175-Part 2

Today i was so happy that i invited my fren Shaleen to went out for a chit chat. She teach me few of the things that i need to take care of while i was taking photo. This is a good session for me to steal some skill from her. There are few picture belows of the test shoot:-

She lend me her speedlight and her macro and wide angle lense for me to try out..Super cool...

i like the shoot below..super creative though..hehe

Food Photo with macro lense...

Gadget Upgrade

Having a DSLR is my dream for quite sometime..i been dreaming to get this kind of baby since before i went to Melbourne to study. Guess what? I finally GOT D90..HURRAY!! although i m super broke getting it..but i really love it a lot..hehe

Apple

What so special about APPLES?? Even we heard this phrase since young, "An Apple A Day Keeps Doctor AWAY" Apple can be treated as snack,fruit or even can be used as a ingredient for our food. It is something that is inexpensive yet got so much advantages. The advantages had been found through the internet and i am trying to compile it.

A number of components in apples, have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol with a reduced risk of stroke, prostrate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. A new study whose findings have been published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease is sure to bring cheers for people suffering from this strange disease.

ApplesThis study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods. Apples are also good for treatment of the Acid reflux condition also called gerd (gastro esophageal reflux disease).

It is well said that we should have in our diet apart from vegetables, fresh coloured fruits like Yellow Apples, Green Apples, Red Apples have different advantages which shown below:-

Green Apples - Good for strong bones and teeth, aids in vision, anti cancer properties.

Yellow Apples - Good for heart and eyes, immune system, reduce risk of some cancers.

Red Apples - Good for heart, Memory function, lower risk of some cancers and to maintain urinary tract health.

The Best Get-Happy Foods

Fight stress and depression with five nutrient-buffed snacks

Sorry, ice cream isn't on the list! But the following foods do have nutrients that can help fight stress and depression, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

Food: Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits

Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Vitamin C
This vitamin helps you cope better in stressful times by lowering your levels of stress hormones. If you get a lot regularly, you'll feel calmer during tough situations.

Food: Nuts

Mood-Boosting Ingredients:Vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid) and magnesium
A handful of nuts will keep you full and satisfied because they have a low glycemic index-which means they don't jack up your blood sugar levels and cause mood swings. It also makes you feel good to eat something that seems decadent (they're considered a little bit naughty because they're high in fat) but actually has health benefits.

Food: Leafy Greens

Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Folic Acid
Research has shown that the folic acid in leafy greens such as kale and spinach can reduce depression and even improve blood flow to the brain. If you're not eating at least one serving per day you're more than likely low in folic acid, so try getting more or consider taking a multivitamin that contains it.

Food: Salmon

Mood-Boosting Ingredient: DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid)
The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon,mackerel and sardines have been found to improve your mood while lowering the risk of depression and age-related memory loss. The depression link is so strong that American Psychiatric Association suggests that anyone taking antidepressants and/or going through therapy also boost her intake of omega 3s.

Food: Dried Cherries

Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Potassium, magnesium and vitamin C
These nutrients all work to curb your body's stress response. Dried cherries also keep your brain healthy because they're packed with antioxidants (including vitamin C), which prevent damage to your brain cells that can lead to memory problems.

This is gotten from internet and written By Abigail L. Cuffey

Jakarta Trip 2009-Nite 4

It is a funny day though, Albert call me to wait for Yonk at the hotel and Yonk misinterpret it.. then end up he wait for me at the cinema..so end up Yonk need to pick me up again at the hotel..We went for a movie- The Surrogates at Cinema 21. After we bought the ticket. We went in have fun before the movie starts. This is the normal ticket that we bought. Look at the chair!! it is so comfortable compared to MBO and the price of the ticket is the same..hai..Besides that, Cinema 21 still got premiere ticket with better seat.

For more information you can log into:HERE

Two boring guys taking picture before the movies start and waiting for the abeng gang..

