hobonichi vs agenda scolaire

I really can't wait for the Hobonichi techo agenda I ordered online from their website. I found this agenda when I was blogwalking and it was kinda love at first sight. I really like the layout - one page per day - so I can repurpose it as diary as well. Though I already have the red lacy moleskine for 2014, I just can't resist this hobonichi and its nice cover. Hope I can find a justification for buying it.

I had tried to get a similar agenda from France but I never managed to make it. I thought the price would be too much -and not worth the effort and money anymore- after the shipping cost etc. Besides, it's so difficult to find a seller who actually willing to send it to Indonesia. I should probably contact my friends who live in France and ask them if they could help me to buy one, send it by post and I pay the price and shipping cost.

The French agenda I meant is agenda scolaire in textagenda format, one page for each day, which starts in September to August, just like academic year in most countries. Although people in general can have it as well, this agenda is mostly used by students to record their due-to assignements, exams, revisions, schedule, etc. The paper is normal white paper which really suitable for fountain pens, as they are very common among students in France. The retail price for this agenda is quite affordable.. around 5 Euros for a store brand or generic one. 

The page layout below was taken from Quo Vadis, which I think it represents the classic layout and I personally like it too.The page has section to record plan with time of the day, a lined section to write notes and small section to note things to remember or small things. The page has tear-off corner to mark the day. Usually, they would only have half page for the weekends (one page shared for Saturday and Sunday) which kinda drawback for me.

Quo Vadis agenda

The Hobonichi has more simple layout. Basically just basic grid page with marking date and day on top of the page. This kinda layout invites you to hack it. So.. I wonder what would I do for a year with it. I personally like grid page, because the page can easily divided into several sections. It will also look neat for notes. 

From the reviews about Hobonichi I read, they say about the high quality of paper.. apparently they're super thin but fountain pen friendly. Well I have to wait for -don't know how long- to find it myself. For the price I have to pay, it better be good. Honestly, it's quite pricey.. The planner itself costs 2500 Yen.. but when you add the cover, and other tidbits, and shipping cost, it adds up to... *sigh*

Hobonichi techo agenda

Photo source : 
http://quovadis.eu/files/2013/12/029319Q_ouv_2.jpg
http://www.1101.com/store/techo/2014/detail_images/c_hpr_m/slide_3.jpg

berantakin tas

I always bring my whole life with me. Everyone knows that. Well at least most of my friends know about this. However, when I begin to suffer from back pain (or shoulder and neck pain), I try to go lighter.

As consequences for having all stuff together, I often loose things.. I forgot whether I took or left it somewhere.. and I felt awful about this. Basically, I keep all things, even old receipts and tickets which cause clutter.. and I tend to hoard. But I can't keep up with all of my things all the time, eh?

To avoid losing things -or forget some stuff or misplace some pieces, I emptied and repack my bag. I do this once or twice a week. I often do this at my parents' house, so my sis just had enough. One day she decided to sketch it.. which quite represent the moment.

lacy moleskine

 

Remember my new red moleskine for 2014? 

This is how it looks like after the first hack attempt. 

I glued a strip of white beautiful lace on the edge, where the strap sits. That's it.

I think it's kinda work. An instant makeover. 

That overly simple plain dead red moleskine now become a pretty one. Yaaayy.. !!  

quelquechose

 

left : colourful pens and pencil

right : different shapes of stencils

both can be found on my work desk in campus

some of little things to keep me sane

a simple tree

To ease away the boredom, I used to wrote diary. I do still, though not as often as I used to in the past. I also like to doodle or draw something though I'm not good at it. I would love to have colourful pencils, crayons and markers by my side. Crayola, Sharpies, Snowman, Pelikan.. any kind of brands, any kind of shapes..

However, I can't always have those handful of colours by my side all the time. Sometimes I have to maximize the things I have in hand. As now I interact more with my galaxy note 8.0, I feel it's a perfect companion when I get bored with my daily life. You know why? Because now I can draw without my physical colouring tools. Yes, I can draw, sketch, even smudge with S-note. So, here's my first attempt to draw using my tablet. A simple tree.

jolie cadeau

Pink Parker ballpoint pen.

simple, nice, cute, reliable, just great.

cute things

I felt so devastated when I realized I've just lost one of my keychain. The lost one was the fat coolie man (see post : small things). I liked it a lot and it's no way I could ever find it again. It was originated from Japan and am not even sure if it's still available.. Pfft... anyway, I shouldn't be sad for too long. So, this weekend I bought some cuties in Kinokuniya to console my broken heart.

