Carl's Jr - Burger Review

As of August 2010, there's a new burger in town and I'm eager to try since I'm on a quest with my friend in search of the best burger in town. I had the chance to try it out a week after its grand opening and here is my story...

I arrived just in time before the dinner rush hour kicks in which gave me zero queuing. It's my first time and I'm not at all familiar with their menu, so I took a few minutes when choosing my order carefully. Like most burger joint, they also have variety kind of burger; beef, chicken, bacon, with BBQ sauce, with mushroom sauce, with chili, etc. I figured that I wanted to know their quality and taste, so I just ordered the standard burger called Famous Star with Cheese. Fortunately for me, they are having promo in cooperated with BCA cc and Gcard member of Grand Indonesia. It was a free up-sized promo (for fries and drinks only). They took my order, I paid my meals and they handed me a sign number and empty paper cup. The guy immediately said "The meals will be delivered to your seat and feel free to choose any kind of beverages from the refreshments corner and it's included with free refill". Wow...a very nice concept right?

I savored each bite and wanna remember exactly what its taste like. The burger bun was soft, the beef was tender and juicy but not quite thick enough, the veggies were fresh, the fries was not too crunchy nor crispy so we could actually taste the sweet potato, and the chili sauce and mayo was just perfect. I love it! Hands down the best burger in town...ladies and gentlemen....we have a winner!

You could choose any kind of drinks that you like: cola, sprite, fanta (blueberry even), lemon tea, hot tea and it's bottomless a.k.a free refill until you just had enough.

Okay, we may have just heard of Carl's Jr in Indonesia but they sure have been around long enough back in U.S, dated to 1941. Started out with just a hot dog cart, then within 5 years opened a hamburger drive-in and look at them now? Impressive right?

Since I didn't take any picture, so why don't you just check these websites for a closer look:
Facebook Fan Page consists of burger pictures
www.carlsjr.com

Go ahead and knock yourself up with their burger in:
Grand Indonesia west mall LG 25
Jakarta


Happy trying burger-lover

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Kitchenette - Restaurant Review

My husband and I have been so curious to try this not-so-new resto, every time we passed it by the curiosity grew and we passed it a lot since we're always around Plaza Indonesia every weekend. But there's something about the place or the atmosphere that just don't feel right.

One night, we finally caved in to our curiosity and decided to give it a try. It was packed, as always, but the waiting list was friendly and we merely wait for 5 minutes before we're shown to our table. I instantly feel even more uncomfortable sitting in the restaurant than I was when we were just passing by. I think that it's because of the open-room concept in the middle of a shopping mall, with lots of people walking by all around us, the crowded que line out front and the fact that the space it self are very minimum, thus making me feel like suffocated. Basically I don't like being in a crowded place, it always makes me gasp for air to breath.

I ordered a simple meal, Spaghetti Aglio Olio with chicken. I always try out the pasta from every new restaurant and eventually became the benchmark for my food review. This aglio olio definitely didn't pass my test. Then my husband ordered the house specialty; galettes named Louis Bundle. This one is quite okay, worth to try.

Note:
Spaghetti aglio olio is worth IDR 45k
Louis Bundle package (incl. salad of the day and coke) is worth IDR 75k

I didn't spend too much time here since the que line out front was growing by the minute. So, it feels like we were rush out to finish our meal.

Well, maybe it's just me who didn't like the ambiance, the rushing, the crowd and other things. So, if you're interested to try out the place, then I definitely recommend the Louis Bundle.


Come and prove it yourself at
Plaza Indonesia level 1
Jl. MH Thamrin


Happy rushing eaters

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

La Collina - Restaurant Review

Who would've thought that we can have some sort of little vacation just by going to the outskirt of Jakarta, just 45km away to be exact.

On that fine day few weeks ago, I had to go to a meeting in Karawang and I practically dragged my ass down there, right in the middle of nowhere. Oow well, sometime you gotta do what you gotta do. I was starving after my meeting and desperately looking for something to eat, at this point, any kind of food will do just fine. Then, I remembered passing by San Diego Hills right after I exited the highway and definitely saw a restaurant banner. So, without further ado, I went straight to that so called cemetery.

I easily found the restaurant and surprisingly shocked to see the place. It was nothing like I ever imagined. Well okay, I knew that San Diego Hills is the most expensive and the best cemetery in Indonesia. But after seeing the place with my own eyes, it's definitely nothing like a cemetery!

