Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Late Night Snack @ In and Out Burger


Perjalanan ke California kali ini terasa istimewa karena kami memutuskan untuk menempuh perjalanan darat. Idealnya kami berangkat subuh biar sampai di California tengah malam dan bisa langsung istirahat. Perjalanan dari Seattle ke California, lebih tepatnya ke Los Angeles memakan waktu kurang lebih 20 jam, melewati tiga state (Washington, Oregon, dan California). Tapi karena dua supir angkutan antar kota (Ucun dan suaminya) kerja jadi kami baru berangkat dari Seattle kurang lebih jam 2 siang. Perbekalan selama perjalanan sudah lengkap. Jumlah cemilan sama banyaknya dengan jumlah koper yang dibawa. Tiap kali jalan ke luar kota, kami seperti terkena sindrom takut kelaparan, jadi bekal yang dibawa seringkali lebay jumlahnya. Well, lebih baik kekenyangan daripada kelaparan kan? Hi3 (ngeles lagi). 

Setelah 22 jam berada di jalan (2 jam tidur di rest area), kami sampai di Los Angeles dan langsung menuju ke hotel. Posisi hotel kami sangat strategis. Tepat di depan hotel ada starbuck, di samping ada restoran Meksiko dan disampingnya ada am/pm kalau tiba-tiba pengen ngemil. Tapi yang paling seru, hotel ini cuma beberapa meter dari outlet In and Out Burger. Seperti orang norak saya langsung bersorak-sorak melihat outlet fast food ini. Maklum, In and Out terdekat ya hanya ada di California. Dan kenapa saya norak karena dibandingkan gerai fast food yang terkenal, In and Out kualitasnya jauh lebih bagus. Burgernya lebih segar dan kentangnya lebih crispy dan semua orang yang pernah makan di sini pasti tau bedanya In and Out dengan burger yang sudah terkenal seperti McD, Burger King atau Jack in The Box. Bahkan, ketika saya cerita tentang rencana perjalanan ke California, tante Linong, teman sekamar saya di ibukota langsung dengan semangat mengingatkan untuk tidak lupa mampir ke gerai In and Out. "You tau kan Non, ai nggak suka fast food. Tapi ini mah beda non. Ai bisa ngabisin burgernya plus kentangnya. Rasa kentangnya tuh crunchy banget, kayak baru dipanen trus langsung dipotong-potong dan digoreng. Pokoknya you musti coba."




                                                             ini burger sayahhhhhhh          


kentang goreng super crunchy


Rasanya siapa pun yang denger promosi seheboh ini pasti penasaran. Sama seperti tante Linong, saya juga bukan penggemar fast food. Hanya pas kepepet dan sudah tidak ada pilihan lain dan dalam keadaan lapar yang menggelora dan nggak punya persediaan beras dan telor barulah kami makan fast food. Bukan karena sok peduli kesehatan, tapi after taste dari menu di fast food Jakarta yang bikin kami kapok. Eniwei, kembali ke In and Out, begitu lihat gerai burger ini saya langsung teriak. "Pokoknya kita musti makan di sini!". Rupanya teriakan histeris saya ini bener-bener manteng di kepala kakak ipar saya. Begitu pulang dari Disney Land, dalam keadaan lelah dan sudah tengah malam, Joe tetap ingat untuk mampir. Sudah lewat midnight tapi gerai ini masih ramai pengunjung. Mulai dari yang dine in sampai yang take away. Menu yang ditawarkan nggak banyak, tapi kualitasnya memang enak. Cheese Burger yang saya pesan langsung kandas tak bersisa. Mungkin karena pengaruh lapar juga saya sanggup menghabiskan burger dan kentangnya. Saya harus akui, kentangnya memang seperti yang digembar-gemborkan tante Linong, renyah. Saya lebih senang lagi, karena ada acar cabai rawit. Makin enak rasa burgernya. 


