gourmet chocolate gifts

Shades of Life

2011-09-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

We often hurt the joy of life by saying, "the grass is greener on the other side". But green comes in many shades, to accommodate each of our likings and suitability. So be comfortable with our choice of shade, as dark green is not always better than lime green.

Green Green Grass of Home

2011-08-31T09:47:00.000-07:00

Chillin' after a tiring yet beautiful Eid day...content...:)

Top & pants from S's mom, Pull & Bear sequin cardigan, Rayban sunglasses, Antyk Butyk headpiece, Bittra & Starr necklace, custom-made bag, unbranded flat shoes

Eid Mubarak 1432H!

2011-08-30T22:16:00.000-07:00

May this Eid bring in you the brightest yet warmest joy, love and inner peace..:)

Tops & pants from S's mom, Antyk Butyk headpiece, Rotelli sandals

Fast & Slow

2011-08-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Finally fasting month is over! S and I talked about what we learned from this year's Ramadhan, and alhamdulillah we learned a lot...:)

This is what I will wear for Lebaran tomorrow...yay! :)

And this is what I will be reading in the next few days...

Good night, everyone! :)

Velvet Walk

2011-08-28T05:03:00.000-07:00

Life feels better when I see him smile...:')

Miss Selfridge dress, Allura floral piece, Forever 21 hat, Marks & Spencer lace socks, Up wedges

B & W & Bits of Gold

2011-08-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Ramadhan month is almost over!

Unbranded polkadot dress, Thingswelove top, Nefertiti necklace, Topshop tights, My Bagstage bag, unbranded hat & heels

Btw, I'm featured in Elle magazine...yay! :)

Story of The Day

2011-08-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

A true story by Vic Gundotra:

One Sunday morning, January 6th, 2008 I was attending religious services when my cell phone vibrated. As discreetly as possible, I checked the phone and noticed that my phone said "Caller ID unknown". I choose to ignore.

After services, as I was walking to my car with my family, I checked my cell phone messages. The message left was from Steve Jobs. "Vic, can you call me at home? I have something urgent to discuss" it said.

Before I even reached my car, I called Steve Jobs back. I was responsible for all mobile applications at Google, and in that role, had regular dealings with Steve. It was one of the perks of the job.

"Hey Steve - this is Vic", I said. "I'm sorry I didn't answer your call earlier. I was in religious services, and the caller ID said unknown, so I didn't pick up".

Steve laughed. He said, "Vic, unless the Caller ID said 'GOD', you should never pick up during services".

I laughed nervously. After all, while it was customary for Steve to call during the week upset about something, it was unusual for him to call me on Sunday and ask me to call his home. I wondered what was so important?

"So Vic, we have an urgent issue, one that I need addressed right away. I've already assigned someone from my team to help you, and I hope you can fix this tomorrow" said Steve.

"I've been looking at the Google logo on the iPhone and I'm not happy with the icon. The second O in Google doesn't have the right yellow gradient. It's just wrong and I'm going to have Greg fix it tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

Of course this was okay with me. A few minutes later on that Sunday I received an email from Steve with the subject "Icon Ambulance". The email directed me to work with Greg Christie to fix the icon.

Since I was 11 years old and fell in love with an Apple II, I have dozens of stories to tell about Apple products. They have been a part of my life for decades. Even when I worked for 15 years for Bill Gates at Microsoft, I had a huge admiration for Steve and what Apple had produced.

But in the end, when I think about leadership, passion and attention to detail, I think back to the call I received from Steve Jobs on a Sunday morning in January. It was a lesson I'll never forget. CEOs should care about details. Even shades of yellow. On a Sunday.

To one of the greatest leaders I've ever met, my prayers and hopes are with you Steve.

Happy Cruise Crew

2011-08-24T00:04:00.000-07:00

N.y.L.a top, Topshop velvet skirt & bow brooches, mom's belt, D-I-Y yellow brooch, Forever 21 hat, Up wedges

Cards

2011-08-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Ellen, my very good friend...

Thank you very much for the very sweet card...I am a sucker for hand-written cards, as for me, they are the sweetest form of messaging...I wish you and your family a happy, successful & meaningful year too...God bless you...:)

-----------

Dear God...

I love You. I don't know how You do it, but You always teach me lessons in ways I never expected. It's like You're always there, in me, in my heart. Good night...:)

Stay Calm & Eat

2011-08-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Thingswelove top, DR for Bloop Endorse faux leather shorts, Rayban sunglasses, Go Jewelry necklace, unbranded tights, Payless socks, Fratelli Rossetti flat shoes

Diana's tips on how to stay happy:

Do things, wear things and eat things that we like. Never let peer pressure get to us.
Let loose and laugh. Why so serious?
Have a purpose in life. What do we want to be? Staying focus on reaching a goal keeps us on track and SANE.
When angry, express our anger in an elegant and intellectual manner.
Share our emotions and feelings with people we are comfortable with. Never keep things only to ourselves.
Play with little kids. Nothing beats an innocent face of a kid.