I landed in La Collina, an Italian Restaurant. I was starving for sure but I immediately forget all about my craving for food and went straight to observed the whole place. Somehow, it made me feel like I was somewhere out of the country, maybe the landscape, the ambiance, the pool, etc gave away that impression.

After few minutes of photo session, I ordered spaghetti aglio olio and shirley temple to wash it down. Truthfully, I didn't expect the taste would be delicious but I was wrong cause it's one of the great meal that I ever tasted.

Okay, I know how ridiculous it may sound if I suggest you to come all the way here just to try out the restaurant which located inside a cemetery no less. I'm just saying that it could be an option for you if you wanna get away from the hectic of Jakarta or maybe if you're on your way out of town to Bandung per se. Anyways, stop by and try it out. Who knows, maybe it could bring the same joy to you as it did to me.







Come to La Collina Restaurant:
Exit Karawang Barat 2,
T : (0267) 845 3332
Open 8am - 5pm (daily)

Check this website to have a better view of the place:
www.sandiegohills.co.id


Happy dining explorer.

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

The Cutest Birthday Cake Ever - Icip2 Di Dapur Review

My daughter just had her birthday a couple of months ago. As a typical OCD person, I made all the arrangements 2 months prior to her birthday. I wasn't planning to have a birthday party for her this year, just a simple family dinner and of course a nice cake would be mandatory for the occasion. The dinner part would be easy, I just have to call our favorite restaurant and made reservation. The cake part however, that's gonna be a bit tricky.

Lucky for me, a good friend of mine was throwing her daughter a 1st birthday party at the time. So I asked for her help on the cake matter. Voila....she gave me a couple of vendors for it. I was back on track and kept on planning. I researched on both vendors, I browsed their websites, I looked at every single one of the cake that they ever created and posted, then eventually chose one, I chose Icip2 di Dapur.

The cakes were exactly what I had in mind, it were the kind of cake that I wanted to have for my daughter's birthday. I fell in love.

Now came the second hardest thing to do which is to chose the type of decoration for the cake. It supposedly easy but the level of cuteness of each and every one of those cakes is making me hard to chose. I spent 2 weeks to finally able to chose.

I contacted Ria, the cake creator, to order the cake and to secure her availability in making my cake. She was very helpful, very informative and very friendly right from the start. She's very patience dealing with crazy mother like me, hehe. She understood and accepted my detailed request which I appreciated it very much. She's great!

I waited patiently for the cake to arrive, well okay...maybe not so patience cause I ordered the cake a month before D-Day. Finally, the waiting and anticipation could cease to an end. The cake arrived safe and sound exactly 1 day before my daughter's birthday (as per my request) and exactly on the hour of arrival estimation given by Ria. I value punctuality since it's a rare commodity to find in our beloved city Jakarta and Ria has proven her business once more. Bravo!

I opened the box and gasped a little...there it was...the cutest birthday cake ever! I love it!

I looked forward to see my daughter's reaction when she see the cake, would she recognize the character? Would she love it? Well, I made the cake with Barney figurine because it's her favorite and maybe the only character she loves. So, it has to be Barney, as simple as that.

On the morning of her birthday, we gathered up in our living room and open the box for her to see, then she immediately screamed "Biiiiii" (It's her nickname for barney). She kept on touching the cake, especially Barney figurine and I could tell that she loved it too....(I'm glad).

Dear friends, I know what it feels for wanting a perfect cake to complete your perfect event. We all done our share of confusion, stress, and maybe a little panic. Well, I'm happy to tell you that those days are over. You could have any type of cake you wanted, play with your imagination and share it with Ria who I'm sure would bring those imagination to life.

Check her website and order her cake for your next event:
www.icip2didapur.blogspot.com


Happy creating party-planner.

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Bubugiri - Acoustic Band

I usually write reviews about cloths, accessories or food. But this time, I wanna try something new, I wanna review music, well, a band to be exact. So, after gathering the courage for a while, I decided to write a review for a new band that I came across recently.

I was very fortunate to have seen Bubugiri’s performance, to have the chance to chat with them, and to write this review before they become famous which I’m sure gonna happen anytime soon now.

Bubugiri is an acoustic band from Bandung, It only has 2 personnel, Bubu the singer and Giri the guitarist. I only need 2 minutes to realize how very talented they are. Bubu has a very strong voice character, kinda blues-y and jazz-y type of voice, very powerful, very beautiful. While Giri is the most amazing guitarist that I ever saw in whole life.