                                            acar cabe rawit yang bikin makan tambah lahap


Tapi saya nggak mau gegabah bilang bahwa In and Out memang enak. Saya harus kembali lagi untuk mengetes apakah memang enak atau saya yang lapar. Beberapa kali saya kembali ke sini, dan saya selalu menikmati Cheese Burgernya plus kentang gorengnya. Dan saya harus jujur bilang bahwa In and Out Burger adalah salah satu fast food chain resto yang paling enak. Nggak boong kok. Jadi kalau sampai ke California dan pengen makan kenyang dengan harga yang terjangkau sambil memanjakan lidah, In and Out Burger jawabannya.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Sisi Lain Festival Musim Panas di Seattle

Buat orang Seattle, summer identik dengan udara cerah dan festival. Memasuki hari pertama musim panas, warga Seattle menyambut matahari dengan Summer Solstice Festival yang berlangsung di kawasan Fremont. Summer Solstice dibuka dengan rombongan bersepeda yang tidak menggunakan selembar benangpun alias telanjang. Ada sih yang benar-benar telanjang bulat, tapi sebagian besar mereka menutupi tubuh dengan body painting. Design body paintingnya unik. Ada yang dirancang seperti baju, ada yang seperti kostum super hero dan ada juga yang bentuknya seperti tatto. Pertama kali diajak nonton Summer Solstice, saya pikir, pasti yang ikut parade badannya keren-keren kayak model. Kakak perempuan saya langsung ngakak. "Not all flower are pretty," ucapnya singkat. Saya mengerti maknanya saat duduk di pinggiran jalan dengan bangku lipat dan memandang pengendara sepeda mondar-mandir di depan mata sambil menyerukan semangat menyambut musim panas. 


Saya salut dengan mereka yang semangat ikut parade. Parade dimulai sekitar jam 2 siang dan berakhir sekitar jam 6 sore dan mereka pasti siap-siap dari pagi untuk mulai pengecatan badan. Satu body painting artis pasti mengerjakan lebih dari 10 orang dengan 10 design yang berbeda. Selesai urusan body painting, mereka harus menggoes sepeda di tengah sengatan matahari musim panas. Saya yang lahir dan besar di negara tropis saja nggak sanggup kok jalan ditengah panas matahari. Banyak dari peserta parade yang musti rela cat ditubuh mereka perlahan memudar tersapu keringat yang bercucuran. Setiap tahun, summer Solstice dirayakan dengan meriah dan penonton berdatangan sejak jam 10 pagi. Sebagian besar membawa kursi lipat dan alas duduk dan memastikan kursi berada di posisi yang strategis. Urusan parkir juga jadi alasan utama penonton datang lebih pagi. Restoran atau bar yang berada di pinggir jalan memastikan pelanggan tidak berada di lokasi lebih dari satu jam . Urusan parkir memang hal yang paling bikin pusing tiap ada festival di downtown Seattle. Untuk parkir selama 4 jam, harus rela merogoh kocek sebesar 20 dollar atau sekitar 200 ribu rupiah. Kalau mau murah ya parkir jauh dari lokasi. Untuk nonton Summer Solstice ini saya memang dapat lokasi yang mantap, tapi kami harus parkir 11 blok dari lokasi, di kawasan yang berbukit. Yang artinya jalan nanjak 90 derajat sekitar 1,5km itu sesuatu banget lho. 









Tapi festival terheboh yang saya rasakan selama menjadi warga Seattle adalah Hemfest, saya menyebutnya Festival Mariyuana. Yes, that's true. Sudah empat tahun, Seattle menyelenggarakan festival yang berfokus pada mariyuana. Tahun ini bisa dibilang sedikit berbeda. Tahun lalu, pengunjungnya paling banyak berasal dari Washington area dan state tetangga seperti Oregon, California, dll. Tapi tahun ini sejak mariyuana resmi dilegalisasi di Washington, sebagian besar pengunjung berasal dari luar daerah. Perbedaan kedua terasa pada nuansa festivalnya. Tahun ini nuansa festivalnya lebih terasa, tanpa adanya retorasi politis soal legalisasi mariyuana. Jadi panggung musik juga lebih banyak, begitu juga tenan makanan. Tiap panggung menampilkan jenis musik yang berbeda. Mulai dari musik-musik rasta ala Bob Marley, musik hard rock. 