Let go of things and move on. Stop rewinding issues and problems and talk about it over and over again.
Have a hobby.
Consider our boss as our partner or mentor. Never hate our boss or else we'll never find joy and peace in working.
Attend classes, seminars, workshops. Never stop learning and studying.
Be fair & objective when assessing something. Admit & apologize if we're wrong.
Say "thank you" for any form of help we receive from other people.
Try our best in the things we do, but leave the results to God.
Do something because we believe in it, not because we want to prove something to someone.
Pray regularly and ask for forgiveness.
Have enough sleep.
Dress up nicely so you feel good and confident.
Sing!

Btw, remember about the earlier "What To Wear to Pond's Teens Concert" contest? Well now we're having a new round of contest, this time inviting you girls to submit pictures of "What I Wore to Pond's Teens Concert"...easy peasy! For those of you who came to PTC Medan, Surabaya or Jakarta, do submit your picture here. Best outfit gets a pair of Up shoes....yayyyyy! Good luck! :)

Good night!

Move Move

2011-08-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Didn't feel really well today so we spent our Saturday night just at home...and we made this silly video! Hehehe...

Song: "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" by Vampire Weekend

Paper & Clothes

2011-08-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hello, all! :)

Cotton On sequin cropped top, vintage mesh top, Only I tulle skirt, Mango legging, Up wedges

Visited Alley 29 at Plaza Indonesia today...yay! It's a relatively small fashion bazaar, but I really enjoyed shopping there as they had everything affordable and cute...tomorrow's the last day so you guys should go there! :)

These are what I got...

Notebooks and buttons from Khama Khama...

Cropped bow top and lace maxi skirt from Bitter Sweet...

Outerwears from Kivee...

Good night! :)

Sweet Seventeen

2011-08-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day, Indonesia.

Can I ask you guys something? What are the things that make you proud of this country? Aside from food, batik and our rich natural resources?

I have no right to make any point that represents all Indonesians, or Indonesia as a country, because yes, I do spend almost all of my days only in Jakarta, and yes, this is just a personal opinion on how I solely feel as an individual. Everyday I witness ignorance all around, and it can get really depressing. Corruption is everywhere, and has somewhat become a culture. We talk about government officials being corrupt. But look around us. Even a parking attendant who clearly wears a uniform with the text "No Tipping" on his back still receives or demands drivers to give him tip. Even funnier when a parking space is hidden by parking attendants and said space will only be given to drivers who give them tip. I once had a debate on this, where the other argued that tipping parking attendants is 'okay' because it's simply a form of appreciation towards his 'help'. I believe, that when an institution has strictly enforced a regulation of "No Tipping", then we all should just comply with that. It's like a company not allowing their employees to receive gifts from their clients, because 1) it may cause bias and internal conflicts, and 2) it may grow into a (bad) habit. No matter the amount of money (trillions vs. Rp.2.000), corruption is corruption. It's about the mindset.

I have lost count on how many times my car has been hit by motorcyclists who ignorantly just speed away with no apology. Same goes to getting summoned on the road because traffic rules sort of change every now and then, but when I am willing to pay the fine, I am somehow "convinced" to just "settle" things in the illegal way. Then there are 3-in-1 car jockeys standing peacefully on the side of the streets just 10 meters away from a group of policemen. So what's right and wrong? What's legal and not? It seems fine to work out opportunities within the loophole in Jakarta’s traffic management policy, so why come up with the regulation after all?

I am always worried when I see people standing on the outer edge of the (door-less & boundary-less) elevated bus-stop exit/entrance point while waiting for the Transjakarta bus. It's so easy for someone to just fall down when being (accidentally) pushed by someone else on their back, because hey, there's no door or any safety guard, right?

Then seeing people getting punished / processed for expressing their thoughts on the internet, selling products online. What's happening?

I just wish things like these are not justified by 1) luxury, 2) the fact that there are many other less-fortunate people who go through worse things, 3) there are many other (more important) things to think about and take care of, and 4) people just need to make a living no matter how. Flaws are flaws, regardless the justifications and comparisons.

Good night, all...:)

Lace & Bed

2011-08-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

Experimenting taking pictures on my bed...yay for having a white bedsheet! :)

Mango dress & sunglasses, Forever 21 flower hairband, Aldo boots

PS: Both the dress and boots are gifts from S...happy! :)

Strawberry Delight

2011-08-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

Today's agenda: photoshoot at Taman Menteng for a (still confidential) advertisement (woot woot!), then dinner with girlfriends. Super happy! :)

Wearing Khaloong necklace

Quote of The Day

2011-08-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

"I've heard it said, that people come into our lives for a reason bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them."