The first picture is a black robot-shaped keychain. Though it's not quite cute, but it serves as a flashlight. There are 3 mini LED lights above his head (not shown) and a button on his back to turn the lights on. No battery required, as his body has a mini solar panel as power resource.

The second one is a blue pouch with a wristlet. I like the mini white elephant made from a small piece of porcelain. I also like color, the material and how nice it looks at the first sight.

The last ones are mini fridge magnets in the shape of japanese snacks. These magnets are only the size of the thumb.. so yes, they're soooo kawaaiiiii... 

red moleskine

Say hello to my new moleskine. Am ready for the year 2014 with this bright red yearly planner hahaha :D As always, I will hack it to the max and hoping to write more things, more detailed stories in it.

Additional info : this Moleskine is hard cover, pocket size, weekly section on the left side and ruled pages on the right side. Bought it in Gramedia PIM (check first, as not all Gramedia have Moleskine).

cute erasers

See how cute they are? Guess what.. they're all erasers in the shape of Elephant, Tiger, Cats and Dogs. I have them as travel souvenir from pak bos. He bought them in a shop in harbourfront Singapore. Don't remember which shop but I definetely love to go there one day and get me some more cute stuff. 

Oh, and I won't use them as eraser, for sure. These are for collection. Period. 

backpack

Di masa gue kuliah dulu, kayaknya bentuk tas yang paling banyak dipake adalah model backpack. Tapi sekarang ini, banyak students perempuan (di fakultas gue aja 'kali ya) yang ngampus dengan tas model handbag. Kalo gue sendiri sih, kayaknya nggak pantes banget pake tas gaya tante begitu. Ada juga tas gue yang termasuk rada feminin.. tapi itupun bukan tipe yang umumnya dibawa perempuan dewasa hehehe.. *kayak udah dewasa aja hahahaha* So I think a backpack suits me well. I have tried messenger bags couple of times.. though I like it, it ends up with shoulder and back pain.

Backpack yang baik harus bisa bertahan - nggak jebol - setidaknya satu tahun. Bagus kalo bisa nyampe tahun kedua; mengingat biasanya gue membawa seluruh hidup gue ke dalam backpack itu *hela nafas*. Materialnya musti kuat, tapi nggak kaku; dan selempang alias shoulder straps-nya empuk. Lebih mantep lagi kalo isi ruangnya luas, ada kompartemen pelindung laptop, dan banyak kantong2nya.. termasuk kantong untuk tempat minum di bagian samping. Banyak banget persyaratannya yah.. hehehehe.

In pursuit of the perfect backpack, I recently found one. Sampe sekarang ini sih gue cukup puas sama bentuk dan kinerjanya. Bahkan terkadang gue berpikir untuk beli satu lagi - kalo masih ada stocknya - buat cadangan kalo backpack ini suatu hari nanti rusak. Backpack yang sehari-hari gue pakai sekarang adalah American Tourister CitiPro CT07 warna biru navy.

Beberapa seri Citipro ini juga lumayan bagus dan cukup pas untuk students atau researcher. Jadi kalo musti bawa laptop dan penelitian ke luar kota 1-2 hari, bawa backpack ini aja dan semua keperluan pun masuk semua.. hop !!

Walopun demikian, masih juga lirik kanan kiri kalo ada backpack bagus. Some of my picks or preference or wishlist - karena musti disiplin ama yang namanya expenses - antara lain adalah :

• Backpack Jansport tipe Odyssey, Tulare dan Agave yang bisa muat laptop dan berbagai barang bawaan.
• LL Bean Turbo Transit backpack yang ada kompartemen untuk sepatu atau baju kotor di bagian bawah, tapi sayang nggak ada kantong buat tempat minum.
• Eiger Duramax series, Durometro series dan Tracker yang menurut penampakannya bisa muat banyak.
• The North Face Borealis series yang kompartemennya gede banget.. I have the old one in pink ;)
• Eastpak Egghead dan Goof yang punya banyak kompartemen juga

