My 2015 Review

I have been doing this for 3 years now (since 2012!) and I still think it's one of my favourite post to write so far. I get to reflect back to the past year, list my achievements, count my blessings, and get ready for the next year.

Alhamdulillah, this year has been a really great year. I am a very ambitious person, so I do have quite a long list in my new year's resolution. However, not everything gets ticked this year - as usual. And I also add and remove goals as I go.

What I managed to tick off from my 2015 resolutions list:

Moving to our own place
This year we started paying for our own place. The things that get me excited about this are that I finally get to hang something on the wall (because we weren't allowed in our previous apartment) and we now have two bathrooms - which means we don't have to fight over who gets to go in first *grin*!

Launch my blog
I have been blogging on and off. My lack of writing skills and full time job just made it even harder to start again. But I have realised in the recent months that I do need a place to vent and share things. There may not be a lot of readers just yet, but hey, at least I'm trying to start again and hopefully now I can post more regularly because I'm trying to commit to keep this blog alive.

Travel more
Last year I was saving my hard earned salary towards a hajj trip. Every month I would see my salary come into my bank account and disappear in a few days because I needed to pay for the trip. So we didn't have a lot to spare for other things, let alone a small trip, but it was all worthwhile. So this year I put a bullet point in my 2015 goals list to travel more.

At the beginning of this year I finally ticked off something from my bucket list, which is hiking to Mt. Kosciusko summit. And mid August we went for a quick trip for my birthday to Melbourne. Then on October when mum was visiting, we visited Canberra and the beautiful Tulip Top garden.

Not staying back at the office too often
Last year I was definitely guilty of staying back at the office almost everyday. Not because I have to, but because I was waiting for my husband to pick me up. This year, I only stay back 1-2 days a week. But I feel like I didn't get a lot done compared to last year (perhaps because I'm active in several other things outside of my main work), so this year I may have left office on time a little too often :).

Working in a regional team
This year I get to volunteer in the regional engagement team, working with colleagues from around South East Asia and Pacific. I didn't realise that this was in my goals list until I recently discovered another goal list in another book/device.

Getting an award
Simply Excellent is an award that is difficult to earn, but I am very humbled to have received this. It was also a testament that Muslims can do well too (and that not all Muslims are bad!). I'm one of the very few people in my office who wears hijab and I'm proud of it!

Give to charity $x in Ramadhan
We always try to set a goal of how much we donate every year and alhamdulillah we met our goal again this year.

Get L license
For those who don't know, I don't drive in Australia although I have an overseas drivers license and drive perfectly fine in Indonesia. I was about to get my L license in 2012 but because I had just been in Australia for less than 6 months, I can still use my overseas drivers license.

Before this year ends, I just feel the itch to get this ticked off from my bucket list. So, I signed up for the written test a month before the actual test (didn't know that you have to wait for weeks to get a place!), studied the sample questions the night before the test, took the test, and voila now I have an L license!

Apart from the above, I'm also working towards in becoming a better Muslim. I do have ibadah goals listed as well, but indeed it is difficult to make it a habit! My ibadah goals consist of shalat rawatib, qiyamullail, al matsurat, tilawah, and reading Al-Mulk. I guess in order to succeed in this, it comes down to a good progress tracking. I haven't been able to diligently document my ibadah. This is definitely something I need to work on next year!

Train of Thoughts: I Found Happiness in Fried Duck

Today is the last day before my office officially closed for the holidays. We were allowed to leave early but unfortunately work was still holding me back. I already have appointment to tutor my girl for her Arabic reading at 3.30pm and it got pushed back to 5pm because I didn't leave office until 4.50pm. Eventually I arrived super late, like at 5.15pm.

Although I was a bit hesitant to come I was telling myself, "I have to do it. I've already promised to come". Then, I didn't realise her mum texted me to say not to push it if I can't make it that day. But I was already at her door, so we proceeded with the tutoring.

No matter how tired I am, I always feel energised every time I teach kids. Currently, I teach a 10 year old to read Arabic once a week in Chatswood. I only get paid for the transport cost (this is what I had asked for, but the mum kindly gave me extras), plus, I always get to take away Indonesian food! The mum is a really good cook. We often have conversation about food and recipes. Every time I come to their place, the mum is always cooking something new. And although she said, "just trying a recipe", the food always comes out really good.

Anyway, today she packed me fried duck with chilli sauce (sambal) - yummy! Me and husband shared the duck together for dinner. I can't tell you how grateful we are for it. Husband has been craving for fried duck for a year and I, tired from all the activities, really enjoyed a good meal to end the day. Afterwards, I thought, "this is my simple happiness for today... trying my best to come and teach Arabic for the sake of Allah and was rewarded by fried duck, alhamdulillah :)"

My First Super Splurge

Apologies if this post may offend anyone. I am not by any means trying to brag, just wanted to share my experience about getting my first high end designer item.

