Last week I've finally changed my blog using WordPress. I find it's easier to use, more user friendly and I reaaalllyyy like the TAG function.

So...for those who wants to check out my new blog, please go to

www.steveandcherry.com/blogs

I'm still trying on how to change it to just ../blog. Oh heck..maybe i'll just delete the old blog (this one) and transfer all the entries to the new one (../blogs).

Thanks for checking it out.

Halloween...that's celebrated on every October 31 in most of the western country, especially USA.

I always wonder why is there Halloween, what's the history behind it...so I did some googling and here's what I found from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

Halloween has origins in the ancient festival known as Samhain (pronounced sow-in or sau-an), which is derived from Old Irish and means roughly "summer's end". This was a Gaelic festival celebrated mainly in Ireland and Scotland.

The festival of Samhain celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half", and is sometimes[6] regarded as the "Celtic New Year".

The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.

Now..ever heard of Jack-O-Lantern? All I know that's what people used referring to the carved pumpkin with candle lit inside it. Here's what I found from the same article.

The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger- making them easier to carve than turnips.

Sooo.....that's why now on every Halloween season, people carve the pumpkin instead of Turnip, all thanks to the American for not having Turnip

Now you ask...why in the present time there's more Halloween decoration here in North America aside from the old Jack-O'-Lantern? All thanks to the Hollywood that now people in North America associates Halloween with horror creatures from the films such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Vampires, Zombies, Skeleton, Bats, Crows, Ghost, the Mummy, Grim Reaper, and many more.

As for trick-or-treat tradition is quoted here:
Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" The word "trick" refers to a (mostly idle) threat to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. In some parts of Ireland and Scotland children still go guising. In this custom the child performs some sort of show, i.e. sings a song or tells a ghost story, in order to earn their treats.

SO..there you go...a brief and quick history of Halloween, just in case you are wondering.

As for me...I shall be celebrating this Halloween with a bunch of our friends' children by 'guiding' them to do some Trick-or-Treat at people' house. Hey..maybe we can help them eat some of the candies and chocolate too, eh?!

Finally back to Sydney after 4 years. So what has changed? Quite a number, but there are still those landmarks that never go away. Even those shops at strategic places, must be making money even thou it's branded and expensive.

So what have I been doing on my 1st 4 days in Sydney?

Day 1
- Slept for 2hours at bro's home.
- Woke up, get ready. Out to nearby cafe for coffee and lunch
- Had delicious coffee and very full lunch (penne)
- Walked myself to Darling Harbour, had a walk around, took pictures like tourist, shopped at Cotton On ;p (realized it's cheaper in SG than Syd)
- Had Japanese dinner with bro and vanessa (my soon-to-be Tua Soh)

Day 2
- Had OZ hearty breakfast with bro and vanessa at nearby cafe overlooking dock
- Met up with Laura at her apartment, took bus to Paddington Market (had hotdog there), walked down from up the hill slowly and visit each boutique. She shopped.
- Had Ramen for dinner at City. Took bus home and rest.

Day 3
- Had dim sum with bro's and vanessa's friends
- Did some grocery, planning to cook but still haven't thou
- All of us work out at gym and swim at the indoor pool.
- Vanessa cook dinner and invited her friends over. yummm

Day 4
- Took bus to city and UNSW. Re-visit old uni.
- Had crappy coffee but super delicious wedges with sour cream and sweet chili sauce at uni
- Took lots pic like tourist and ignored those students who stare at me like I'm alien!
- Took bus back to City, alight at Opera House thinking it's nearer. How wrong was I.
- Took wrong turn...finding my way back home. Walked for 2hours then finally reach home.
- Back home, leg super aching.
- Lucky vanessa cooked dinner, yet again.

After re-visiting UNSW, I realized it's not so great the place
It's not that big and there are so many students, asian and young people. Noticed those students are so carefree, just lounging around, chit-chat, and sun-tanning on the little patch of park there.

After 4 days here, I also realized I've not been walking that much ever since I left Singapore. Gosh...my leg got tired easily now...but I still got that hidden muscle somewhere in my thick calves

I almost forgot how much I enjoyed walking around. It's free. I could enjoy the breeze from the wind, smell the air, really watch the surrounding, memorizing roads better. In fact, I couldn't remember my way whenever I'm in the car. I could memorize better when I'm walking or in the bus. Silly or not!

Besides, it's a really good exercise. No wonder I'm slimmer in Singapore than when I was in LA. Coz hubby always drive me around in LA and you can't go anywhere without car in LA. Sydney and Singapore are the same ....you can get around without car. You can just walk, take bus, train or taxi. Metropolitan city. Unlike LA, it's a very laid back country.....IF..you don't live in downtown.hehehehehhe

I had just watched our wedding video, yet again. Again, it made me tears..not cry thou.

Watching the video made me wants to get married all over again...get to wear that beautiful wedding gown again...get being make-up so nicely and professionally, but of coz with my hubby, the same hubby

I realised on my wedding day...I had so much facial expression, I didn't realized it was being captured so well in the video coz I didn't see much from the photos.

I would smile for the photographer, then I would talk, or made funny faces coz my face was cramped from all the smile from morning, and danng..it was captured so well by the videographer. Didn't realized on that!

No wonder, every bride told me "your face will be cramp from smiling non stop". I didn't feel much of that cramp on that day coz I made lots of stretching on my cheek (blowing my cheek from inside to relax the muscle like blow fish); hence I looked so ridiculous! hahahaha

Luckily not many people will watch my wedding video. I get to just show them the photos instead of the video and I do indeed have very nice-decent-pretty faces in the photo. hahahhaah

Looking back at the video..I felt so happy that so many of my family and friends gathered together and attended my wedding. So happy. Regretted I didn't have much time to spend with each one of them.