I stand front and center on the night they performed at Pizza e Birra, Plaza Indonesia and I was hypnotize instantly (and I wasn’t even blinking until a friend reminded me). I was hooked by Bubu’s voice and Giri’s guitar performance. They ended the show with a medley of Michael Jackson’s songs: One Day in Your Life, Heal the World, Billie Jean and Black or White. And it rocks!!! Everyone cheers at the end. Simply outstanding.

I talked with their band manager after the show, I wanna know them. It turns out that they were auditioning at Pizza e Birra at the time and they just started to perform and in search of regular schedules at cafes or restos in Jakarta. Let me tell you something people, this band is a new rising star! Trust me on this one…He (band manager) told me that both Bubu and Giri already have a lot of experience in music industry. Bubu was in Indonesian Idol season 1 and Giri has performed everywhere even abroad like few countries in Asia and even Europe.

Like it was written and meant to be, the most amazing thing happen by the end of that night. They were ask to perform in one of a TV Show (I won’t mention the program or TV Station thou, I want you to find out on your own). It was a simple audition but it has opened many doors and opportunity for them. Well, I always believe that good things will happen on its own time. I wish you all the success Bubugiri.

Follow them on twitter to get new updates on show schedule and others:
@bubugiri


Happy rising to the top BUBUGIRI

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

A New Phase

Wow, It’s been a while since my last entry. I’ve been very busy at work and I’ve been trying so hard to control my shopping spree. Well, it’s June already which means that my bet period is over and I’m proud to say “I won the bet”.

I realized that my bet period was a very effective therapy for me as a shopaholic. Therefore, I wanna share my experience with you and maybe it could help you too.

I learned a few things from this simple bet with my friends. I AM a shopaholic, that’s the most obvious one. However, despite all those urgency and temptation to shop, I realized that I can control my self and say NO when any temptation occurs. After all, we are the master of our own mind right? It’s only the matter of being in control. It was very hard for me, obviously, but I could still go to malls, to bazaar, or anywhere and I could survive it. I come and go without buying anything.

It’s like dealing with your problems in life, you shouldn’t run away from it but you need to face it and find a way to overcome the problem. Am I right? So, in this case, it’s actually similar, never avoid the places where could give you the temptation to shop, you should just come to those places as usual and face the temptation, then you would find a way to handle those urgency to shop. In my case, I usually set a target or goal in mind. For example; “I will not shop because I wanna win the bet” or “I will not shop because I wanna safe my money and have a huge saving account”. I simply remember my target/goal/vision every time those temptations occurs and it works.

Even though the bet period is over, I still wanna suppress my urgency to shop, so I set a shopping budget and made a promise “I will only gonna shop once a month and the cost has to be within my budget” and hopefully I will not be a shopaholic anymore, wish me luck people!


Happy saving shopaholic….

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

By the Beach - Restaurant Review

I've been walking pass through this restaurant for a few times in the last couple of weeks, I was getting more curious each time and I promised to my self to try it out. I imagined my self sitting on one of those chairs by the window in one afternoon and writing an article about the place.

So, I came during weekends cause that's the only free time I have in the afternoon. The place was already packed by the time I get there which shows a good sign, the food must have taste good. It's considered as a good crowd for such relatively new place like this. But my mood wasn't right ever since I walked in, not only I didn't get my spot by the window but they gave my requested spot to other customer even though I already specifically requested the spot 3 times. My mood was ruin instantly and decided to write the article some other time.

They do have a cool decor inside and outside. It look like a typical restaurant that you might find by the beach somewhere, but....what makes it different, this restaurant was in a middle of a shopping mall in Jakarta and they even have few palm trees inside the restaurant (fake ones of course). Well, I admit....the place do have cozy atmosphere, lots of lights (during day time), and comfortable sofas and chairs.

They offer seafood based menu selections from fishes, prawns, calamaris, and even sea shells. I ordered prawns with mayonnaise, grilled "ikan sebelah" with Jimbaran sauce, By the Beach Iced tea and Mango mint Iced tea. I love the prawns the most but everything was delicious, even the iced tea. They have ordinary iced tea and By the Beach iced tea as their signature, it was ordinary iced tea mixed with mint leaves and slices of apple which were shaken together so the apple and mint taste mixed with the tea, created a different kind of flavor to our tongue.