Ada juga backpack merek lain yang lebih mahal dan brand-nya juga terkenal, tapi kayaknya not really cool. Menurut gue, backpack yang keren justru biasanya lebih banyak dijual di toko ketimbang online. Anyway, beberapa diantaranya (yang terdapat di website-nya) ada juga yang lumayan, seperti :

• Samsonite Albi backpack.. well, nggak terlalu menarik bagi gue, tapi boleh laaah..
• Targus tipe Incognito ini pun sebenernya nggak terlalu keren bentuknya. Tapi kayaknya ini adalah yang paling nyantai diantara tipe lain yang terkesan kaku dan geek banget

Well.. that's a brief info about some backpacks I like. Next time I'll show how a backpack can hold everything needed for school days.. and more.

kehujanan

Beberapa pekan terakhir ini, setiap menjelang sore hari, selalu aja hujan badai di Jakarta dan sekitarnya. Tempo hari, saat bareng pak bos pulang naik kereta, eh..hujan deres banget begitu kami turun di stasiun. Sebenernya sih,  lumayan pede karena kami udah pakai jaket hujan, payungan, dan backpack pun udah terbungkus rain cover. Tapi, setibanya di tempat, tetep aja basah kuyup. Pfftt..

Kalo udah begini, musti ada tindakan penyelamatan yang disesuaikan dengan tempat tujuan.

• Segera mandi (+keramas) jika tiba di rumah. Tapi kalo tiba di tempat yang tidak memungkinkan untuk numpang mandi, cuci tangan sampai siku, dan cuci kaki sampai dengkul dengan air bersih + sabun. 
• Segera lap dan keringkan seluruh bagian tubuh.
• Asumsinya, rambut dan kepala nggak basah karena ketutup hood jacket dan payung. Tapi kalo basah juga (mustinya sih nggak basah banget kayak abis keramas), segera keringkan pakai handuk. Kalo nemu toilet yang ada mesin pengering tangannya, mungkin bisa dimanfaatkan untuk jadi hair dryer darurat.
• Ganti baju + daleman dengan yang kering. Asumsinya bawa di tas atau ada di loker kan? (see post : musim hujan) Kalo dibungkus pakai ziplock, dijamin nggak basah meskipun air hujannya tembus ke dalam tas.
• Minum tolak angin biar nggak masuk angin hehehe..
• Jemur atau angin2kan payung, jaket, rain cover tas, sepatu crocs atau sendal jepit di lorong atau teras ruangan. Biar cepet kering, bisa juga diletakkan di deket blower outdoor ac (kalo memungkinkan). 
• Keluarkan semua barang bawaan dari dalam tas. Cek apakah ada yang basah. Segera pisahkan barang2 yang basah dan keringkan atau jemur di dalam ruangan. Kalau bagian dalam tas udah dilapisi tas plastik kresek atau ziplock, mustinya sih nggak bakal basah banget. 
• Keringkan tas pakai tisu atau kertas koran bekas, lalu angin2kan. 
• Istirahat sejenak 5-10 menit, lalu lanjutkan aktivitas yang akan dikerjakan.

Proses tersebut diatas dapat memakan waktu 30 menit sampai 1 jam.. so, take your time. We need to stay calm to stay warm.

schedule

Seingat saya, sejak dari SD, udah pasti ada yang namanya jadwal pelajaran, jadwal piket, dsb. Kalo udah gede, mustinya juga ada jadwal kuliah, jadwal ngajar, jadwal kerja, jadwal les, jadwal antar jemput gebetan.. apapun itu. Yang jelas, hidup akan lebih mudah dijalani kalau ada jadwal. Jaman sekarang bahkan lebih enak lagi; karena jadwal bisa diatur di google calendar, ditambahkan alarm pengingat, lalu sync di smartphone, pokoknya nggak ada alesan lagi deh sebenernya. Tapi, tetap aja kita sering berhadapan dengan males, lupa, capek, dll.

Sebagian orang - termasuk saya - masih ditambah dengan cara lama alias bentuk tercetak atau tertulis. Lalu ditempel di ring binder, di meja belajar, di lemari dapur, di pintu kamar, pintu kulkas, pintu kamar mandi.. biar selalu inget hehehehe. Let me share you the template. I made the file on excel and share it using google drive. If it suits your need, you can download it (click file then cllick download); then you can modify the file according to your schedule.

small things

These are the things which I have with me everyday to campus. Though they may be small things, but they sure do make me happy.

