Yes. Just like what you’ve thought: I lived on pasta and muffins (during the busy month of November). I did 1 kg+ of my ragu recipe put it into small containers and freeze them plus making my everyday muffins in loop. Not bad at all :)

Then went to Semarang in Central Java for Marco’s exhibition in December. My interactive web designer/photographer/VJ brother also came all the way to help us with the preparation.







I was very tired, I could not even make a straight photo…and did not bring any cameras during the opening pf the exhibition. It was such a great night, you can read some press (in Indonesian) here, here, here and here and in English too here and in Italian here and here or visit the website of the gallery. You can see the film of his video installation here and if you would like to see and download the catalog of the exhibition here.

Phew!

We were super exhausted from the preparation and the exhibition so when we returned to Bali we decided to drive and stay for a few days in Amed, just to relax by the sea…



Again, could not bring myself to take any photos in Amed, this photo above was taken by my brother on the way to Amed and this one below when we met a cat who looked like the copy of my cat lula :)



That’s it for now, need to go back to my lazy zone and enjoy the last of 2011. Ciao!

Just came back from Jepara for a project, that of course I still could not share with you. Instead, I will share with you some places of Jepara that I visited. First day I went to Kartini beach, and I was welcomed by these:







Giant turtle building? Big plastic duckies hanging? becak turned mobile-satay-stall? You could not blame me thinking I was high or something, it was pretty surreal, I really thought I was high from all those wood dust I breathe after a whole day working in a place like this:
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Quite interesting sign, isn’t it? Fresh kangaroo, crocodile, emu…yes I was in Australia, in Melbourne to be exact :) It was interesting 18 days there. That sign is one of the cute signs at Queen Victoria market. Anyway, since I am not so good with travel post, I think I will just share some photos I took during my visit, with some little explanation :)

My first time: down town Melbourne, mission: just jump on the bus, get a daily ticket and wander. I found: Little Bourke Street with its interesting lanes, like: Rankins Lane



Yes this:


People having coffee outside, smoking, some bikes, industrial building, definitely my place. Inside is even better:



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My visit to a ikat factory in Central Java, unexpectedly artistic. Almost Duchamp :) Crazy, how everyday objects could transform to something this artistic, without the realisation of the people who use them. The unfinished wall, the colourful threads, the sweaty workers, the old machines, the rubbish, the workers’ laughter all contributed to this everyday life art installation.





I like the way the workers mend their machine with anything they find around them (bricks, unused fabric…)



Oh so Duchamp bicycle wheel!







I think if we take our time, to really see, hear, feel around us, there are lots of beauty in life. This put a big smile on my face and heart, and be so grateful of life. Happy sunday. Hugs!

I was away for a week in Central Java in February to meet with a furniture manufacturer and see some shops and producer. It was a beautiful trip, I saw so many imperfection, but they are so beautiful in their imperfection. It is a bit difficult to explain, I guess you’ll just have to scroll and see the photographs:)

My trip started in the morning, flight from Denpasar to Surabaya (East Java) then to Semarang then 2 hours car drive to Jepara with my cousin. We went to Bandengan beach after arriving in Jepara, there was nothing there, the sand was not white, it was very windy, we just sat there peacefully, sipping ginger teas, watching this man collecting wood and waiting till sunset.

Then we headed home, took shower and went to have dinner at Flamingo Joe’s Japanese restaurant. Very fresh sushi and nice cold bintang. Wonderful. I went to bed smiling :) (more…)

I have been going to Singapore since 1995 and every time I return to my country people always ask me: did you try the chilli crab? and the answer has always been: no no no. This time, the answer will be: yes.
Basically, this time, I didn’t want to carry my camera, I just want to savour the experience (plus I was still jetlaged, and so tired), so sorry, no photos, next time when I return I will.
I have three places that I HAVE TO try (one of them is chilli crab):
1. Long Beach at Dempsey Hill for chilli crab
2. Ippudo Tao Ramen at UE Square because my sister works there and because many people said it is the best ramen.
3. Tatsuya at Scotts road for sushi