One important thing, If you consider to come with your children, then I suggest you to reconsider cause apparently they do not have separate areas for smoking and non-smoking. So, It is very possible that a smoker sits in the next table of an infant. Maybe they should do something about it cause it's bothered me so much.

Anyways, aside from they lack of service quality and smokey room, I do recommend the meal and the atmosphere, it was great...I felt as if I just came back from a vacation in the beach.

Note:
Prawns with mayonnaise is worth IDR 78k
Grilled ikan sebelah with Jimbaran sauce is worth IDR 79k
By the Beach iced tea is worth IDR 23k
Mango mint iced tea is worth IDR 23k
Rice is worth IDR 9k/portion

Come and try this new restaurant:
EX 2nd Floor
Jakarta
(Located at ex Fashion Bar)


Happy eating sailor...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

A piece of Mind

Wanna try something new, something different from the previous blog entries. It's okay if you wanna skip reading this entry, but if u thought that u might find something useful out of this, then bear it with me will ya? Just this one time...

Have you ever thought that life is like a series of random chances come together in a destined path and created a history of someone's life? Well, some are indeed random but others aren't so random apparently. It was destiny, it was meant to happen on that particular moment in that particular place, it was fate.

You will come across a lot of people in you life, some touch your life in such brief moment and puff...they're gone. But If you're lucky, then you could keep holding on to those who's eventually be part of your life. Yes, you're lucky my friend.

Life will beat you down from time to time, it's only a gentle reminder that God still loves you, that He would want the best out of you. Cause when life beats you down, it was a lesson of life in progress. Personally, I would call it "When reality hits and the truth bites!".

Sometime I need to be weak for just a moment, a small fracture of moment...in order for me to become stronger. It's like a phoenix bird, it will live a full life and then it dies and burnt to ashes which will reborn and become something magnificent. Well, we all need those weak moment, it's not gonna show how lame we are but it will show how wonderful you really are cause not all people could rise from the fall.

All my life, all these years...I stumbled across a lot of people with different characters. Each and one of those people always taught me something, a lesson of life. You should appreciate everyone in your life, not just your family or your love one, but each and one of them, even people you hate. Well, after all...hate it's just another form of love cause if you hate someone, it means that you care for that person.

Life can be unfair maybe even cruel to you sometime, but if by the end of the day that you have someone to hold you and share all those, then you know that it will all be okay. Life unfolds a mystery each day, it should be something to look forward to when you wake up every morning cause you'd know that something great gonna happen, even though it may happen not according to your plans or expectations. Life is funny that way...

Dear friends, cherish every moment, every person, every obstacle, every heartache, every pain, every happiness, every tiny little things. Live every day like there's no tomorrow, then you could live life at its fullest.

I'm just sharing a piece of my mind which sometime can be very sentimental. Hope you could find something worth of your time in this blog entry.


Happy living people...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Food Kulture - Restaurant Review

I tried the Food Kulture few days ago, I was just curious about the place but turns out it was managed by the same management of Urban Kitchen so there's no wonder that they share the same concept only under different name.

So, it's basically you typical food court consists of plenty of dining choices. The plus side is, you could hang out here with bunch of your friends and not worry about the place capacity for both smoking and non-smoking area. Food choices are vary from Oriental, Western and even Indonesian cuisines.

I tried a Roast duck with Hainan Rice from Maystar, it was quite recommendable. Then I had a BananaBerry smoothie as my desert (I'm a sucker for BananaBerry), but this time the Berry is too much thus it's a bit too sour for me, maybe they should add more banana and less on the strawberry.

Unfortunately, the background music was too loud so it's kinda hard to have a decent conversation here, well you have to talk extra loud in order others to hear you. It's a good thing that I'm not run out of voice here. hihi.

Anyways, it could be one of your choice for a hang out place, come to:

Food Kulture
Plaza Indonesia Extension, 5th Floor


Happy dining people

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Sinou Kaffee Hausen - Restaurant Review

It's the beginning of May 2010 and the bet is on.

Okay, let me flash back a bit to few days earlier. I made a bet with couple of my friends, the challenge was actually came from my self. I dare them, "Do you guys think that I could make it through a month without shopping?" And they all respond "NOOOOOO !!!". Well okay, challenge accepted. I agreed not to shop anything for a whole month, not even a tiny purchase, nothing. So, It's May already and the bet is on.

This bet will obviously effects on my writing, I couldn't make any shopping review. Instead, I will make culinary reviews. Hope you don't mind. Cause I have to win this bet, for the sake of my own pride. (hehehe) crossing fingers.