The pencil case is from LeSportsac. I guess I have enough of this brand. What can I say.. I really like the color, the pattern, it's sooooo cuuuuttteee...
This trousse can contain lotsa pens, marker, pencil, well.. those colourful stuff I need for writing or marking students' assignments.

These keychains are hanging on my backpack. A fat man with a sack of rice, a japanese round petite kimmidoll, and a tiny fat whale. This set of keychains are quite annoying for some people as it would make that kinda tingling sound everytime they move. I don't care, I love it hahaha :D

I believe everybody have their special little things which can boost the mood, to make us happy and smiling. Nothing's wrong with that.

coleslaw

Here goes another simple lunchbox recipe. Coleslaw is kinda shreded salad and quite easy to prepare. Menurut gue, bahan2 untuk coleslaw tuh mirip ama asinan. Ada kubis dan wortel serut.. eh tapi nggak ada tauge dan sawi asin tuh hihihihi.. Berikut ini adalah resepnya yang dikutip dari buku "Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids" by Amanda Grant (2008). Credit photo : Tara Fisher. I took the snapshot photo from the book and kinda edit it. This recipes serves 4.

1 small head or half large white (or green) cabbage
2 carrots, peel and grated
1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
a large handful of raisins
a large handful of peanuts (optional)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad cream
1 tablespoon natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon runny honey
freshly ground black pepper

Cut the cabbage into quarters, cut out the hard core and then thinly slice the cabbage. Put it into a bowl together with carrots, red pepper and raisins. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, yoghurt and honey; season with a little black pepper. Add to the cabbage bowl and mix well. Store in the fridge, ready to serve.

simple tuna spread

Few days ago, I had a small talk about lunchbox / bento with my friend Rita on facebook. It ends up with an interest in tuna spread a.k.a rillettes de thon. I used to make this simple spread - or some say, tuna salad - using canned tuna chunks, mayonnaise and a bit of mustard. However, the french recipes use crème fraiche or even fromage frais instead of mayo. I think this shouldn't be a big deal. In the end, you'll be the one who eat it, so the taste has to be right for you.

Here I share you my simple recipe, and feel free to modify it.

- a can of tuna chunks (in water or in vegetable oil - whatever), drain it from the liquid

- 2 or 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

- 1 or 2 tablespoon of mustard

- a dash (or a teaspoon) of ground pepper

(1st method) Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix them using fork. Make sure everything has mixed together and it's all set.

(2nd method) Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Run the machine for few seconds and they're ready.

The first method is more suitable if you want to have it with a bowl of salad.. there you have salade niçoise. The second method is for a smoother result which is easier to spread into a bread for sandwich or as a dipping sauce (with crackers, carrot or celery sticks) on apero.

Have it a try and tell me about your creation ;)

musim hujan

Sebenernya gue seneng pas musim hujan tiba. Suhu udara jadi nggak terlalu panas dan jadi waktu yang tepat untuk menikmati teh anget sambil nyemil gorengan hehehe.. Tapi, musim hujan juga nyebelin kalo sampe banjir, macet, becek dimana-mana.. apalagi kalo ditambah kereta gangguan sinyal dlsb. Solusinya adalah musti persiapan ekstra kalo ke kampus. Barang bawaan jadi lebih banyak.. padahal, gembolan yang gue bawa sehari-hari aja udah kayak apaan tauk.  Pfftt..

So here goes my extra gear during rainy days :

• Pakai tas model backpack. I personally prefer Eiger (local brand), or American Tourister (affordable brand from Samsonite) or Jansport. I currently use AT Citipro series with rain cover stored neatly on the bottom of the bag. 
• Pakai Crocs shoes. Kalo cuman sekedar kuliah atau ngajar, sepatu Crocs tipe malindi dan sejenisnya masih acceptable koq.. jadi nggak perlu bawa beban tambahan berupa sendal jepit atau sepatu kerja. 
• Bawa payung dooong.. ini mah wajib. Kalo bisa, yang "lipat tiga" biar nggak makan tempat. I have this small and compact umbrella from Esprit.. but apparently it's not as sturdy as I expected.
• Bawa rain jacket atau windbreaker tipis yang bisa dilipat / digulung sampai ringkas. Mine is from Roxy, bought online.
• Bawa handuk kecil dan tissue buat ngelap-ngelap kalo tetep kehujanan basah kuyup
• Siapin 1 set baju dan daleman dalam tas plastik atau ziplock dan simpen di laci meja kerja atau locker (atau bawa di dalam tas). Kalo nyampe kampus basah kuyup, masih bisa ganti baju kering dan terhindar dari masuk angin. 
• Ada baiknya barang bawaan yang penting di dalam tas juga dilapisi plastik (kresek atau ziplock)
• Bawa syal / pashmina atau cardigan tipis buat di dalam ruangan. Meskipun hujan, AC di dalam ruangan tetep nyala kenceng kaaan..

