rain

I felt a bit lazy today, maybe it had been raining since last night and it didn't help that I was almost late to work and my computer was broken last night when I really needed to use it. I really like rain, but not in the morning when I'm on my way to work and especially when I had a rough night. HAHAHA. I know, it's a bit dramatic, isn't it?

The video above is not the official video of David Gray's January Rain, but it does show a bit how I felt this morning. It's not even 8:00 yet (2 minutes to go), so I hope it could be better later.

lighthouse family, lost in space


"But it's alright, I know you're out there. Doing what you've gotta do. You are my soul satellite, I'd be lost in space without you." - Lighthouse Family, Lost in Space.

HS, The 18th of November 2008 will be one sad day.

movie night

After spending the day with my girl friends, I went to see movies with Yuska. It was raining when I left my house to Senayan City. We planned to watch two movies, Eagle Eye and The House Bunny, and we did manage to do that.


Movie: Eagle Eye
Directed by: DJ Caruso
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Michelle Monaghan
Score: 3.0 of 5.0

Basically it's about a system that control one nation went wrong. It planned, chose the right people and execute the steps to kill the government. Anyway, like many Hollywood action movies, Eagle Eye offers big blow-outs, car-chasing and totally ass-kicking actions. I guess that's why it doesn't really stand out that much.

The director of the movie, Caruso said that Spielberg pitched the idea of the movie in the 80s and failed to have the studio to produced it, because at that time, they thought it was too advanced. Many technologies that appeared in the movie not yet invented back then, but now, Eagle Eye seems possible to happen (in a slightest chance), and somehow that made the movie seem common.

I enjoyed this common action-packed movie, least to say.
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Movie: The House Bunny
Directed by: Fred Wolf
Starring: Anna Faris
Score: 2.5 of 5.0

The House Bunny is about Playboy bunny who got dumped and had to find a new place to stay. In her search for a new home, she found desperate new friends, sorority sisters. Why desperate? Well, they really needed new pledges to keep the house. Against all odds, a bunny became this fairy god mother who turn 7 awkward students to beautiful princesses.

And like many made-by-Hollywood fairy tales, it all ended happily ever after.

What I like about the movie is definitely Anna Faris. She is hilarious. Those tiny little gestures she did in the movie make her unforgettable, like when she met new people and had them introduce themselves, she would say their name in a demonic sound, which actually funny.

The supporting casts are surprisingly not disappointed. The movie might be offering the simple and the most cliché advice one big old Hollywood movie could give, but it's surely entertaining.

I felt good when I left the cinema. Isn't it all that matter?
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going downtown

In the 60s, Petula Clark sang about traffic, neon signs, little places that never close. In Jakarta, I would assume such place is the area famously called as KOTA. That's exactly where me and my friends, Ida, Natasha and Lian were heading to, last Saturday, 25 October 2008.



Stasiun Kota (known as Beos for some) was our initial place of meeting. I was 20 minutes late (as usual, nobody really arrives on time in this city, trust me. It's a tradition). There were Ida and Lian. We chatted a bit and then a sms sent to Ida's phone, saying Tasha would meet us at the place we had dim-sum. On our way, I saw this clay-made kitty-bank. I just had to purchase the money box, which cost me 10.000,- rupiahs. Yay!



Located in one of the oldest hotel in Jakarta, Metropole Hotel (around 15 minutes walk from Beos), there was the dim-sum restaurant. We ordered quite a lot of these tiny snacks. For 4 people (that eat a lot), we spent around 130.000 rupiahs, including tax and service charge. The chinese tea is killing. The interior of the restaurant and hotel is a bit old, but hey, we're there for the food. Personally, my favorites are the siomay and the fried shrimp lumpia (yummy!).



From Metropole, we're heading to Pasar Baru. Again, another historical area in Jakarta. We checked out some stores and basically purchased nothing. HAHAHA. Time went by so fast and it's noon again. I remembered someone once told me about this place, Sui Sen, who serves one of the best noodles in Jakarta. This is the first time, we went there and we asked a lot of people to get there and some of them gave the wrong directions. Totally bummer! Once we got there, and had the first slurp of our orange juice, we forgot all the troubles.



Sui Sen Restaurant is located at the backside of the parking building of Metro Pasar Baru (I think so). Well, if it's too difficult to find the place, just go to Gereja Ayam and it's way much easier to find it from there. The famous food is of course, the noodles with grilled pork and sweekiaw (sort of like steamed dumplings). I'm not a fan of the sweekiaw, but I have to say that the noodless is delicious.



We left Pasar Baru and headed to Historical Museum of Jakarta for the Batavia Art Festival. The festival wasn't really that festive (maybe because we arrived quite late), but the scenes of old buildings in that part of Jakarta are just fantastic and we were taking photos like pros. HAHAHA. It was fun really.



If you're wondering how far we would go to pose. I hope the photo above did explain a bit. HEHEHE. Lian, Ida and Natasha climbed onto the window for a shot. I just had to post the photo, I think it's very cute and lovely. Unfortunately, I had to leave at 3, because I had another appointment that day. It was really super-fun and rewarding.

pride and prejudice

Insult me for loving this movie so much, I don't really care. Actually, I love all the movies that were based on Jane Austen's movie. Freaky, eh? I guess I just have this thing for anything from the 18th century. I mean the idea that dancing indicates attractions - holding hands equals romance is just romantic (I must be drunk while writing this).

Anyway, Pride and Prejudice tells a story about a young woman named Elizabeth Bennett, the second one of a 5 daughters family. With her very obnoxious mother and a careless doting father, she lived in time where the most important thing for women is to get married to a wealthy man. Then came Mr. Darcy, a snobbish handsome wealthy man. The battle of sexes between Elizabeth and Darcy began, which soon turned into a mutual attraction.


Critics praised the movie. Keira Knightley were nominated for Oscar for being Elizabeth Bennett and Maythew McFayden just shines! (On the TV version of Pride and Prejudice, Colin Firth was Mark Darcy and he became famous for it, soon after McFayden got the role of Darcy, I cannot think of anyone who fit for the role, but him).

What surprised me about the DVD is you can watch the movie in French both language and subtitle. The soundtrack of the movie was conducted by my favorite, Dario Marianelli. His music is perfect.

If you haven't watched the movie and you're up for something from 18th century, which is witty, funny, and romantic, must not miss this one, Pride and Prejudice.

shirley bassey, never never never


Yes, it's corny and I have to admit that I love it. Check out the lyric. For more of Shirley Bassey, click here.

the tree


I've been passing by this tree almost every morning on my way to work. One day, I decided to stop and took some photos.

the little things

It was Wednesday, I guess and I was cleaning up my desk at work. The photos you see below are the little things that make my desk "my desk".


On the right side of my desk was this name board, with my full name on it, Alex Tho.


The mother cat and its babies. I bought this wood-made cat from Book Store. It's very cute, isn't it? It reminds me of my best friend, Yuska, who really loves cats.


I think my boss gave me this sticker. She has a lot of cute things in her office. II have a strong belief it's from her. It's on the bottom part of my computer monitor.

le premier

Yes, I made another blog. I'm not sure how long this one will be. My last blog lasted about one year. It's quite a record for someone who's easily bored like me. I guess I'm just going to share everything that happens in my life. What I see, what I eat, what I drink, whoever I'm talking to, what book I read, etc.

I don't think any introduction needed. So, please please please be a good friend and visit often. HAHAHA. Blessings.