I think that I'm starting to have a new habit, I'm starting to love writing an article about a place while I'm actually IN the place. I'm at the Sinou Kaffee Hausen as I wrote this, writing in the way that I love the most...with a nice cup of joe by my side.

Now about the place, I find it hard to be comfortable in it cause maybe the atmosphere just not right for me. I admit that they have unique decor, it's kinda look like an old warehouse filled with bunch of cozy sofas and wooden chairs. But I find it hard to find words to write, I even need a mood boost from my itunes and still the words don't pour out yet.

I can't give you any food recommendation thou cause I'm not ordering any food. Just a cup of Hot Cappuccino, just right to my taste and only worth of IDR 22k. Just try the place yourself and maybe...just maybe it suits you better than it suits me.

Come to :
Sinou Kaffee Hausen
Jl. Panglima Polim V No. 26
Kebayoran Baru
T : +6221 725 8569

Happy trying friends

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Pizza e Birra - Restaurant Review

Okay, I've been meaning to write an article about this Restaurant for a while. Been here almost every Friday for the last couple of months. Just found the willingness to write it. Well, here goes...

A friend introduced me to the place, he said that they have very delicious flavor beers in town. Since I'm a sucker for good company and good drinks, so I agreed to try the place.

I've tried few of their menus, tried most of their flavor beers, and just tonight (I'm actually sitting at the restaurant as I write this) I just found out that they have an awesome acoustic band playing every Friday night from 10 pm onwards (til they close down, about 1 am). Tonight, the band sang my favorites songs from the late 90s from Oasis, Matchbox 20, Lifehouse, etc. They set my mood just right and even inspire me to write the article. Ow ya, the band called Legna by the way.

Okay, about the food. I've tried the pizza, the pasta, and the steak. All of the pass with flying colors. I wanna recommend the following:

Meat me in heaven pizza : worth of IDR 49k (regular), IDR 69k (large)
--> It's a thin crust pizza with salami, turke ham, and meatballs. Very yummy.
Baked three-cheese macaroni with bacon bits : worth of IDR 55k
--> If you love cheese, then you're gonna love this macaroni cause the three kinds of cheese makes it very cheesy.
Chicken mushroom Cream : worth of IDR 45k
--> Chicken breast steak with mushroom cream, the cream makes the whole taste very delicious.
Chicken milanese : worth of IDR 55k
--> Chicken breast steak with tartare sauce. The best meal I've tried so far.

And my friend was right, they do have very delicious flavor beer. They have various kinds of flavor:
Strawberry (not recommended) worth of IDR 39k
Manggo (second best) worth of IDR 39k
Lychee (third best) worth of IDR 39k
Peach (reminds me of my medicine when I was a kid) worth of IDR 39k
Chocolate melt (best one) worth of IDR 45k
Sangria (mixed fruits beer with actual mixed fruits cuts) worth of 55k, the most expensive flavor beer.

IMHO, the chocolate melt beer is the most unique beer that I ever tasted. The beer itself has a chocolate taste and they add chocolate syrup on the glass, so when you drink it, the chocolate taste of the beer combines with the chocolate syrup...it was out of this world!

But something happen tonight, one of the waiter just smashed up my blackberry right of the table!!! Hate him for it...then my Mango beer was splashed all over the table and floor, ruining my pants and my phone! Arrrgggg....Hate it!!!

They do apologized a few times, replaced my drink and offered me better service afterward. But still, they ruin my blackberry. Hiks...hiks...

Anyways, I still wanna recommend the place. I love the atmosphere, I love the food, I love the beers, I love the band, bottom line...I love the place. They're responsible enough by extended me their best service.

Have you try it? Come and check the place yourself:

• Plaza Indonesia Extension, 5th Floor
• Setiabudi One, ground Floor

Better prepare yourself to be in a waiting list because the place tends to packed.

PS: Loving the band more and more. It's like they're playing my playlist all night, all the songs are my favorites.

Happy drinking fellow

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

The Cufflinks Store

I remember that I once saw unusual cufflinks in a website of a high end dept. store in London. I thought to my self, "hey, it would be great if someone sell this kind of cufflinks in Indonesia". Well, it's true when people say that you really do have to be careful of what u wish for, cause I have mine come true.

I came across this brand at Brightspot Market on their March 2010 event, The Cufflinks Store, and just like the brand they sell variety of cufflinks. If you're not too familiar with it, then I share a bit about it first.