Rasanya nggak terhitung jumlah festival di kawasan Washington yang saya datangi, dan menurut saya, Hemfest ini salah satu festival dengan jumlah pengunjung terbanyak yang pernah saya lihat. Untuk masuk ke festival ini saja antreannya mengular sampai dua kilometer. Dan penjagaan polisi termasuk ketat, tapi lucunya di depan polisi yang berjaga-jaga, penyelenggara membagikan lintingan ganja secara gratis. Cowok di depan saya dengan semangat mengumpulkan puluhan lintingan ganja ke backpacknya. Sementara saya cuma bisa geleng-geleng kepala. Meskipun untuk masuk ke festival ini tidak dipungut bayaran, tapi donasi disarankan bagi mereka yang datang. Pihak panitia menyarankan nilai minimal untuk memberikan sumbangan adalah 10 dollar atau sekitar seratus ribu rupiah. Saya langsung berhitung, kalau 150 ribu pengunjung yang benar-benar menyumbang 10 dollar, tanpa penjualan atau tax, pihak penyelenggara sudah bisa mengumpulkan uang sebanyak 1,5 juta dollar atau sekitar 15 milyar rupiah. 








Festival Hemfest diselenggarakan di pinggir pantai di kawasan Seattle Art Museum dan ratusan tenant yang menjual barang-barang yang berhubungan dengan mariyuana, mulai dari bibit mariyuana, bong, grinder, sampai tenda yang berfungsi sebagai green house untuk membudidayakan mariyuana. Tenda ini dijual dengan harga sekitar 300 dollar atau sekitar 3 juta rupiah. Menurut pemiliknya, mereka sudah menjual puluhan tenda selama festival yang dimulai pada 16-18 Agustus 2013. Penjual bong paling banyak, dan harga yang mereka tawarkan memang jauh lebih murah dari yang dijual di luaran, walaupun buat saya yang nggak ngerti harga bong, tetap saja jatuhnya mahal. Untuk bong ukuran sedang harganya sekitar 40 dollar dan untuk yang berukuran besar sekitar 100 dollar. Well, saya memilih menghabiskan 100 dollar untuk tas atau sepatu ketimbang untuk beli bong. 

Sebagai food lovers, saya lebih tertarik dengan tenant makanan yang jumlahnya lebih banyak ketimbang tenant makanan di Bite of Seattle yang festival makanan. Segala jenis makanan khas festival seperti Elephant Ear, PJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly), Hot Dog, Burger, Sandwich, Asian Food, Gyros, Ice Cream. Tapi teman saya membisiki satu makanan yang wajib saya coba di sini, brownies. Ini bukan sembarang brownies, tapi ini brownies dengan ramuan "khusus". Banyak yang menawarkan brownies tapi teman saya hanya mau beli dari the brownies lady. "Saya ingat wajahnya. Kami hanya beli dari dia," ucap Eric antusias. Setelah berjalan kurang lebih 45 menit, akhirnya kami bertemu dengan the brownies lady dan Eric langsung memborong brownies yang berharga 6 dollar per potongnya. Selain brownies, Eric juga membeli beberapa potong chocolate cookies. Sampai rumah, saya ditawari mencoba potongan brownies istimewa itu. Saya langsung menganggung. Di Jakarta saya sering makan di rumah makan Padang yang menggunakan mariyuana sebagai salah satu bumbu masak dan saya tidak pernah merasakan ada yang aneh selain porsi makan saya yang meningkat. Setengah potong brownies istimewa yang rasanya enak itu saya habiskan dan tidak sampai setengah jam, saya merasakan tubuh saya jadi super relaks dan tidak sampai setengah jam setelah saya menghabiskan makan malam, saya tertidur di kursi sampai mendengkur (menurit kesaksian pacar saya, red) dan setelah pindah ke kasur, saya makin lelap tertidur. Kalau ini yang dinamakan giting, berarti saya giting dengan sukses sampai mendengkur. 

