My Stomach Going All Around The World

I'm so lucky that i'm living in Melbourne, a melting pot for people all the round the world. This happen in school too. My friends in class coming from different country: china , Vietnam, Srilangka, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. So we're just not only learning about school stuff but also about everybody culture too.

As a culinary student, of course food is the main and most interesting topics. And we start to have this so called ritual, hehe having lunch or dinner together to try everybody's traditional foods. Lastweek was Minh turn, he is from Vietnam. We're going to Vietnamese restaurant in Latrobe/Russel Street. I having a spicy noodle soup with slices of beef and pork on top. Soo delicious.... I order a large bowl coz i so hungry after practical class, too bad I can't finish it. So just a lesson from a big eater like me guys... In Vietnamese restaurant, when it said large portion, it means large!! I try a vietnamese coffee too but it not really good (Minh said he gonna make us the good one). After that we going to Starbuck to spend the rest of the evening, chatting and laughing! A really nice weekend....

Today we're having our lunch in China town. Yuan is the host, since she's coming from China. we ate at Shanghai Dumpling. I ordered a hot chiken with noodles and share dumpling. It's a very big meal, we order too much hehehehe, luckly i can brought home the leftover dumpling.... The meal is yummy, i love it!!

Next Friday is me and Yudi (He's from Indonesia also) turn to pick the restaurant, of course it has to be a Indonesia restaurant... so... any suggestion??

The Sweetest Goodbye

My first accomodation is Australian Student Accomodation (ASA) in Elsternwick (I think i had post the picture in my previous post). I live there for one month. And it's trully a very wonderful 1 month. Now i have move out to another place closer to my school, around 6 minutes by tram or 15 minutes walking.....

I feel so lucky cause i experience a very great time in ASA, meeting new people from around the world and living under the same roof is new for me. A lot of cultural learning, cook learning, as in having experience be in the one kitchen when everyone cooking different kind of traditional food, friday night out, the night chit chat and more. One think for sure,it's all good...

But it also so sad to leave a comfort zone, a place you like so much. We got this welcoming party last weekend because many new student coming. But for me is a farewell. It was a great party with a black and white as a theme. SO at the end it was a sweetest good bye for me....

Desert Company

I promise my self that I have to try every famous and good recommended cake shop/bakery/patisserie in Melbourne. I usually do this ritual every Sunday. It's like playing "find the hidden treasure "!

1. The first thing to do is choose the place, usually I asked recommendation from my friends who have live in Melbourne for a long time or find it from culinary website.
2. Then I have to goggling the map and find the way to go there by tram/train
3. Going there is the most interesting part of this game, because I lost..... A lot... But the joy feeling after I see the name of the shop from across the street is priceless
4. And of course the best part, taste the the cake

Here are some of the pics….

Chocolate and white chocolate sampagne from Lindt

Red velvet cupcake from Littlle Cupcake

lazy blogger

i haven't blogging for a zillion time ......
a lot of assesment & false alarm assignment
first month of school euphoria
have to find another place to live
more offline social time
and so on.. so on.. so on...

Thank God It's Friday

Friday Night Out

Ingredients:
1 glass of Beer
1 bottle of Corona
1 Cocktail

How To Make:
Mix it together

Result:
Broke Pleasurably

So Long Cake......

Finally thursday come...... Yayy this is my first cake class I'm so waiting for this one. Some of my friend already had their cake class and they make sponge cake which actually taste good (I mean for a cake who only had sugar, eggs and flour in it).

But ooh no here we are, waiting outside our class room, wearing our complete uniform, hoping to learn how to make cake..... IT'S CANCEL..... the rain ruined it, the wheater cast said there might be a storm coming, it has to be cancelled coz it's not safe.

This is the first time in my life that I feel disappointed for a cancellation class. Usually in the past if things like this happened I just HIP HIP Horray... FREE TIME..... But now I'm such a geek, when I heard there's no substitute class, I said...... why oohh why???

Kitchen Operation

My first practical class is Unit Kitchen. So excited..., coz this is the first time I have to wear my uniform...