"A cufflink (also cuff link or cuff-link) is a decorative fastener worn by men or women to fasten the two sides of the cuff on a dress shirt or blouse. Cufflinks are designed only to be used with shirts which have buttonholes on both sides but no buttons. These may be either single or double-length ("French") cuffs, and may be worn either "kissing," with the ends pinched together, or "barrel-style," with one end overlapping the other. Kissing cuffs are usually preferred." (source: Wikipedia).

Okay, back to The Cufflinks Store, at first I only passing by their booth cause I still had other things in mind back then. But luckily, I took a final lap around the market and I stopped by at their booth. I carefully look at each one of their cufflinks collections and I can't help not to smile cause I finally found my long-lost search.

Even though I only have few french-cuffs shirts but I desperately need some unique cufflinks to spruce up my rather normal-looking shirts. Well, that's what I do, I need to be different from the others. I need to have something that can be an icon in each one of my outfit. Yes, I know how ridiculous it may sound, but hey...It's me that we're talking about. Little Miss Perfectionist. So bear it with me, will ya? (Thanks, hihihi).

Unfortunately, since I was in such a hurry, I didn't buy anything from their booth (such a pity, right?). But I do asked for their business card and their web address, cause I would love to see their entire collections.

Well, here I am a month later and I finally made my purchase from the store (after days of browsing of course). I order two sets of cufflinks, The Biker and The Rubix Cube (I'm a fanatic for Rubik's Cube). The first set has arrived safe and sound yesterday and I totally love it! They came with an elegant chrome box as the packaging (very cool right?) and the cufflinks, it's just as great as I thought it would be. They were crafted in such detail and smooth finishing which make the cuffs look so expensive. The second set is still in order cause they were still out of stock, can't hardly wait to see it!

These are the few things that I love about The Cufflinks Store and maybe could be your consideration:

1. Their collections of cufflinks are simply outstanding. It was different from your usual and normal cufflinks which kinda makes your life look so dull. If you're a collector, then this store is definitely a must-visit one.
   
2. They have a high quality product but at a very affordable price, ranging from IDR 150k - 200k.
3. They can put your order on hold if as it turns out your choice is currently unavailable. This is very important for me, because if I already like something, I just have to have it.
4. They are very friendly, very helpful, and very informative. These could actually ease your shopping hustle, right?

The cufflinks Store is only in the beginning of their journey but I'm very sure that it will be a successful one. hopefully your collections will always be innovative and different from the rest. Remember...."Dare to be Different!".

So, if you're looking for an idea for a present to your love one or maybe you need it for yourself, then please check their web and order those cufflinks....
www.thecufflinksstore.com

PS : My Rubix cufflinks arrived and it's beautiful. But I think that I just store it with the rest of my rubik's cube collections cause I'm afraid to ruin such a beautiful thing. Thanks a bunch The Cufflinks Store...Love ya dearly....


Happy linking cufflers....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

K's Bakery

Already bored with your usual choices of bread? Have you ever feel that you had enough of those bakery which available in most malls in Jakarta? Well, I definitely suggest you to try this new bakery in J-Town (well not so new actually).

If by any chance you're in Kelapa Gading area, then you better stop by at K's Bakery, it's located in the Gading boulevard in the direction to MKG. Since it's impossible for me to give you the direction without mentioning other brand or store, then you should just look on your left when passing through Gading Boulevard from Pulomas to MKG.

I recommend the following types of bread:

1. Japan Pocket IDR 8.5k : filled with smoked beef, cheese, tomato sauce and covered with very thin layer of egg.
2. Yellow Sandwich IDR 9k : triangle-cut sandwich, filled with smoked beef and cheese.
3. Sushi Roll IDR 11.5k : it shaped like a sushi roll (just like its name). slices of chicken, onions, seaweed, all rolled and wrapped with a layer of bread.

I also tried few others but the above are absolutely the must-try items.

Come to the store and try it yourself, will ya?
K's Bakery
Kelapa gading Boulevard Sel No. 1-2
T : +6221 4584 1006-7


Happy tasting breadeaters....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Twinkle + Sparks

I've always been known as Miss Matching among my friends cause I always match the colors of my outfit with my shoes and accessories. So it's no wonder that I have tons of shoes (like most women) and accessories for almost every color. Here's the story of a new member of my earrings collections.