APPRECIATING HARD WORK

Everyone has their own way of appreciating their hard work. It can be with a vacation, dinner at a fancy restaurant, movie night, or splurging on expensive items. I don't normally celebrate achievements by splurging because I'm pretty much a frugal spender all my life, but once in a while I do have desire to own nice things (blame this on Youtube review videos).

I know it may sound very materialistic, but I did put one goal in my 2015 goals which is to obtain an item from this one particular designer. The items that this fashion powerhouse sell is not cheap at all, so if I were to get something from them, I must have worked my a** off and have real achievements to be proud of. I think for the hard work, charity donations, and the frugal spending that I have done in the past 2-3 years, I deserve to splurge a bit this time.

CHOOSING THE 'RIGHT THING'

I have always wanted a high end designer 'thing', but not sure what 'thing' I should get. I did a lot of research here and there, and put a lot of thoughts and considerations into it. I asked myself several questions:

           "what type of item are you going to purchase? is it a bag or SLG (small leather goods)?"
           "what brand are you getting?"
           "how often are you going to use it?"
           "how are you going to care for it?"
           "what size are you going to get? and what colour?"

From early on, I have decided to get an item from Chanel instead of Louis Vuitton, because it is still difficult for me to see their monogram print as something beautiful. I knew that if I'm going to spend a lot of money on something, I must use it often and I'm not going to 'baby' it. So, I was thinking of getting a card holder/wallet (not a wallet with cash compartment) because that's pretty much the 'thing' that I use most often (in fact, almost everyday). Why not a wallet? Because I hardly need to bring cash and I'm happy just carrying my cards. I checked Chanel's website and saw that their prices have recently rise. The card holder that I was eyeing was around $560. I was ready to spend that much money in the boutique until I found something else in Reebonz website.

PRELOVED DESIGNER GOODS

After deciding what I wanted to get, I contemplated on the options whether to get brand new or preloved. I actually wanted to feel the experience of actually going into the Chanel boutique and coming out of the store holding the black Chanel shopping bag for my first ever high end designer goods, but then I thought "if I'm gonna use the item so often that I may leave scratch marks here and there which will quickly decrease the value, might as well just get the preloved one." So, on the basis of that, I tried to find a preloved Chanel.

Finding preloved Chanel items is difficult! I have tried eBay, but I won't risk of getting scammed by a seller, so I turned to Reebonz. Surprise, surprise, when I was checking their website, they had a Chanel small wallet in pristine condition with the price tag close to the original card holder/wallet that I have been eyeing but it's almost 50% off the original price of a new small wallet. I thought this might be a better option: small, wallet, pristine - except for the type of leather, because I was initially looking for a caviar, but will settle for a lambskin as well. I asked my husband for the final approval (although I'm paying with my money, I have developed a habit of asking for his permission every time I'm making a 'big' purchase). We had few disagreements, but he finally gave the sign off!

And here it is, my 'new' preloved Chanel small flap wallet...

TIPS ON GETTING HIGH-END DESIGNER GOODS

• Use it as an incentive to encourage yourself to work hard. I don't recommend getting high-end designer goods when your brain said "I just have to have it". Remember, don't get trapped in debt just to appear like you live a life you can't afford.
• When deciding on what to get, reflect on your lifestyle and do a lot of research before spending your hard earned money.
• Preloved items are just as good, if you can find the 'right' one and you're on a budget. Many people buys preloved items as well. You can find preloved on websites such as Reebonz.com, Yoogi's Closet, or Fashionphile.com. 

Buttermilk Scones

I've often heard about scones, but I had no idea what it was and how it tastes like. I only knew that it is often served in high teas and you eat it with cream and jam. Fortunately, I had just purchased a "Women's Weekly High Tea" book which featured a recipe for scones. It was easy to follow and not a lot of ingredients involved, so I was able to execute the recipe straight away without any hesitation. Please note: The recipe below is adapted from "Women's Weekly High Tea" book. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 30 gr butter, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
• Jams/conserve of your choice
• Double cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius and grease a square cake pan.
2. Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl and rub in butter.
3. Add buttermilk. Use knife to cut the buttermilk through the flour mixture to make a soft, sticky dough. Turn dough onto floured surface, knead gently until smooth. (For this step, I just mix everything together and let my standing mixer work the dough).
4. press dough out to 2 cm thickness, cut out 4cm rounds. Place scones, just touching, in pan. Gently knead scraps of dough together and repeat the process. Brush scones with extra buttermilk.
5. Bake scones about 15 minutes. Serve warm with jam/conserve and cream.

This is recipe is my favourite if I'm hosting or invited to a high tea party at home. I always get raves for this recipe. It's easy to make and I just love love the taste of buttermilk scones. The cream and jam adds the extra flavour to it, which I think it's very nice. Yummo!

New Series: The Meaning of Life

I was scrolling through my Facebook timeline and found that I had shared this article. The article is about "What is the meaning of life?". It offers two different point of views to life: looking at the big milestones or appreciating the small small things that leads to it.