Monday, February 11, 2013

For The Love of a Bite of Porchetta Sandwich




I have to admit that I have a huge crush on Anthony Bourdain. I have to say in my eyes, he's the sexiest man alive. But his sexiness has nothing to do with sexual things, although I will have to say that this celebrity chef is sexy. His sexiness for me is more related to his passion on food. I've seen a lot of celebrity chefs on various TV program and I haven't seen someone as passionate as him. Anthony is like a chameleon, he's practically blended with his surrounding perfectly. In one of episode, he traveled to Indonesia and went to one of the crowded area in Jakarta. I'm Indonesian and Ive lived in Jakarta for more than 10 years, and I will not step my foot on that area, nevertheless eat the food there. But Anthony did the unthinkable for me, he eat the food there surrounded by the local kids who are following him around (it's rare to see a caucasian man in that area). It was a beautiful picture and I'm intrigue to know whether he experience major stomachache after consume those food or not.

For me a food traveler should be like Anthony Bourdain, who are willing to try a local delicacies no matter how odd it looks like or no matter how strange the ingredients is. He enjoyed eat those strange and yet delicious food and I always drawling in front of TV watching him eat. Seriously..

And at on of the episode he went to Seattle. Yeayyy...he went to my city and he went to Salumi. My sister lived in Seattle for so many years but she never heard about this place. I'm a meat lover, so when I saw that episode, I literary stuck in front of TV and I swear I almost can feel the salami in my mouth. Hahahahaha.

Well..I'm obsessed with this little store in downtown Seattle and at I was in the neighborhood and I decided to try the food here. It's a warm store where you can see lot of cured meats and for those who loved cured meats, well..Salumi is your heaven. I'm not lying. This place served one of the best cured meats I've ever tasted.

But what I personally loved about this place is the sandwich. I'm deeply in love with their Porchetta Sandwich. This is the perfect choice for a meat and spices lover like me. It's strong and super duper delicious. As I wrote this I started imagining the hot and the juicy pork meats and the meatballs. Oh.. yeahh..I'm having a foodgasm.





I feel like a kid in a toy store every time I went to this place, they have a yummy gnocchi on Tuesday and they have gorgonzola cheese. Well...here goes my salary. And Salumi is the place I missed when I'm away from Seattle. I missed the excellent food and the warm feeling every time I entered this store and the people there are very warm and nice and helpful. So if you are a first timer, no need to worry, they will guide you to choose the menu that suitable for your taste.






Winter in Korea




                                Play with snow ball..the girl in front of me is about to get the hit. hi3 



While waiting for my boarding call to Singapore, I read an article in an online site that contains the list of cities with the most beautiful women. I couldn’t stop smiling as I read “Seoul”as part of that list. Personally, I disagree, because in my opinion, I think Korean women, especially those living in Seoul, should be more appropriately called as “fashionable women”.

Most of the latest fashion trend can be found in Seoul, more precisely in the streets of Dong Dae Mun, Myeongdong all the way to Apgujong. During the winter season, Korean women will blow your mind with the chic and stylish boots and different colored coats added with catchy and sexy accessories. It seems that no one ever leaves the house looking sloppy, whether you are a fashion lover or fashion hater it is an absolute trip watching these ladies strut their stuff down the “catwalk” of their own streets. I enjoyed sitting in a coffee shop while ironically sipping hot chocolate (the coffee here is not suitable for my taste but the hot chocolate is like heaven) while looking at the streets and watching those skinny women pass by. Sometimes I wonder, how can they walk down the stairs at the train station wearing those heels. They bring the concept of “beauty is pain” to life. Besides the excitement of watching people dress up, winter in Korea has now been known for its indoor water parks such as Vivaldi Water Park. This boasts as Korea’s largest water park, located in the Gangwon Province or Caribbean Bay. This water amusement park will pump adrenalin into your system with their crazy rides as well as pamper your needs in the spa that is located inside the amusement park. It’s a one-stop place for excitement and comfort for the weekend warriors and the entire family.

