Dazzling Oranges

Lately I’ve been missing a bright sky that brings me sunset though I do love the rain in the night and a cold peaceful morning either. Almost everyday here is gloomy, rainy and windy that makes me kindly miss simply joy like sunset. When all I need is just a cup of hot tea and thinking for all my dreams, staring to the sky and believe that there is nothing impossible. When all I need is just to live my life and enjoy every obstacles, every rejoice, and all the things that make me grateful to be alive.

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There was a day when I was in the middle of many deadlines and stress on my head, I sat down on an old car and took minutes to enjoy this dazzling orange. I couldn’t resist for an iPhone snap below.

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Domicile

I’d mentioned on this blog couple weeks before I went home that I couldn’t wait to visit some new gorg cafes and restaurants in my hometown. Domicile was among. It was one of my ‘must-visit’ places this year after I heard so many instagrammers posted it as one of the hottest places in Surabaya (oh, well you’ll see many people play with their camera at Domicile). I went there twice, first time was a special one.

I finally had a short yet quality time with my crazy best friends, Maya, Ruli and Winda after a year (it was so sad Ayos couldn’t come). I was so super excited because we met and spent Friday noon in Domicile. I was excited because of three things. One, yes because I had an opportunity to see them in Friday noon and enjoyed some fancy foods. Second, I finally could meet with Ranu, Maya’s toddler. He was totally super cute (look at him here). Last thing was after from Domicile we still could go around to find sweets (Rifda joined us), took Ranu to City Hall to play water (oh Maya, come on, bring him to a proper water park :P) with lots of laugh and full of joy from noon to evening. We spent half day until Maya and Ranu had to come back to Malang, Winda had to meet her family for quality time, I had to visit Zara store, and Ruli had finished became our driver that day (:P).

Second time in Domicile when I met Wana. That noon was a slightly different when I took minutes (I left Wana with our pizza :P) to play more with my mirrorless. I realised that week was my last week in Indonesia so that I tried as much as I could to capture the beauty of spaces. I was impressed with the beauty of the interior and the elements, natural light everywhere, and for sure, that tiles. Let these photos tell you more.

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I didn’t take a deep attention to the food just because Domicile is quite new opened, the signature taste wasn’t strong enough for me (maybe this isn’t fair enough cause I haven’t tried a whole menu). But I was quite thrilled with the food presentation (I know I become crazy every time I see beautiful white plates :P). I didn’t take food pictures a lot when I was there, just iPhone and mirrorless pictures below when I had fun with Maya, Ruli and Winda (hand-pose here wasn’t an impromptu! :P).

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I think I should try sweets on top.

P.S. Well, that time they played a little ‘cinema’ that our meeting would never be happened (sigh). I couldn’t imagine if we couldn’t make it that day cause I know, it was not easy to gather us when we had our own events, but I thanked God. I thanked also to three of them for their time, tho.

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I’m a bit late to post some of remain pictures from my very short trip to Bali. I’m trying to figure out ‘me time’ when I can enjoy a cup of coffee and pick food photographs when I was in Indonesia to be posted on this blog (a splash of food lodge on this post, I think it’s been a while, amirite?).

On my last day in Bali, I had a chance to visit Corner House in Seminyak. When I woke up that morning, I was really wanted to enjoy a proper light breakfast. I kept thinking to sit down at the airy restaurant with a cup of cappuccino and a warm croissant. I didn’t need to think twice to enjoy my morning at that newly opened restaurant-bar-interiors. Apart of the eye-catching cappuccino, the interior catched my attention, also.

