emotionally that way. I have already teared up a couple of times with the thought of leaving Jakarta. At the same time though, I recognize that I need a closure to our time in Jakarta and maybe the farewell parties are the answer.
先日、ジャカルタで初めての私のお別れ会に行ってきました。ジャカルタを離れるまで残す所１ヶ月あまりとなったのですが、もう始まりました。８人の日本人の友人と私でKOI Mahakam（マハカム）へ行ってきました。KOI Mahakamが今回の本題なのですが、少しだけ私事を語らせて下さい。
過去２年と９ヶ月のジャカルタ生活の中で、多くの友人を見送ってきました。この街の駐在員の入れ替わりは毎年割りと大きいです。３年と決まった期間の赴任であったので、いずれ自分の番が来るというのは分かっていたのですが、実際に自分の番が廻ってくると、なんか不思議な感じです。ある意味、自分のためのお別れ会はいらないとさえ感じます。お別れは、普段通りの「またね」にしたい位。かしこまったさようなら無しで、静かに皆に気づかれないままこの街を去りたい、とさえ感じます。何故かと言うと、その方が精神的に楽だから。もう既にジャカルタを離れる事を考えただけで涙が出てくるし。同時に、ジャカルタで過ごした時間に終止符を打つ必要性も感じます。終止符がお別れ会であるかもしれないですね。
Now back on the topic, the lunch at KOI Mahakam – it was fantastic. KOI Mahakam recently started a lunch set menu which is a great deal for everyone. Only for IDR 95,000 ++ (about US$9.5), you can either get a combination of an appetizer and main dish or a main dish and dessert. I ordered the chicken dish in the photo above and apple crumble. YUM! My friends who know that I have a blog encouraged me to take photos of their dishes. Aren’t they nice? The apple crumble come with a homemade ice cream made by Benoit, the head chef of KOI Mahakam as well as KOI Kemang. I love anything homemade, but I have a weak spot for a homemade ice cream. It was delicious!
この記事の本題に戻りますと、KOI Mahakam（マハカム）でのランチ – とても良かったですよ〜。実はKOI Mahakam（マハカム）は最近ランチセットメニューを始めました。95,000ルピア＋＋（９５０円くらい）で前菜と主菜の組み合わせか主菜とデザートの組み合わせを選べます。私は上の写真にある鶏肉を主菜に、デザートにはアップルクランブルを頼みました。下の写真は、友人達は私がブログをやっていることを知っているので、親切に写真を撮ったらどうか、と撮影を後押しして下さいました。アップルクランブルはKOIの自家製アイスクリームが付いてきます。自家製と聞くと弱い私なのですが、特に自家製アイスクリームには目がありません。アイスクリーム美味しかった！
My friend is holding my son. She has a great taste for interior design. She invited me to take photos of her home last Christmas in December 2012. You can see her Christmas decoration at her home here.
友人が息子を抱っこしてくれています。彼女はインテリアのセンスがとても良いんですよ。去年2012年のクリスマスにご自宅に招待され、写真撮影の依頼をして下さいました。ご自宅はとっても素敵です。ご興味がある方は、是非こちらの記事をご覧下さい。
My heart is filled with gratitude. Thank you.
感謝の気持ちで一杯です。ありがとう。
Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta ☆ Indonesia
Welcomed with fragrant Jasmine leis
Hyatt Gold Course
Rooms
Restaurant
Menu for the little ones was quite popular among our kids.
Weather
It started raining in the early afternoon, which was the pattern everyday during our stay in March. Apparently, the rainy season was not over in Yogyakarta in March.
Buffet Dinner
Swimming Pools
The big water slide was the biggest hit among our kids and it seems that it’s a big selling point for family tourists. We ran into some friends we knew who were also staying at Hyatt Regency for the spring break. We did not go anywhere as we have two very young children, but we did not mind it at all and the older kids, my two (8 and 5 years old) and our friends’ oldest one (6 years old) would go down the slide for hours straight. It seemed to be the case for other kids as well.