Actually it's more like a cookery class than a patisserie, but a patissier have to learn a basic method of cookery too. It's a really interesting class althought i kinda suck .. oops hehehhe....
In this class we learn a bout cutting style, of course knife is the main show here. yup dangerous stuff. my nails is one of the victims. Anyway.... we use variety of vegetables and fruit, and learn different style of cutting: julliene, brunoise,paysane, mirepoix, etc,etc (yup everything in french words so, i still try to memorize it)

When the chef came to see what i've already done, he take couples of my julliene carrot and line it, then he ask:
Chef: "which is the correct one?"
Me: I point one of the carrot
Chef: "none!!"

ohh nooo big OOpss... But chef, I swear.... by the moon and the star in the sky... i will practice ok..ok..ok...

Words From John

Anybody read John mayer's interview in Playboy magazine?? You know, the one with the "N" word....?? But no.., I don't want to discuss that, it's his mouth, his rules and I still love him anyway.. The one that I want to quote is his answer below:

"I’m wired for it. I’m lucky I found a thing I was wired for, and I found it at 13. I’ve already won one of the biggest gambles of all time, which was to forgo an education so I could pursue a real all-or-none scenario. I look pretty fucking smart for having done that, though it doesn’t change the fact that it was crazy."

Oo I'm so jealous with that kind of person. the one who already now what he/she want to do in their life since little. Coz honestly When I'm little, if somebody ask me this famous question: what you wanna do when you grow up? I just blank, coz seriously i don't have an answer.

But you know, everybody have their own path. For me, it took a while....

Winner Winner Chiken Dinner

One thing that realy increase/extend/improve/raise/gain/whatever you call it, is my eating habit. Yaah I eat alot, i mean A LOT here. Even the pig will shock to see how much i eat. The main reason is the portion of the food are so big here and it's a shame for me not to finish my meal. This is a city of food, restaurant and cafe lining everywhere invited you to come over. Even the stuff in supermarket are so tempted. But the good thing is i have a housemate who like to cook. At least my jeans size is not the only thing that going up, hopefully my cooking skill improve too. So here the picture i take from today dinner... Baked chiken and Omellete with rice...

One Fine Day

Yeahhh weekend......

Yesterday i went to the city with my housemates, Khrisna and Tom. We're planning to eat at Es Teler 77 near the Melbourne Central Station. when i arrived there i felt like i entered the wrong place. Okkay... Why there's nasi uduk in 77?? ayam balado? Mpek2? It's so weird..., coz in Indonesia, 77 famous for its meatballs and the menu isn't as variety as in here. So i ordered Ayam Balado ($10) which taste great although not spicy enough for me. oyeah the chiken size here is sooo big, compared to Indonesia chicken.

After that we moved to Maxbreiner, a cafe famous for they chocolate. This is tom's recommendation I ordered hot thick Italian Chocolate ($6) which taste like heaven..... so good... Let me tell you something: One of my goal is to learn how to make a delicious hot chocolate. The reason is because until now i can't find any cafe in Indonesia who sell a good hot chocolate. Maxbreiner located in a strategic part of QV, it close to the entrance and near the outdoor area inside the building where there was a live band playing. Oyeah we met Zyoung Goh (his also a cookery student from WA) on our way to Max Brenner so he join us.

The next destination was St. Kilda beach. Khrisna and Zyoung want to go there so we took a tram, sorry guys I can't remember the number of the tram). It took around 15-20 minutes from the city. I wore a wrong oufit again today coz the wheater cast said it's gonna be cold. So if you perhaps at the same place with me yesterday and saw a girl wore/carried a leather black jacket at the beach, yup that would be me!! It's a really nice beach with white sand and clean. The heat was super hot and the wind was hard, felt like it can fly you away. But overall it was fun. I also went to Luna PArk to see all the games, but we didn't play.

We're planning to cook for dinner. So we went to Coles and cooked Makaroni. It's Tom recipe and guess what he's the only person among us who didn't study cookery, hehehe. The Macaroni turned out great and Super enough to feed 4 person.. I still have the left over in my fridge....

Catch Me If You Can

I proudly think that i'm a jakarta citizen who like to walk everywhere. It isn't for the healthy kind of thing reason you know, coz the polution beats it. I just really enjoy every step i take with the variety of song from my Ipod as a mood setter.
When I came to Australia, everybody walking. And I really heart that fact. The difference is they walk so fast, way faster than me. It's not a problem for me until one day.... A granny with a cane passing over me from the back. Damn... She walks faster than me. I know guys... it's not like a race or something, but still.... it squeezed my walk ego lil'bit hahahaha. There must be something wrong with my bones.... If today lets say... a 70 years old granny beats me, Imagine how slow the future 70 years me will be?? So... my inpulsive brain order my weak bone to stop at coles.... Look the difference i made to my fridge....