I was really enjoy the vibes and quickly looking for a croissant in the menu list. I found cappuccino and fruit salad to be added on my order. To be honest, I ordered the salad for my picture purpose only cause I thought I would need colors for my picture :) yet I didn’t regret cause I always love plain yogurt and fresh fruit in a bowl. I looked around the restaurant and thought to play with my camera when I remembered that I didn’t take many photographs while in vacation. I was in the middle of ‘lemme enjoy this last breakfast without worry about picture’ and ‘keep going with camera before you leave this island’. I just wanted to enjoy every second of my time before I left in the afternoon yet I couldn’t deny that I engaged with camera and food. So, when my cappuccino, croissant and eye-catching fruit salad already on my table, I couldn’t resist to take picture before I ate them.

It was such a funny moment when my best friend, Sohib broke his fast that morning after he found my fruit salad catched his attention. In the end he ordered muesli with exotic fruit and plain yogurt with a cup of cappuccino. Another funny moment I had that morning was when a French man asked me to snap his food after he saw me became crazy with camera for twenty minutes. Now, it sounds really crazy. I quickly used my iPhone and took one picture only, haha. I just snapped one picture (number six, here), no more cause i thought it wasn’t polite to come to other people’s table and busy in front of their meal. However, he and the lady in front of him were welcome enough to converse with me (yeah well, I did wish I could speak in French that day instead of English). We had a five minutes warm conversation before I came back to my table and enjoyed my breakfast.

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You see the lamb burger above was my first burger after two years (it is true!). That day was an exception to eat burger cause at least the burger wasn’t cooked in the fast food restaurant. I ordered along the orange juice for my lunch. Sohib and I came back to meet Andhi before we left that noon. I thought Andhi would wait for me for a lunch (I know you’ll think that it would be nice to snap a complete table with food scene) yet he couldn’t wait because of starving as well :P. I took my chance to linger around the restaurant to take more of interior photographs. The industrial look just awesome and plus, I found that in the upstairs the natural light was gorgeous (if I shouldn’t mention that I fell in love with that plant in that corner). I would like to come back again for a proper food snap with that gorgeous light.

P.S. Should I mention here after we met in the Corner House and came back to the hotel to pick our suitcases, we had a traffic and arrived late in the airport? When we had to run like headless chickens until we entered the gate? :P. I couldn’t even forget that totall-ridiculously-funny moment.

In The Name of White

Recently I’m in the mood of simplicity for picture. I always love to see white as a main background that makes the object comes very clean and crisp. I love how black and white picture is so artistic and dramatic, like some of iPhone pictures below (I picked randomly for this post, some you have seen them on my Instagram).

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Some of color sparks on white here, if you don’t mind.

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A Better (Stylish) Vision

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One fact about me is I’ve been wearing glasses since I was in second year in junior high school. I pretty clear remember when my Dad and I went to the optician after he checked my eyes in ophthalmologist. We chose (he was the one actually) the frame for my first glasses with a quality lenses. He thought that the glasses was more important than the frame. Oh okay, I did agree without asking anything. I did remember first time I wore the glasses I felt like I was so cool. A year after I wore my first glasses there was a time to change the lenses. I should scared with my higher minus yet I did not. I was so happy cause I thought if I changed the glasses I would have new frame in the same time yet it wasn’t that easy. My Dad said that the frame was still okay, again, the lenses was more important for him (not for me :(). I knew that was made sense but you know guys, after a year without a new look (that time!) was a disaster, haha. I remember when my Dad spent his money for my second glasses (only :() I made a vow ; “Someday, if I have my own money, I won’t buy a quality glasses only, I’ll get my “me” stylish frame”.

After then, I did not remember how many times I changed my glasses but this one is the best I ever had. I browsed that frame few days before I went home. I knew I felt in love with the John Lennon-esque design but I didn’t expect that the frame is so comfortable and super light after I wore for the first time. I love the whole look of that frame, stylish, black, sleek, and I do love so much if the brand is not obvious in the eye. You will have a little “wow” pleasure when someone guess “what brand is that?” and they’ll see it from the back :). I truly made a good decision to bring it home :).