My sister bought an earrings for me about a few days ago, it's just one of her habit to surprise me with gifts, what a blessing to have a sister like her right? So, she came to me one day with that secretive look of hers and gave me a little box and asked me to open it. My jaws were wide open as soon as I saw what's inside. It was the most beautiful earrings that I ever saw. (Thank you dear, I love it a lot!).

Then she shared the story about this earrings, She accidentally found this blog which sells handcrafted jewelries from earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. As it turns out, she's been looking through this blog back and forth for the last few days (okay, I guess that's explain why she's been acting weird lately). I was super curious with this blog and ask her permission to browse it my self.

After browsing the entire blog, I was stunned, simply because it was far beyond my expectation. They have the most divine jewelry collections and it's made from genuine semi precious stones, freshwater pearls and swarovski crystals (most of the pieces are combined). Each design is made in very limited stocks (only 1-5 pieces/design), so it would makes you feel extra special for wearing an unique handcrafted jewelry.

People with this kind of blessing and talent always amaze me cause I could never made the things that they create or did the things that they do. I could see how they put their heart in creating each and one of that work of art, making each piece of the jewelry just gorgeous!

So, if you think that you're bored with your jewelry collections, then I suggest you browse this blog and find your soul-mate which would completes your outstanding looks.

I uploaded 2 pictures, one is from the blog so you could see how beautiful they really are (I hope the jeweler won't mind it, thank you =)) and the other is to show you that it comes with pretty packaging. Looooveee the packaging, love the detail-oriented finishing on the piece, love the unusual tear-drop shape of swarovski crystal, I love it!!!

Browse it, order it, wear it and love it at:
www.twinkleandsparks.blogspot.com


Happy sparkling ladies....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Monstore

Have you ever had the chance to really pay attention to our new generation? What did you see in them honestly? Well, I wanna share an eye-opening experience for me.

I used to think that they are mostly very consumptive generation. I would see them wondering at malls, cafes, and even clubs. Most of them are teenager and barely know anything about the real world except for one thing, spending money (their parents' anyway). But apparently I was wrong and I'm glad I did.

They're not just spending money but they're making money out of their creativity and talent no less. It always inspiring and amazing to see people who would have the willingness to thrive for achievement, people who could make realization of their brilliant idea, people who are blessed with talent.

I just discover a brand called "Monstore". IMHO, it's something so unique, genius and awesome combined. They sell a very simple and most basic need of a wardrobe, they sell T-shirts. But what you should know is, they made their own T-shirt's designs, what I mean by made is they draw the design first then print it on T-shirts. Their drawings is what set them apart from other T-shirts. Simple right? But you should see their designs first then you would know my amazement.

This is a growing new brand, but already started to spread their wings to Bandung, Balikpapan, Bali, Singapore and even Australia. This will be the next big thing in the clothing industry, very sure of it.

Hey Monstore, keep your creative mind alive and draw more awesomeness. I'll be sure to follow your work and be a fan from afar.

Please visit their website to see why I love them so much and buy those T-shirts !!!
www.heymonstore.com


Happy drawing monstore...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Motivational Story

I met a very dear friend of mine recently and he become an inspiration for me. I wanna share his story so we could all learn something out of it.

He's an old friend and we've lost contact for 11 years. I knew him in junior high and he's my best friend for years afterward. He came from a broken household, he never get along with his step dad so he stayed with his grandma but he cherished his mom dearly. He was a drug addict throughout junior high til college and he dropped out of college because of it. Since I lost contact with him since high school, so I never knew how he was doing. Until recently when we met and shared our life.

In the year of 2003, he realized something and he put an act towards it. He came clean from his bad habit and lifestyle, then he started out a new life. He started a business in clothing industry. Back then, he had no money, he lived from handouts of his relatives and he made a promise that he will never touch or use his step dad money. Life was a struggle for him. And that become his biggest motivation, simply because he was sick and tired for not having money.

He was offered a chance to start a clothing store (distro) from his friend. So, he gathered information and researched on the industry. However, something happen and his friend backed out. His curiosity grew with the knowledge he now had. So, he decided to start it anyway by himself. He asked for a loan from everyone, so he could start a small production. But they all rejected him cause they knew him as a junkie and he'd probably gonna use the money to buy drugs. But as if it was meant to be, someone did loan him the money he needed and he started the first production. It wasn't easy, thou he knew the process but he still need to be familiarized with the whole industry and everyone in it who's mostly very bureaucratic. He made it anyway and he had his first clothing line. Now, come the second trial, he had to find someone who's wanna sell his cloths. But all rejects him once more. Did he stop trying? Hell no, he kept on going until he met a Distro in Jakarta who's interested but not with the existing line, so he had to start all over again. He had to find a second loan, started a second production and so on. But he succeed this time and he'd able to sell those second line. Then it become third, fourth and still continue until now.