Next time I will share for other preparation during this rainy season. Stay dry, stay warm.

paper clips

This is a simple idea. Got an unused glass jar / pot? Fill it with colourful paper clips and it becomes an instant decoration for your desk or workstation. Mine was from a small mustard pot.. I have it cleaned - simply wash it - and had the label removed.. et voilà !!

moleskine

For me, moleskine is one of the great things ever happened in the world of stationery. I really love the smooth acid-free paper, the yellowish color of the paper, the pocket size with elastic strap, and how it triggers us to personalize the notebook the way we want. I kinda hacked the cover with mini cute stickers and my name on the side. It's 18-month weekly notebook (july 2013 - december 2014). This hard cover version has separate thin address book attached on the back pocket. The layout on the inside has weekly appointment on the left side and ruled page on the right side. I can note down the appointments, teaching schedule, and invitations etc on weekly section. On the ruled section, I can write down ideas, plans, somekinda tweets, recipes, drawings, wishlist, feelings, mood.. just everythiiing in life. 

Now it's gonna be the end of the page soon, so I gotta prepare to replace it with the new one. But I can't find the 18-month started from january. Why they have this kinda 18-month thingy if there will be 6 months on the next year missing without a moleskine? They should make a 6-monthly or another 18-monthly which begin from january. Otherwise, just make a simple 12-month one. 

ballpoint pen dupont

See how lovely this pen? I'm not quite fond of gold ornaments, but this gold barrel has stripes and enhance the clip adorned with gems. I am not sure whether they're precious stones or not.. but I think the clip is beautiful and looks sumptuous .

I enherited this ST Dupont pen from my dad last year. He had this pen for quite some time and he offered it to me. I promised to take good care of this nice pen as I remember how he used to take it everyday during his working days. So.. I better check thouroughly and clean the barrel. Need to search on the internet about this and I'll share how to look after a special pen like this.

stylo plume mont blanc

This is a Mont Blanc Meisterstück fountain pen - Hommage à Frédéric Chopin. Got this pen as a christmas present in 2003 from a dear friend. I don't remember where's the box (with a CD of Chopin included) and the certificate. I was also devastated when I accidentally dropped the pen in 2007 and cracked the cap. Oh well, life goes on.. Still hate myself because of that. I actually really like the way it looks.. the jet black barrel, the glossy finishing, the gold plated clip, very chic and prestigious. You can see the tip of the pen is also beautifully crafted. Say no more.

healthy lunchbox

These days, recession is everywhere. I also have to tighten my spending on foods, especially for breakfast and lunch. Also a gently reminder to eat healthier and in reasonable portion ;) So, I've been googling around for lunchbox ideas and stumbled in this article from BBC about "What's in a healthy lunchbox". Although it's for school kids, but at least this is a good thing to know of what to pack. 

Pada dasarnya, makanan sehat yang semestinya dibawa untuk bekal makan siang terdiri dari :

• Protein (daging, ikan, kacang-kacangan)
• Karbohidrat berserat (nasi, roti dari gandum utuh) untuk energi
• Sayuran dan buah (berupa salad atau utuh)
• Air minum (boleh juga susu, jus buah, yogurt cair atau smoothies)

Sedangkan makanan / minuman yang sebaiknya dihindari adalah :

• Permen dan cokelat
• Cemilan (keripik kentang, keripik buah yang asin/manis)
• Minuman bersoda atau kadar gula tinggi
• Gorengan dan daging yang telah diproses (sosis, daging asap)

Sering kali, kita kehabisan ide untuk bekal makan siang. Di artikel tersebut, ada file pdf packed lunch menu untuk menu lunchbox selama 3 minggu, lengkap dengan beberapa resep makanannya. Jadi mulai sekarang, mari berusaha hidup lebih hemat dan sehat dengan membawa bekal makan siang setiap hari.