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The pictures above was an impromptu shot when I was waiting while my two flatmates were eating their fast food (I just ordered a bottle of mineral water with an apple in my bag, I swear :)). I didn’t expect that the sunlight was so bright yesterday noon cause since I landed here the weather is windy, rainy, and cloudy. So, when I realised that I had beautiful lighting and the table in front of me is white my brain and my eyes worked quickly. I took my iPhone and yay, I’m happy everytime I have an impromptu moment and get a beautiful shot! :)

Happy Monday guys!

Historica

I could say I fell in love with the vibe of Historica, one of the happening coffee spot in Surabaya. I went there three times yet I didn’t take many photographs cause sometimes, it’s better to feel the vibe and the coffee than busy taking picture. First time I went there was that day I met Ayos and Winda (I know, you’ve seen my previous post shown the space before), and accidentally fell in love with their Macha Latté.

If you want to visit Historica for coffee, I suggest to come when they just open in the morning. You’ll get the perfect morning light (it is very important if you love taking picture like me :P) and the calm ambiance to enjoy your coffee more with your Kinfolk or Cereal :). Cause sometimes it is a bit annoying if you are in the coffee shop and get clamorous from people around you (I had that experience in my last visit when I came in the afternoon, gah!).

Here, I just wanted to share some iPhone snaps of the interior. Two last pics are an exception, taken by Sony NEX5. Oh, did I mention I want to have that gorg tiles for my future home? :)

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Wohoo for The New Look

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I’m beyond happy to announce that this blog just raised to the next level. Goofydreamer has the new look! Crisp white background (I die), beautiful fonts that make those post are easier to read than before, and the photographs are quite larger. I dreamt about this blog could shine better by the look apart of the contents and could happily see it by today!

Hope you guys who followed along and new readers outside there, and you too who just visited this blog :) can enjoy the new look as I do. I still have a dream for a better camera to show more quailty pictures on this blog (I’ll make it real :)).

Cheers!

Heavenly Sunday Lunch

When I was in elementary school, I loved to see an illustration showing breakfast/lunch/dinner scene inside my textbook. Where a Dad spending time by reading newspaper, his son and daughter playing their toys on the floor while their Mom preparing food for them. It is such a beautiful scene in real life, huh?. Even right now, I love to see that kind of picture which makes me think about a quality time at home.

I’m lucky enough since I landed here six days ago, I had a normal working time when I always go by 8am and back on 6pm. That chance makes me feel like “I’m a normal man live in a normal life” (it is true, when I had a lot of works and events, I have to work in the office on daily working time and overnight in the venue! :|). Since six days ago I’ve tried to spend mostly of my time in my flat. Cleaned up my room (after a month :|), cooking for sure, and back to blogging.

Yesterday I spent my Sunday totally in my flat. Woke up by 6am and started cleaning a whole kitchen from 6.30 until 9.30, then I cooked for lunch. I had an idea a day before to enjoy ‘Pecel Paste’ that I brought from Indonesia. Pecel such a compulsory food/spice I always bring every year when I’m back from my home country. My mom always make it for her last child :P cause she knows I love Pecel so much. There was the same story behind Pecel paste like last year when I was half-hearted to put it in my suitcase because of the weight (This post was written in Bahasa last year about Pecel, what? last year? time flies!).

I wasn’t listened to my last sister when she told me to bring Pecel and also, Serundeng, even just a half kg. If you always travel abroad you’ll know what is my reason behind it. In the end I brought Serundeng even yes, half kg only (now, I want more! :(). I’m not trying to let myself feel “Oh, I’m homesick, I’m missing Indonesian food” yet I realised, yesterday noon I thanked God for that Serundeng cause it made my lunch was so superb. I cooked chicken in pepper sauce and beef in sweet onion sauce to be eaten with Pecel and Serundeng. Even veggies in this Pecel wasn’t authentic enough but I did want to say it was a super heavenly lunch I had. Oh, I want to hug my sister cause she brought me ‘Kering Tempe’ (crispy Tempeh in spicy caramel) as well :). She and my Mom are brilliant in cooking and never fail in taste. I think it isn’t because they really can cook well (only), the love behind it speaks also :).