I told hubby few months ago "lets do another wedding ceremony... I really like and enjoy wearing the wedding gown"

Few times in LA whenever we passed by Bridal Shop, I'd told hubby "lets go in and try on the gown...lets pretend we're getting married"...hahahah...of coz hubby refused to go along with my wicked plan.

If one day we do get to have another ceremony, I won't be making it too big. I'd only invite a really close family and friends only. Not who's who, but those we know well. An intimate wedding.....wonder when that could happen. Hmm...maybe 10 or 25 yrs anniversary, eh?!

I better make sure my body still in shape then...coz every bride must look absolutely gorgeous mah!

Oh yeah....after watched the video again, I really realized hubs and I danced so badly! hahahahahha
We should have taken a proper Waltz Dance class before even performed it on our wedding banquet. We looked quite silly, but hubs refused to admit it. He said "no..it's our wedding...it's our dance....I don't care what people think, all I know we enjoyed ourselves that night!"

He was right thou.....but still...we look funny.
Sometimes he'd admit to me "after watching Dancing with the Stars, I reliazed I danced so badly on our wedding day".....of coz hubs watched that show coz of me. hahaha

Time flies so fast....it has been 9 months already since our wedding banquet and 1yr and 4months since our ROM. Can't wait...

Is it really cheaper to live in Indonesia (Jakarta) than in USA (Los Angeles)?
I kept on asking that to myself recently, esp on this trip.

All along, I always have the mindset that everything in LA is sooooooo expensive. From food, clothes, shoe, bag, travel, services, etc. And everything from JKT is so cheap.

However, on this trip I've realised how wrong was I. No..not everything in JKT is cheap. Not everything in LA is expensive. Lets see....

Clothes
Everyone always said buy clothes in JKT, so cheap! Buy at ITC, so cheap! So yeah, this round I came to JKT with the mission "I wanna buy lots of clothes". But after went to one mall after another, I can't find cheap clothes. All the clothes start at Rp250,000 (that's about USD25).

I could only find cheap one at ITC (at mom's regular shop) at only Rp70,000 ($7), that's just a regular shirt nothing fancy.

However, while I was in LA, hub and I could find a really cheap clothes, that's even cheaper than in JKT. I've bought shirt that is only at $4, $6, $7 and $10. I hardly buy clothes that's over $20. In fact, I once bought a sweater and PJ at SwapMeet (Flea market) at only $1. How cheap is that?!!!!

Legging is another comparison. People said buy legging in Indo, so there I went to ITC and stunned. When I asked "How much is this legging?" all said "Rp98,000-Rp110,000". Days before I came to JKT, hub and I were doing some window shopping and there I saw legging that's only $5-6 (that's Rp50,000-60,000).

So...who said clothes are cheaper in JKT?
I think clothes are cheaper in LA, IF you know where to look and IF you don't look for branded stuff.
Anyway, if you are buying at ITC it already means you are not looking for branded stuff.

Besides, my type of body could only fit into American clothes due to my broad shoulder, chest, and long torso; and especially my hips. In LA, I'm considered regular-petite size, but in JKT I'm considered LARGE or EXTRA LARGE. bad bad bad....

Food
As for food, I've to say some foods in JKT are cheaper than LA. I think it's only applicable for traditional local food, not those franchised food like McDonald, Pizza, Italian, Japanese, etc.

Last year, I brought Hub to this Japanese restaurant in Singapore, Sushi Tei. I quite like this resto coz it's inexpensive. But when Hub ate it, he said to me "wow..so expensive!". I was stunned and refused to believe him. He said "I'll bring you eat a way better Jap resto in LA and cheaper".

So...few months later on my b'day, Hub brought me to this Jap resto in LA. How true was he. The price is slightly cheaper than at Sushi Tei in Singapore and the salmon was soooo huge and thick! The one in Singapore was as thin as tissue paper. That time, I ate my salmon with a wide grin on my face and like small kid who just got their candy

So...who said food are more expensive in LA? But of coz if you eat other fancy food, it is expensive. But it doesn't really matter to me anyway coz I usually cook at home.

But from what I gather, it seems it's not expensive coz the serving size/portion in LA is 2-3times than those in JKT. So, at almost at the same price, you got double the size. So, I'd say it's cheaper than in LA.

Services
This I've to admit it's way cheaper in JKT. A body massage for 2 hours cost me only Rp65,000 ($6.5), but in LA 1hour massage already cost me at $50 (Rp500,000). With that price, I can go to very fancy Spa in JKT.

Pedicure and manicure in JKT is so cheap, only like rp60,000 ($6). I dunno the price in LA thou for those services, but I bet it's very expensive maybe $20.

Hair mask, hair treatment, hair wash, hair cut in JKT cost at around Rp30,000 - 100,000 ($3-10). But in LA, the cheapest salon hubby can find is at Chinatown at only $5 for MEN, that's just cut with no wash and blow.

Housing
Housing in JKT are actually cheaper, way cheaper, than those in LA.

A nice big decent house in JKT cost Rp1,000,000,000 ($100,000). But a nice decent house in LA already cost $300,000 (Rp3,000,000,000). So expensive!

So yeah....could only think of those to compare at the moment. But I'd say....food variety wise in LA is better, thou not much of Indon food, but there are others.

However, I still prefer home cook meal coz there's no MSG.
I realised all the food in JKT are fried, oily, coconut milk and full of MSG. Hiks..everytime came back to JKT, I'd fall sick. Lousy body.