This is the CARAMEL POPCORN!! Anyone of you try before?? it is nice..

Jakarta Trip 2009-Day 4

This is the night we went to a grand seafood restaurant called Pondok Laguna. It is located at:- Jln. Batu Tulis Raya No.45
Pecenongan, Jakarta Pusat
The number is (021)345-9991, 345-9992

From outside, it really look normal though. However when you walk inside, it is really packed with people. It is a two storey restaurant with air conditioning on upstairs only. When you walk in, you can feel everyone are like licking there thumbs..which meant the food is awesome.

Pondok Laguna is famous for their deep fried Gurama Fish. You can see the huge Gurama Fish signage outsid the restaurant. It is so crunchy till you can eat the bone. I was told it was cooked by placing it in a large vat of boiling oil, which enabled it to keep its upright shape and stand on its own on the plate instead of simply lying flat. At first i was using the spoon and fork to eat..but i was laught by my fren why i eat so slow..because everyone is using hand to eat it..so i finally give up and end up eating it with hand..really a good experience.

Another famous dish is the fried tofu stuffed with shrimp(tahu kipas). The prawn inside is big and fresh..yum yum. This Tahu Kipas cripsy brown outside and soft juicy inside. I had almost four of it..Really cannot resist this dish though.

We also had the soft crab with black pepper and chilly. The crab meat is so pack though and is like you are eating chicken meat. Really tender.

We also ordered up a nice fish head curry (kari kepala ikan) which was served with this interesting woven wicker, funnel-shaped basket filled with steamed white rice. The meat was tender and flaked right off the bones, swirling into the rich curry soup which it was swimming in.

Few of the picture shows the interior design and the ambience of the restaurant:-

Jakarta Trip 2009-Day 3

Early in the morning, 4 something we already need to shake out butt to leave Makassar. Tince's father came to fetch us to the airport. Thanks a lot uncle. We went there and took our flight back to Jakarta.

We used the new Garuda Indonesia airplane back to Jakarta. It is an hour plus flight, so the whole journey i spent it by watching movie. The tv is touch screen one..so cool rite. Hope that Mas airline also provide this service..

This is how the Jakarta airport look like. There are different kind of cabs for you to use. I was told that the Blue bird cab is the best among the all with the reasonable price. There are also Silver service cab which uses Benz..Cool rite?

After unload our luggage we continue our trip to Mangga Dua. There are so many to buy and to see. Yonk and me bought a lot of stuff there..There are a lot of choice of good that you can buy here from clothes, shoe to electric appliances.

After shopping, we had our lunch at Mal Ambasador.The picture above is the drink that Narmit ask me to tried out. Usually we can get coke in this kind of bottle, but in Jakarat. The drink inside is "Teh" (Tea).

Sop Buntut(Ox Tail Soup), daging empal (fried beef), ikan lepe and tahu (beancurd).
I personally like the daging empal though.

• The way to make it was by cooking the beef (large pierces) with coconut milk and bay leaves.
  
• Cook it until it is well done.
  
• Take out the beef and cut it into small pierces.
  
• Then continue to cook it until it the coconut milk until dried.
  
• Finally, fried the sliced beef in hot oil...so WALA..daging emapl is done.

We also had Bakmi which costed IDR18,000. It is soup noodle with minced chicken and fried dumpling. Really nice.

Rawon(Black Soup) which cost IDR19,000. The dish is literally black in color because of the ingriedients the soup named Keluwak. For more information to cook this dish, Click here:Rawon

Then, on our way back we had Sugar cane with lime. It is really a refreshing drink though.

Near to the place we stay, we pass by a hotel. We went in to have a look on the Mooncake celebration. There are selling the mooncake for the price of IDR300,000++ which roughly around RM100++.

Durian Mooncake that i had for a try really nice though. This is because when you put into your mouth. The mooncake start to melt. The durian is like air cream though..really SUPERD..If you got chance really need to get a try on it...Unless you are not a durian lover.