Before


Now

Studley Park Here I Go

Dufan, Musium Gajah, Monas.... Mostly Indonesian know all those place? Do you find the similitarity among them? Try to combine them with the word student. Yee.... all are a common place for school trip. Right now without the help of time machine, I coming back to that era. Me, a 26 years old girl (with the forever 17 heart) and all the WAI international freshie are going to a school, sorry scratch that, college trip today. The place called Studley Park, located outside the city.

Let me quotes the word from my orientation schedule: "Please ensure students bring their own lunch or bring some money for lunch". Oooh very nostalgic... like an anxious 6 years old girl I planning what i would bring for the trip. Honestly this is my favorite thing when I'm having a school trip. Going to the supermarket, buy chiki and all my favorite full of msg snacks and put them in the nice pink Hello Kitty bag. But once again, back to the future me, I wake up late the next morning, too much planning for the meal I guessed hahaha.... So money for buy lunch it is!!!

Studley Park is a botanic garden. It has a really nice view and we're planning to see the falls. Too bad the rain didn't stop all day. so we just hang out at the cafetaria.... drinking hot choco and cookie. Poor me didn't wear jacket, I'm freezing in my slight loose t shirt. Mhhm... now I realize why many people call Melbourne as a four seasons in one day city, cold ini summer is not so weird i guess.....

So ..... here I am in my room, blogging wearing a jumper, syal and the other winter outfit. Just finish drink my second tolak angin and pour minyak kayu putih all over my body....

When Da Vinci Met Zen

Leonardo da Vinci wrote a list
of things he wanted to know:
the cause of tickling
the tongue of the woodpecker
the reason for lust
& the jaw of the crocodile
then simply, must get coal.
A zen quote says:
first enlightenment, then dishes.
Life, full of circles & lines & geometry
& the shortest distance between us.
My list: why you rub your feet three times
in bed & always toast to Helsinki
the traces of tanned Olsen light on your skin
& how you always miss the washing basket.
da Vinci imagined the calculator, helicopter, infinity.
Mental note: after love must keep everything fresh
then get bread.
by Alicia Sometimes

I read this on my ride home from school. At first I thought it just another advertising they put in the train, but when I take a look again, the word Da Vinci list got my attention. Remind me of the Bucket List movie played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The difference is that a list about things the want to do. I got that kind of list too hehehe and studying abroad definitly on the list. How about you? Have you got any list?

Oh yeah, just so you know another weird side of me, I like to observe things written anywhere, a poster, billboard, store name, and anything else... There's a website at the bottom, movinggalleries.org.au. So when I came home, I looked at the website. So this is some explanation i got from their website:

Moving Galleries aim is to reach and engage an extensive and diverse community in the course of daily life by ‘moving Melbourne through art’.The project reflects its creative use of public spaces, making art and literature accessible to everyone, reinforcing Melbourne as the nation’s cultural and creative capital and most liveable city. As the poetry section of Moving Galleries is open for public submission, both professional and novice poets have been selected for publication. The poetry on the walls of the trains provides the commuting public with a snapshot of Victoria’s literary talent.

How cool is that? Finding art in our daily life... and it's not all about poetry, you can find artwork too somewhere. Too bad i didn't had a change to take a picture. Hoping I can be camera ready when i see it again someday.... In the mean time here some picture i took from the website to freshen up your eyes

William Angliss Institute

Yup.. that's the name of my new school. It's an institute specialize in hospitality. So if you're into cookery, travel,hospitality, resort kind of thing, go to this school. Its located in La Trobe Street, CBD, very strategic area in the heart of melbourne. Usually I go there by train, stop at the Flagstaff station and walk a little bit. It takes around 30 minutes from my place.
I got a lil' confession. I got lost in my first day. Actually I already went there the day before with my friend but when I got off the station I kinna confused about the direction, everything look similar. Yeah me and direction is not a great pal. Can't agree enough with the book called Why men can't listen and women can't read maps (No offence for all the ladies out there who have the map reading capabilities, it's just my fragility). And suddenly, like a God sent for me, I saw a sign from far far away with my minus 1 and a half eyes. A catchy billboard that instantly got my attention and melt my heart. If I can borrow Tom Cruise famous quotes in Jerry maguire, i will say:" It had me at Helloo". So written in a bold letter on the billboard, it said......