Ramayana Special Dinner
Can you tell that kids got really into it? The three girls in the front were my friend’s and our girls.
The Ramayana Dinner is offered every Saturday. It was IDR150.000++ per person. I find it very reasonable for dinner and performance and the best part is that you don’t have to leave the hotel! As I started to feel very sick on the last night of our stay in Yogyakarta/Jogjakarta, I could only see the performance for a short while and I had to go back to our room to rest. It worked out fine as our baby son needed to go to sleep by then. The Ramayana dinner started at 7:00 p.m.
My daughters still to this day talk about our trip and ask if we could go back to Yogyakarta. Even though I got sick towards the end of our trip, I had a blast. It was a successful trip and we always think fondly of our time. If you have good family friends who would travel with you to Yogyakarta, I highly recommend doing so. It was really FUN!!!
The cost of the hotel was about IDR 1.500.000 (US$155) with KITAS (foreign registration card) which does not include breakfast and breakfast for 4 people was IDR 280.000 (US$28). Therefore, it ended up being a little over IDR 1.800.000 (US$185) for a family of 5. Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta requires an additional room if you have 2 children or more if I remember correctly. The annexed room had a discount price, so the room rate for an annexed room was less or about half of a regular room and thus it was not too bad.
Jalan Palagan Tentara Pelajar
Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 55581
Tel: +62 274 86 9123
Fax: +62 274 86 9588
Email: yogyakarta.regency@hyatt.com
On the second day of our stay in Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java (40 km/15 mi northwest of Yogyakarta), Indonesia, we did a sunrise tour at Borobudur. We all woke up at 4:00 a.m., so we all took a nap in the morning. The husbands kindly took our older children to a local restaurant for lunch for a change and adventure so that the wives could stay at our hotel, Saraswati Borobudur Hotel, and chill with the younger ones, but after they got back to the hotel, the husbands were tired again and took a nap. My son started fussing and I didn’t want him to disrupt my husband’s beauty nap. Plus, there is so much you can do in a hotel. So, I took him for a walk in a stroller. I strolled around on the street where the Saraswati Borobudur Hotel was located. I love peeking some local lives when I travel. Here are the photos of a few things I snapped during my short walk around the neighborhood.
Motorcycle Parking
Car Wash
Chicken Noodle & Indonesian Meatballs
Gasolin
Don’t leave me on a bench!!
My heart is aching for the people who lost loved ones and also for the people who were affected by the bombings happened during the Boston Marathon on April 14, 2013. It makes me very sad that the atrocity like that created victims among innocent citizens.
Chicco Little Driver Walker ☆ Favorite Baby Toy My Son Had
My son played in Chicco Little Driver Walker for almost 6 months. My friend passed it to me after her daughter had outgrown the Chicco Little Driver Walker. I gladly inherited it. He was 6 months old at the time and he loved it. Then around 10 months or so, he started crawling and I thought maybe he didn’t want to ride it any more, but he used it up till he was 12 months old. The Chicco Little Driver Walker used to be his walker and then it turned into his baby scooter ride.
He would be running in Chicco Little Driver Walker.
You hear his food steps.
Flap, flap, flap!
Sliiiiiiiiiiide
My older two girls used to love an Excersaucer that I borrowed from my friend when they were babies. An Excersaucer was a life saver and a great 30-minute baby sitter. The Chicco Little Driver Walker for my son was equivalent to an Excersaucer and he was driving it like a speed demon.
I recently passed it to another friend as my son started walking.
I miss seeing him in the Chicco Little Driver Walker. Now he is on his feet all the time. He hasn’t started running yet, which is a good thing for me. He’s 13 months old now and at the busiest time for parents where he is not stable enough to be on his own. I have to watch where he falls. Our living room and foyer look pretty empty these days partly because of the upcoming move which motivated me to get rid of some toys and furniture, but also for the busy bee baby son of ours who like to walk around in the house with his arms up. He’s like a little bear.
He’s a lot of work for us parents at the moment, but he’s at the cutest stage, too. I love to squeeze my Koala Bear son.
