Jet Lag

I'm back in Jakarta for the moment. It's kind of surreal. Really. Maybe because I'm still jet lagged from the almost 24 hours flight from Houston. Or maybe, I'm really just not present that way. I would rather think it's the jet lag.

The thing about jet lag is your sleep time is off from people around you. When they're wide awake, you just want to shut your eyes and take a deep long sleep. When they're fast asleep, you wake up feeling shiny and new. Like me, now. It's 2 AM in the morning Western Indonesia Time and I don't have any desire to go back to sleep. Worse, my mind thinks I am still in Houston and hoping that my Indonesian friends are still awake and doing their activities. Hence, the signing in to twitter and YM.

Waking up at 2 AM can only mean one thing for me; melancholy. I can't help it, I'm sorry. Strangely enough, this melancholy brought me to present time. My mind wanders all the time, but in this silence, it is still. It's not where it's not suppose to be. So that is something I need to be grateful for.

Melancholy helps me write. That's what I learned over the years. It does. It brings the gentler side of me. The romantic, kindhearted, sobbing-over-someone-heartbreak's side of me. Yuck. I just vomit a bit. But still, I'm melancholic right now. And absolutely starving.


Love,

Andini

This is It, The Best Soul Food in Town!

Based on wikipedia (don't worry, I don't make it a habit to get my reference from there. Well, it's getting pretty close to become a habit actually, but nevertheless..) soul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States. The descriptive terminology may have originated in the mid-1960s, when soul was a common definer used to describe African-American culture (for example, soul music).

The cuisine is seen as somewhat a homage to their history and culture as African Americans and also a food that says "home", every single time. In Houston, the best soul food in town is "This is It". Yes, it is the name of the restaurant and the name suits it perfectly. This is It serves one of the best foods I've ever tasted.

The restaurant is a family-owned business, which was established in 1959 by the late Frank and Mattie Jones. The restaurant is now under the management of Mr. & Mrs. Craig Joseph Sr., the grandson of the Jones. More about the restaurant can be read here: This Is It Houston

The most famous dish from the restaurant is their Ox Tails. It's definitely greasy and sinful, but at the same time absolutely perfect. I also love their Fried Catfish and Pepper Steak. Their sides are also super delicious. I always choose rice, collard greens and cornbread dressing. Oh, and everybody gets cornbread with their meal. You'll get one entree and 3 sides. I was always surprised with the amount of food presented on my plate, but at the end I'd always found my plate clean. Don't hate.

This Is It has different menu everyday. On Sunday they are especially full from the church crowd. I always love the Sunday crowd. They are all dressed up and really friendly. Oh but that doesn't mean that I got it easy the first time I went there. Being a small awkward Asian girl in the house, I was teased for not knowing names of the food when it was time for me to order. I just pointed the stuff I wanted and they had a great time teasing me for it. Hahaha.

This Is It
2712 Blodgett St.
Houston, Tx. 77004
Restaurant Hours: Mon - Sat 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. / Sun. 11 a.m - 6 p.m.
Breakfast Hours: 6 a.m -10:00 a.m
Catering Hours: Mon - Sat 11 a.m. - 7 p.m
Telephone: (713) 521- 2920 Fax: (713) 521-3344 Catering: 281-852-5666


Love,

Andini

Homesick

It's suffocating to read the news about Indonesia these days. Thousands of refugees are living day by day not knowing what their future would become. It's suffocating to read the news about the stupidity of certain important people in the Indonesian government. It's suffocating to read the news about horrific traffic jams in Jakarta every single day. It's suffocating..

It's suffocating because in the amidst of all that, I still want to come home. I still want to come home and see my family, my friends and my dog who is right now fighting cancer. I still want to come home to whatever left of my beautiful Indonesia. I'm homesick like hell.

It's suffocating..

Read It First: Beauty Products in Our Daily Life

Ladies, this is important!

Please check your cosmetics and other beauty products ingredients before buying them.

Open this link to know the hazard level of beauty products: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Open this link to read the various kinds of harmful ingredients in our beauty products: http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/harmfulbeautyp_szst.htm

This is serious. We are putting in toxic after toxic to our body for the sake of being pretty and smelling good. Please take your time to find the least dangerous products.

I myself was astounded to find that the Bath & Body Works products I have been using are classified as "high hazard". It makes you think. Beauty has its price, but we're paying too much.

Again: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ and http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/harmfulbeautyp_szst.htm


Don't let catch words like "natural" or "organic" make you automatically buy something. Read the ingredients list!