"FREE CUBICLE CARRER"

The other thing about this school that made me falling in love is the aroma. It got the coffee and cookie aroma all over the place, especially in the cookery building of course. Imagine the first smell you catch when you enter the coffee shop, that's exactly what I felt. Since i'm quite a coffeeholic and a sweet tooth person, this is like heaven. hahaha.....school never felt like this before.

I don't know about the reality later, the time when i can't even breath with all the class and assignment. But for now, It's like a dream come true.

First Day Of School

Today is the big day.... My first day of school. Super excited. You guys remember your first day at elementary school? Somehow I feel it that way. And it turns out great, I met some new friends, some are from my country, indonesia and others from all different country, China, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia,etc . The whole orientation room felt like a UN room. It's a melting pot. Many people from different country gathered in one room, you can here many different languages in the same time. But like other firs day in school, it's all about welcoming speech from the school director and the other member of the faculty. Other than that, I got my school bag (with all the brochure) and my student health insurance card. And the high light of the day...., free lunch, variety of sandwich and sushi. mhmmm... yummy... Of course you expected a delicious meal from a hospitally/culinary school right?? oohh..., except the part when I took the veggie sandwich... Dugh... where your meatlovers instinct when you need it?

Something Old, Something New

Hi y'all...

Just wanna share you some of my new crip/student accomodation pictures.... I got this accomodation from internet searching and booked it for 1 months. Yes... if I can't find a new accomodation by the end of February , I'll be homeless. Somebody already booked the room in March. It's called Australianwide Student Accomodation and located in 2 Carre Street Elstveernwick. Actually, this is a very nice place, clean and tidy although the price is lil' bit out of my 'must saving to pay for my school fee next year' budget. No need more explanation, you'll see all in th pictures. O yeah, Do you see the grey-ish door? that's my room and btw i got my own fridge in my room. Cool....

When there is something new, there was something old. So I'm gonna put my old room's pictures as well. FYI i didn't sleep in my own room. ActuallyI never sleep in this room, as in never ever in my entire life. I just decorated it last year since somehow it became a temporary storage when I moved to Bandung during my college time. After that I just crash everywhere, in my sister's room or on the coach. OOh... so long all my book collection....

Let's Get Out Of this Country

Let's get out of this country
I'll admit I am bored with me
I drowned my sorrows and slept around
When not in body at least in mind
We'll find a cathedral city
You can convince me I am pretty

We'll pick berries and recline
Let's hit the road dear friend of mine
Wave goodbye to our thankless jobs
We'll drive for miles maybe never turn off
We'll find a cathedral city you can be handsome I'll be pretty
****

This lovely song or in my case, a reality bites song from camera obscura always be my persistent tunes in ipod. Yeah, we have been keep each other company through the endless bus drive of jakarta's traffic jam, me and this song. So, finally when i get a change to go outside my counrty and have to pick my airport song, I stick to my besties.

Btw I got a 'learn and never do that again' experience from the airport luggage department. It turned out that they have the policy that we can't bring a bag that weighing more than 30 kg. You can bring more than 30 kg, but in separate bags. Stupid me, I bought a super2 big suitcase, the biggest suitcase i can find in store. I thought, hey... just put everything in one bag. No need to worries for another bag. But my of my... WRONG.... they rejected my luggage immediately and the only way is to minimaze it. So sitting in the corner of the check in room, me with the help of the nice mr. potter opened my overweight suitcase and put my "sorry i can't bring you" stuff in a cardboard box I got from the luggage crew. Don't mean to be a drama queen, but it was really tense.

After that i met with my family and friends who wait for me outside and have a last time chit chat, and finally said good bye to each other. Btw from some of my friend who didn't come...., shame on you guys... shame on you!! hehehhe kidding...

Hi mates, Greeting from Melbourne

hi y'all....

This is my new blog. I made it for my melbourne journey. Yes..... I'm a melburnian now... (Is it too soon to call a 4 day melbourne's newcomer that name?) hehehe...., never mind.
The reason I flight my self 3,235 miles away from my jakarta hometown glory is to study patisserie. Bet y'all know what it is right? yess? noo?
So, just to make it a little bit educated, i put a definition that I got from thefreedictionary.com here, I mean who know if it is gonna be questioned in my assignment test later... God forbid if I can't answer!

pa·tis·se·rie (p-ts-r, pä-ts-r)

n.

A bakery specializing in French pastry.