 Even though I was born and raised in a tropical climate, and have either seen, tried and survived almost every water sport known to man, I can and will say that trying winter sports is really in a class of its own and something that I will not forget for the rest of my life. As the official host for 2018 Winter Olympic Games,

                           
                                                      


 
                                           I did slide from the top and my ass hurted like hell


Koreans are preparing themselves as the host for this international event. Yong Pyeong, the location for this event is already famous for its winter resorts and they also provide various winter sports activities. You can see young children and teenagers swinging and riding the ski so effortlessly. I told myself, I can do that and all I have to do is stand firmly on the board and ride it confidently. During my first try, I found my face buried in the ground, I dusted myself off and gave the excuse that it was only my first time. You know that saying, “if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again?” well I did and I just fell again and again also. Standing on a ski board is not difficult, but balancing yourself when it is speeding on a slope is like riding a crazy roller coaster standing up. Two hours went by so fast and I must say that I had so much fun and it was all worth it (i.e bruises that I got from falling down.) If you have the opportunity to visit Korea, make sure that you visit Yong Pyeong area and try the winter sports game and enjoy every fall and down. Finally, as a self confessed foodie, the thing that I love so much about winter time in Korea is food., street food to be exact. I just love the winter street food in Korea.

MANDUNGUK
Myeongdong Kalguksa is one of the most popular restaurants in Myeongdong area. My friends and I literally stood in
line for about an hour in the cold before we actually got ourselves a table. We ordered one bowl of noodle and mandu
(Korean dumpling), which contains minced pork. Eating noodles that are hot in the cold made it more delicious indeed
and I have to admit that this is one of the best noodles I ever had the pleasure of eating and the kimchi here is topnotch and a lot more spicier than the norm.


             A cup of noodle for the tiring soul. Man...this noodle is sooooooo goood



HOTTEOK
For all foreign visitors, Insadong are known as traditional market where tourist can purchase traditional “stuff”.But for me, Insadong is the place where I can get the best Hotteok. Basically, hotteok is fried cake with brown sugar and nut filling. It’s the perfect snack to beat the cold weather.

                               Watching ahjumma making htteok. the smell is arousing. hungry..hungry..hungry


                                                               Htteok..htteok..htteok

ODENG
During the winter, my favorite breakfast is called Odeng (skewered fish cake served with gravy broth). It’s a common menu that you can easily find across Seoul.



 
BUNGEO-PPANG
This cake shape like fish filling with sweet red beans is probably the most popular street food in Korea. Koreans people believed that the way we eat this snack shows our personality. For example, when you start from the tail, it means you are romantic but insensitive. Whereas if you cut the snack in half before eating it means you are a stingy and stubborn person.

32 CM ICE CREAM
Ice cream lover will love this famous vendor in Myeongdong area. They serve various flavors with very cheap price (around 2.000 won). Ice cream during winter is ironically one of the best seasons to enjoy it. The ice cream will not melt as easily as it would in the hot sun of the summer. No Stained blouse, no sticky hands and melted ice cream dripping down the side of the cone. But that’s just me.

*as written on Venture Magazine on December issue*

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Day I Fall in Love

Who can understand love?
Me?? I definitely can't.
Who would've guess that I would fall for him?
It's all begin with a simple hi and series of silly stories
One day i just realized how comfortable i am with him. I can be myself, just being the silly girl I am and not afraid that anything that I said might injured my image. I feel like I'm talking with my best friend. I feel relax comfortable and  happy.

Day after day, I missed him more and more. I can't wait to talk to him. I can't wait to tell him all the things that happened in my life, even the silliest things. I can't stop smiling every time I read his email or SMS. I can't wait to read his text in the morning. I knew that he feel the same, but we never said anything about love.

It was the rainy day when said...Let me be the first who said openly that I love you
I never told him, after reading that email...I was practically dancing around and laugh. I'm happy. I'm so freaking happy. And for the first time since the dark night in 2009 i would be able to really feel happy.


And let me tell you about him. If you think that I'm in love with the handsome hunk, no I'm not. I'm in love with a funny and nice next door guy. A simple guy who has the nicest and sincere smile with a beautiful eyes. And he is not my dream guy or the type of a guy that would make me drawling the way Blake Shelton makes me. But he is the guy that can makes me feel happy. The one who can make me believe that there's still hope and I could finally have my happy ending and begin my new life with him, my love.

And I dedicated this for my own personal werewolf/vampire. I love You