So, for number 1: Yes, I tried it, two days ago. And, it was…some kind of a torture for us. Well, first of all, none of us (me, marco and my sister) like crab. We are just toooooooooooo lazy to peel it. Then, I am not a big fan of spicy food. We went to the famous Long Beach restaurant at Dempsey Hill. We could not finished the food. For three we ordered the fried banana and scallop (strange combination, bad opening for us, not recommended), then chilli crab (1,2 kg), black pepper crab (1 kg) and 2 portion of fried bread and a small bowl of rice. The waiter looked very disappointed, but we couldn’t help it. It was not our cup of tea. That was the first and the last time I eat chilli crab. My conclusion is, don’t eat chilli crab if you:
1. Don’t like peeling crab
2. Don’t like spicy food
3. Are too hungry
4. Still jetlaged :)
We are those three. So, you can imagine. One more thing, the dinner was kind of funny. Seriously. It started with that fried banana scallop thing, that tasted so strange, so I told my sister: “if the waiter come and ask me about the food, I wouldn’t know how to answer it” then a minute later the waiter came and asked me: “how’s the food?” I couldn’t help laughing :P Then when the crab arrived, the waiter tried to help me cracking the crab, ended up splattering the sauce everywhere including my t-shirt, I wasn’t angry, it was just toooooooo funny! :D Then we tried, and the crab sort of ‘jumping’ everywhere. We made such a mess. I think they were relieved when we left. So were we.

For number 2: It was simply the best ramen I ever ate. Superb! The first time I went there was when we had a 8 hours waiting time at Changi airport, waiting for the flight to Milano, so we decided to go out and said hello to my sister. We had shiro ramen and I love it. Shiro is basically a tonkotsu ramen. We also tried the pork bun and the gyoza, it was so great. The portion was big, it was hard to finish it myself, I was toooooo full, almost couldn’t walk to the MRT to take the train back to the airport.
The second time I shared the kuro ramen and had lots of that skewer bbq food (forget the name) and always with the gyoza and pork bun. The best dessert is the cream caramel and they have 5 kind of umeshu, but the best is just the plain old choya umeshu. Ow, and the sakura tea was great too. Recommended.

3. Tatsuya. No word. SUPER. Amazing. Love it. Definitely my place. The sashimi was superb, melt in the mouth, and the sushi was great. All the fish are from Tsukiji fish market Tokyo and Fukuoka. Reservation is recommended. And you have to try the home made umeshu, it was heavenly. For the dessert we had cheesecake, it was simple buy yum! Loving everything. We went for lunch, but will come back for dinner for sure. Love love love.

Long Beach Seafood
Blk 25 #01-01 Dempsey Road
Tel: 6323 2222

Ippudo Tao Ramen
207 River Valley Road, #01-55/56 UE Square
Tel: 6887 5315

Tatsuya
22 Scotts Road
Goodwood Park Hotel
Tel: 65 6887 4598

This is one of Marco’s exhibition I told you before. The archiviarti 2010, curated by Fiordialice Sette at Fabbrica Borroni. It was great! The space was amazing and there are many interesting people. Super! :)

The mandatory photo with the artist :P (more…)

I think you can guess where I am now. Yes, I am back in Milano, for a month. This is my second week here, still getting used to autumn, that makes me feel so sleepy all the time! But it is nice to be back. I have made a long pause on writing on the blog. I needed it. It started with this: Charlie died, in such a terrible way…that left us devastated for a long period, that led us to find a new house, and after went through loads of hassle, we did found one, but we needed to renovate that house, and it was quite a mess, and in the same time, some project started: photography and furniture. In the same time, Marco had a little accident that gave him 11 stitches in the time when he had to finish his painting, and started his new series of paintings. Our house renovation was still ongoing by the time we had to leave for Milano, almost made me cancel my trip, I am glad I didn’t.

We are basically here because I kind of need a break, otherwise I think I’d fall into pieces and also because Marco is having two collective exhibition: One is in Galleria San Lorenzo, Milano, this exhibition is going to be until November 20th. And another one in Fabbrica Borroni that will be opened on November 10th, if you are around, please do come on the 10th, starting at 18.30 there will be an opening party. Will be nice to see you there.

So, here I am now, pampered with much needed delicious Italian food and good old friends.

Second day in Singapore, we woke up early, having breakfast with fruits and toast with kaya, then walking straight to Little India, and we were blown away by the colours! Beautiful! I never thought Singapore could be this colourful. Be sure to visit this area whenever you visit :) I am still not used to the light in Asia, completely different with in Europe, everything looks sharper!

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Me and Marco stayed two days in Singapore two weeks ago, first time in Singapore and Asia for Marco. For me, I have been many times there but this is the first time that I really enjoy it, all the other time I was just too busy doing something else but enjoying the city.

Writing this post, I realised it is so hard to choose one image to represent Singapore, it is just so complex and practical in the same time, full of colour and gray in the same time. So I take the easy way: I put the first image I took in Singapore as my first post image :) It was in Bugis, very hot day, we were just arrived and it was too early to enter our room, so we were melting on the street, trying to stay in the shadow the the trees when I saw this man looking so relaxed in his rickshaw. We managed to visit the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple and had lunch at the Bugis Junction before heading back to our b&b. (more…)