Packed lunch menu and Photo source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8454692.stm

post-it page marker

Post-it from 3M is the leader in sticky notes. Nowadays, there are so many varieties of post-it notes. Post-it juga nggak hanya punya sticky notes standar dengan warna warni dan bentuk yang bermacam-macam. Beberapa varian lain antara lain ada sticky memopad bergaris buat catatan yang lebih banyak (misalnya buat catetan belanja atau isi kulkas), ada flags (terbuat dari bahan film tipis) buat penanda halaman buku, ataupun page marker seperti yang dapat dilihat berikut ini.

very neat and include all the infos

easy to fold, easy to open, easy to slip into pocket

Post-it Page Marker to be hang on shelf in store

Kalo dari kemasannya, ini adalah salah satu contoh bentuk kemasan yang beneran memikirkan gimana saat produk ini dipajang di toko dan portability-nya (bagaimana kemudahannya saat dibawa kemana-mana). Bentuknya compact, seukuran telapak tangan, dan ada kemasan karton yang jadi semacam jaket buat page marker ini.. jadinya rapih, nggak bertebaran kemana2 dan nggak kuatir sudutnya jadi kotor atau melengkung. 

Dari sisi produknya, Page Marker ini pas buat penanda halaman dan bahannya dari kertas (bukan seperti flags) sehingga lebih mudah untuk ditulisi dengan bolpen maupun pensil. Demikian juga kalo pakai tinta fountain pen pun nggak masalah. Kalo soal warna, sebenernya yang warna ungu hanya sesuai buat penanda halaman aja. Kalo ditulisi, jadinya nggak terlalu kelihatan tulisannya. Sebaiknya sih warnanya lebih terang, ungu yang mauve gitu dan warna yang pink bisa lebih ke warna pastel. This is just my personal opinion.. Isi keseluruhannya ada 250 lembar (masing-masing warna ada 50 lembar) jadi nggak terlalu tebal. Bisa dikantongin, masih muat buat masuk tempat pensil, bisa juga diselipin di binder note. 

I'm always a huge fan of 3M Post-it notes.. love the smell when I open the package, love every detail of its look and package design, appreciate its durability and sticking few sheets onto my moleskine for a quick note. As for me, this is a must-have product for this semester hehehehe...

LeSportsac merriment wallet

Can’t resist when I saw this wallet in LeSportsac shop in Plaza Indonesia recently. So I just grabbed and bought it. I really love this merriment print. I think it’s just lovely.. the colour, the flower, the theme.. oh and it’s called lilywallet for that portefeuille shape. I actually prefer claire wallet, which is smaller, but they don’t have it in merriment print. Pfftt.. not in that shop or I’m not lucky enough to have it.

The first picture above is just about front look, a first impression.. there’s actually a sleeve / pocket behind the LeSportsac line; while the other two pictures below are the interior of this lilywallet. Lots of pockets, but not too many. I have a seperate card holder anyway. I think it’s good to limit the cards I have to store inside, so it won’t be too bulky and heavy. It’s great to have the wallet slim and sleek. However, I even managed to store my mobile phone (samsung galaxy chat) inside this wallet hahaha 

lunchbox

The thing I always itchy to buy -beside stationery- is lunch box. 

I always intrigued by different shape of lunch boxes. I also can spend many times in this area of every store I ever visited. Rubbermaid, Rosti Mepal, Thermos, Tupperware, Lock n Lock.. are some brands I am familiar with. I personally think few of them are quite pricey. On the other hand, Indonesian brand for lunch box such as Lion Star is very affordable and colourful, though their plastic is not quite thick.. So if I have to choose, Lock n Lock would be on top of the list. They’re sturdy and and zero worry to spill. Even when you fill the box with soup or other liquid, the rubber seal and clip lock will protect the content from sipping out. I will review some of my lunch boxes.. some lunch box ideas and recipes too.. Be patient, guys. Am just blogging one step at a time here. For more infos about the brands, here are the links…

Lion Star <http://www.lionstar.co.id>
Lock n lock <http://www.locknlock.com.au>
Rosti Mepal <http://www.mepal.com>
Tupperware <http://www.tupperware.co.id>
Thermos <http://www.thermos.com>
Rubbermaid <http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/Category.aspx?CatName=FoodStorage>

blue ice

While some of you may have familiar with it, some other might still wondering. This is Blue Ice, the reusable ice pack. For more info, this is the website of rubbermaid blue ice .