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Here, how it looked when I added everything on my plate :)

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What I love from that is a chance to tweak Pecel sauce to be added to dissimilar ingredients and it will change into a different dish :). I think I just had an idea to enjoy with.

P.S. Behind the scene of pics above, if you are interested :P.

Bali From an iPhone

I had no plan “plan” spending days in Bali this year when I came home. It was such a grey plan after I thought about Lombok Island where I wanted to spend mostly my time at beaches. I really had a wish I could explore Lombok with my crazy fellas, Maya, Ruli, Ayos and Winda, like we spent at Ranukumbolo (I, II, III, I wrote in Bahasa, oh pardon for those pics!). Sadly, time was an issue. It wasn’t easy to travel where most of them just came back to work while I was the one who really free. I and Ruli thought we could go without three of them and explore Lombok as much as we could. Second “Sadly”, among things I have to do in Indonesia, I had a very, very short time to decide between “Explore (fancy) coffee shops in the town” or “Escape for days to another place” as long as I had time before I had to come back to Africa.

It was a spontaneous plan I and Andhi (my former flatmate when he was in Africa) decided to enjoy Bali together. I and Andhi met that day and it was our first time we went together since he left Africa four months ago. After we spent a day we sat down and talked about Bali. It was a-last-minute plan until we bought three tickets (for me, him and yes, I finally had time to go with my childhood best friend, Sohib, to Bali) and booked hotel. Andhi had a plan to enjoy Dreamfields while I had no plan what and where I wanted to spend. I will share some stories with some pictures I took while we were in Bali separately (I think it’s gonna be more about food post! :P). I realise I didn’t take a lot of pictures while I was there yet these (mostly impromptu) shots from my iPhone could slightly remind me about Bali vibe, for five days. The last one is my fav :).

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Hi For Wana

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I know its such a good thing having a proper time to see my friends when I come home. I remember myself was so introvert few years ago when I felt so comfortable with everyone I knew, only. That was one of my nature since I grew up as a home boy. A boy who loved spending time at home, with few friends I could count with my fingers. A boy who went to school, and came back home on time. It was a breakthrough I took by moving outside country that changed me a lot as a person. Since then there was a change on how I bring myself into a conversation, even with my few new friends I meet for the first time. I can talk a lot about something comfortably and be myself.

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In my short time I had while I was in Indonesia last week, I took chance to meet my new comrade, Wana Darma. I finally met Wana in person since we knew each other through twitter. When I met Wana, I answered (talked?-too-much-I-think :P) his Q’s on how I moved from Indonesia, what am I doing here, how I survive, and for sure some bloggers that inspired me. I think I really talked too much that time :P. Wana is graduated from Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta majoring Accounting but he has the same indulgence with me in food and cooking. First time we tweeted in the air, we talked a lot about food, cooking, and food photography. He has a blog contains food and some travel posts which I do love how he brings his blog with a very funky way (since I found it). I used to contribute on his ‘Males Makan’ series (It’s a Chef-esque post where he stops people to share a dish they cooked) and shared one of Nigerian food called Asun. Oops, I just realised that photographs on that post weren’t good enough :P.

Wana and I have the same thought that keeping our blog is not a simple thing, I feel that is happening in his blog. I do miss a lot of his post truly. So, Wana, when will you start again? :)

P.S. Uh, when Wana told me that he is 24 yo, I officially hated him :P. Sigh (don’t mind me, I’m kidding). I should meet with my new comrade in person which I do want her on this blog, Maharsi, a young lady who inspired me a lot as well. She is Wana’s comrade from the same Uni and the same major (small world!). Sadly we couldn’t make it because of time, but I swear you guys will see her exclusively on this blog sometims in future :). I swear.