- Wicked, "For Good" -

Us Us

2011-08-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Tried The Butcher today and wasn't really happy with it heheheh...I just think the price doesn't reflect the taste, but perhaps that's just me...;p

Thingswelove top, Forever 21 shorts, Padini belt, unbranded tights & hat, Soe Hoe bag, Fratelli Rossetti flat shoes

What I Wore To Work

2011-08-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a looooooong time since I posted "What I Wore To Work" outfit photos...finally I'm doing it again today! Yayyy! This time I had enough time to snap some pics before leaving for office, unlike most of the times when I'm such in a rush...;p

Proud Parents cut-out shirt, vintage mesh top, Zara trousers, Antyk Butyk necklace, Up wedges

Me: "I reaaaaaally feel like having Tom Yum today...where should we eat?"

S: "Hmmmm let's try Sour Sally. Tom Yum is sour, right?

Btw, do you guys know the Muslim-wear brand, Shafira? You can get 50% discount Shafira vouchers here! Totally worth it, guys...:) I'm so gonna get these vouchers for Eid, especially because their newest collection uses tenun...I love tenun! Yay! :)

Happy Hippo Hippie

2011-08-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

Received the prettiest package from Bittra & Starr...I loooooove this brand! Thank you so much, Gadis! :)

Also, my latest article for Cosmogirl magazine is out...yay! :)

Btw, this is a really inspiring video....must watch! :)

Two And A Half Cents

2011-08-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

I really don't like TV shows that focus on low-income families and treat these families as somewhat entertainment-commodities. One of said shows would be "Jika Aku Menjadi". In this show, a guest star (usually a female) is required to live and work with a low-income family for a couple of days, and in between, she would cry and tell the viewers how sad she is to see how much this family "suffer" and struggle on a daily basis, and that she should be more thankful to God for having a better life than them. That boils me.

You see, doing such is no different than walking down the street and approach a random hawker and say, "oh my, your life is so tough. Thank God I have a better life". No matter how "poor" someone is or some people are, we should never belittle their status. I mean, seriously, you cry in front of someone you consider poor, because you're sad that he or she is so poor? Imagine how the poor person would feel. He/she will feel poorer, because someone is making it clearer for him/her that he/she is extremely poor.

I remember a guest star of the TV show giving her comments which more or less sounded like this: "I'm so sad, (cries), because he works so hard (cries), and it's so lonely here (cries). This man works every day picking up tree sticks and gets only Rp.10.000 a day, while I can spend so much for a single lunch (cries). There's no entertainment here, no shops, nothing. I always complain back in the city, while in fact there's so much entertainment there. We have cinemas, malls (cries). I can't imagine living his life".

And how does saying such a thing make that man feel any good?

Wouldn't it be much nicer if we actually made him feel better instead of poorer? Why do we need to emphasize on things he (currently) doesn't have and point out in front of his face that his life is "so poor"? Instead, we should appreciate his hard work whatever his "job" is, no matter how much he earns. We should remind him of how lucky he is, because he is given such good health and strength. We should tell him how much we envy his simple, humble life in the village, because life in the city is full of complexities. We should provide him the faith that he can make a betterment in life if he works harder. We should support him to never feel disheartened, for life, no matter what, works in many different ways. And we guide him with whatever knowledge or information we have, so he can be inspired. If this is done, then providing him (and his family) some cash at the end of the show as a capital for him to start a (better) job would be more relevant.

Helping people is not supposed to be done only by (giving) money. But by (giving) moral support. And respect.

Light & Happy

2011-08-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

Me: "Remember? You used to jump up and down when you're happy.."

Him: "Hmmmm that was when I was light."

Unbranded dress & socks & sunglasses, custom made skirt, mom's belt, D-I-Y necklace, gifted scarf, Up wedges

Him & Transformers 3

2011-08-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

"I don't care. You have to write in your blog that Transformers is the best movie in the world. If not, I'll hack into your account and write it myself. I really think they actually exist, you know?"

- S -

Tassel & Hansel

2011-08-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Me: "Dad, check out this necklace I just made myself."
Dad: "Hmmm...weird."

Basically threads & beads

Tassel & Gretel

2011-08-03T02:35:00.000-07:00

No matter how difficult, fight if it's for the good. Stay positive! :)

Motel blazer, Topshop lace top, Hollister pink shirt, unbranded skirt & heels, D-I-Y tassels

Happy Fasting!

2011-08-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the Muslim calendar again and it's time to wish you all who celebrate a fruitful, peaceful and meaningful Ramadan. Happy fasting!

And oh...do get a pair of these Up Ramadhan 1432H Special Edition wedges...super lovely and it will only be available this month...the name is Tree! :)