I'm not a philosopher or whatsoever, but I do contemplate a lot about my life like why does this happen to me, why can't I be like them, why did I end up here, why can't I be content with my life, etc. As time goes by I forced managed to learn to take lessons on every single event that happens in my life. I guess this is how I eventually matured and was able to appreciate the small small things in life.

So, I'm going to start a personal series about my own story of "The Meaning of Life". I think it will be good to share the wisdom that I have learned along the way. Perhaps other people can benefit from it as well, who knows :).

The series will be broken down into 7 parts:
      Part 1: Birth
      Part 2: Studies
      Part 3: Job
      Part 4: Marriage
      Part 5: Get Settled
      Part 6: Having Kids
      Part 7: Becoming Old

But because I have only come up to point 5, point 6 & 7 will have to wait until it happens and I actually have enough knowledge to share :D.

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins! Who doesn't love warm blueberry muffins for breakfast? It's a quick fix for an empty stomach to start the day, and don't forget your favourite cup of tea. This is actually the first time I had made blueberry muffins, so I wanted to ensure that I get it right. The recipe that I used is from the Brown Eyed Baker.

By the way, please ignore the watermark :). This post was supposed to go up on the old cooking blog, but never made it. Now that I am back to writing blogs, here it is, the scrumptious blueberry muffins.


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1¼ cups sour cream
• 1½ cups frozen or fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or line with paper liners) and set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk the egg in a separate medium bowl until well-combined and light-coloured, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.
3. Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. Small spots of flour may remain and the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix.
4. Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, divide the batter amount the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Sydney Local Etsy Market

My craftsy friend the Mrs. Crochet, Citra, asked me if I would like to come to the local Sydney Etsy market. Of course, I would say yes to such invitation because I used to be an Etsy seller (my inactive Etsy store) and I adore unique handmade things a lot! The artisan products at Etsy are just second to none in terms of design and quality compared to the mass produce things that you find at department stores such as Target and K-Mart. However, unfortunately, because they are not mass produced, they tend to be on the expensive side in pricing.

I did spot a lot of cute things at the market, but unfortunately I was on a shopping ban until I-don't-know when since I just splurged big time on 'something'. Anyway, I picked up business cards from the shops which sold stuff that I was eyeing, if God and money allows I will purchase them next time - or perhaps next year at the next market, hahaha.

Some of the things that I adored at the market:

1. Watermelon vase/jug and Chillies small dish - from Things by Bea (beabellingham.com)
2. Taronga Tea Towel - from Maya Muse (http://www.mayamusetextiles.com.au/)
3. Champagne and Strawberries reed diffuser - from Addicted to Candles (http://addictedtocandles.bigcartel.com/)
4. Couples wooden toilet sign - from Mooza Designs (http://www.moozadesigns.com.au)

Images are taken from the artists' respective shops, all credits goes to them - I'm just simply sharing these lovely things!

And this is me, a proud Sydney-based Etsy seller!

Quick Kitchen: Oliver Brown-Style Belgian Waffles

Ever since I tried Max Brenner's and Oliver Brown's Belgian waffle, I was constantly craving for it. It tastes sooo sooo sooo good! But the price is a bit heavy on the wallet, around $12-$14 per portion.

And then, when I was once shopping at Woolworths, I found a pack of pre-made Belgian waffles. I thought, "Wow, this is convenient! I can make my own at home and all I need to do is reheat the waffle and arrange the fruits and ice cream." So, when I was hosting a get-together at my house, I made this plate of goodness for my guests. I was surprised at how it turned out. It was so yummy and it tastes just like the Oliver Brown's one. Ok, enough introduction. Here's how you can make your own.

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET:

• A pack of Belgian waffles
• 1 milk chocolate block of your choice
• 2 punnets of strawberries (250gr each)
• 3-4 Bananas
• 1 container of vanilla ice cream of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Reheat the Belgian waffles according to the instructions on the packaging
2. Melt the chocolate on a double boiler. You do not want to try to melt it in the microwave - trust me.
3. Cut strawberries and bananas into small slices.
4. Once the Belgian waffles cooled down and chocolate is warm, arrange the waffle, strawberries, and bananas on a plate.
5. Scoop 1-2 scoops of ice cream and place it on the plate.
6. Drizzle the warm melted milk chocolate onto the waffle and ice cream. The chocolate will immediately hardened once it touches the ice cream (love this!).

The best thing about putting together your own Belgian waffle is that the price per plate comes down to only $3.37 per plate! That's a huge saving! Here's the detailed price breakdown for 8 portions:

• Waffle (@$5 per pack of 4): $10
• Strawberries (2 punnets): $6
• Bananas: $2.50
• Ice cream - Peter's vanilla: $5 (you can go for a more expensive one)
• Cadbury milk chocolate block: $3.5 (you can substitute with your favourite milk chocolate, Lindt perhaps?)