I believe this is one of indispensable school stuff. At least for me. This is very useful to keep your lunch fresh and cool. Especially for salad, dressing / sauce, yogurt, milk and other dairy products. Just make sure you have it stored in your freezer over night, then it will be ready in the morning to be tucked into the lunchbox.

no brainer nasi goreng

Still have no gas in my appt, so I gotta maximize all the appliances I have for cooking. A simple nasi goreng without sauted them with a wok and flames. How? Just mix some leftover rice in the magic jar (rice cooker) with margarine, instant seasoning of bumbu nasi goreng, a bit of chili powder and shredded leftover fried chicken. Et voilà..

note : in case you have no seasoning of bumbu nasi goreng, you can use a bit of minced onion, a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar.

story about stationery

Sebenernya gue seneng pas musim hujan tiba. Suhu udara jadi nggak terlalu panas dan jadi waktu yang tepat untuk menikmati teh anget sambil nyemil gorengan hehehe.. Tapi, musim hujan juga nyebelin kalo sampe banjir, macet, becek dimana-mana.. apalagi kalo ditambah kereta gangguan sinyal dlsb. Solusinya adalah musti persiapan ekstra kalo ke kampus. Barang bawaan jadi lebih banyak.. padahal, gembolan yang gue bawa sehari-hari aja udah kayak apaan tauk.  Pfftt..

So here goes my extra gear during rainy days :

• Pakai tas model backpack. I personally prefer Eiger (local brand), or American Tourister (affordable brand from Samsonite) or Jansport. I currently use AT Citipro series with rain cover stored neatly on the bottom of the bag. 
• Pakai Crocs shoes. Kalo cuman sekedar kuliah atau ngajar, sepatu Crocs tipe malindi dan sejenisnya masih acceptable koq.. jadi nggak perlu bawa beban tambahan berupa sendal jepit atau sepatu kerja. 
• Bawa payung dooong.. ini mah wajib. Kalo bisa, yang "lipat tiga" biar nggak makan tempat. I have this small and compact umbrella from Esprit.. but apparently it's not as sturdy as I expected.
• Bawa rain jacket atau windbreaker tipis yang bisa dilipat / digulung sampai ringkas. Mine is from Roxy, bought online.
• Bawa handuk kecil dan tissue buat ngelap-ngelap kalo tetep kehujanan basah kuyup
• Siapin 1 set baju dan daleman dalam tas plastik atau ziplock dan simpen di laci meja kerja atau locker (atau bawa di dalam tas). Kalo nyampe kampus basah kuyup, masih bisa ganti baju kering dan terhindar dari masuk angin. 
• Ada baiknya barang bawaan yang penting di dalam tas juga dilapisi plastik (kresek atau ziplock)
• Bawa syal / pashmina atau cardigan tipis buat di dalam ruangan. Meskipun hujan, AC di dalam ruangan tetep nyala kenceng kaaan..

Next time I will share for other preparation during this rainy season. Stay dry, stay warm.

LeSportsac merriment bag

I have this bag for almost a year now. A LeSportsac merriment print deluxe everyday bag. Bought it in LeSportsac store in PIM2. 

Like the name of this model, “everyday bag”, I use it everyday. Baik untuk ke kampus maupun jalan2 ke mall. Kalo pergi nginep semalem doang, cukup juga bawa tas ini.. only to bring the essential stuff. Bahannya ringan dan lumayan tahan air, mudah pula perawatannya. Cukup dilap dengan kain lembab atau dicuci (handwash, tapi jangan disikat yaaa..) dengan air dan sabun cair. Coraknya bagus, nggak norak, nggak terlalu nge-jreng, warnanya pun cukup lembut. Kalo untuk isinya, I’ll post next time for the details. Yang jelas, di dalamnya ada henpon, blekberi, dompet, kunci, tempat pensil, moleskine dll. Semuanya bisa masuk ke dalam tas ini. Enough said.