He started out a small business, he started to produced only T-shirts then Jackets then Blazers, then mostly anything that anyone would want him to produced. He gained experiences and capital, then he continued expending his business. He kept on struggling for life only for larger purpose. Did he stop cause he felt that he already succeed? A big no for that question. Because each year, he will find something new to achieve. He dreams big and the sky is his limit.

I had the chance to see him at work, well not actually working a production or something, but I saw how he work. I was amaze by what I saw because I instantly knew that I saw something huge in progress. I realized that he has a great vision for his business. I saw how dedicated, motivated and persistent he really are with his work. These are very rare quality of a person, these are his biggest tools and capitals to achieve so much more. I believe it with all my heart that he's gonna be a great success.

Well, my friend, the moral of my story are:

1. You will always be judged by people around you. From now on, just ignore all those judgments, You are what you are. Each one of us is unique in our own way. Believe in yourself and people will start believe in you.
2. We all have our own problems, our own darkest period of our life, our own rock bottom. But my friend, it's your decision whether you want to wake up from it and try to be better or you just wanna stay and "enjoy" the misery for the rest of your life.
3. Nothing happen instantly, success won't come on its own and knocking on your door, everything is a struggle. Every achievement in life needs efforts. If you don't succeed the first time, well you just have to try and try harder.
4. When opportunity opens its door for you, grab it and never doubt yourself. If it didn't succeed, then you gain experiences from it which are priceless.
5. Know yourself better, know your limits, know your abilities, then use them. Each one of us is unique and we could always do something that no one else can.
6. If you achieved something, don't just feel satisfied of it. You should always set new target and vision. This is how we become better, bigger and greater.

I hope this story could help and be an inspiration for you all like it did to me. And remember, there's always a silver lighting in everything. See you on the top!


Happy struggling people....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Cottonink

A new rising local brand with innovative clothing lines. I knew them from a friend of mine, she showed me her shawls from cottonink. At first, I'm not interested at all, not because it isn't any good only the contrary it looked great. Something new, something hip, yet something simple. But it's because I'm not so into shawls.

But, few weeks later, I saw their shawls on a website and it just hit me. I need something new to accessorized my outfits in Jakarta's "cold" rainy season cause I'm so sick of my collection of sweaters, cardigans, or pashminas. So, I searched them online and found their web. I looked at every picture and every video posted on their web and I fell in love...I thought, "hey...this could be my new fashion signature and I could wear them with any outfit, any occasion and in any "twisted" style that may occur to me on how to wear those beautiful shawls. Then, without second thought, I ordered 2 shawls.

It worked, everyone just love my new shawls. So when I knew they'd participate in Brightspot Market, I marked my calender and set my mind to buy more of their collection. I ended up buying 12 different types of shawls in different colors to mix and match with my entire wardrobe. It's completely an investment!

I loooooveeee cottonink so much, not just because of their marvelous collections but because the whole package. Like I've said, this is a new rising brand but they have great vision and very talented. IMHO, they have simple concept but they implement it into something different and it makes the simple concept become a hit! Their online shop is the most professional online shop I've ever came across (local online shop I mean). And the fact that they only started in late 2008 then within a year and a half, they already achieved so many things; They have been published in many magazines, they were a great success in most Brightspot Market events, they've been awarded with most favorite brand in the latest Brightspot Market from Cleo Magazine (voted by visitors) and many others.

So, my fellow fashionista, if you're sick and tired of your wardrobe and wanna try something different, then you should just collect cottonink's collections.

See them yourself on:
www.cottonink.blogspot.com


Happy mixing matcher...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Insights and Tips for Shopping in Sale Event

As a dedicated sale hopper (hehehe), I could be in most of sale events happening in Jakarta.

Lately, I went to Branded Sale in Bapindo. This event was held for 4 days (29 mar - 1 Apr 2010) from 10am - 9pm at Bapindo Assembly Hall. I went there on the second day (after office hour) and already anticipated full crowds, but lucky me...cause you could consider the place quite "deserted" and I only que for 5 minutes at the cashier. While earlier that day and the day before, people has been tweetting for the worst kind of sale situation.

Well, since it's a past event but more likely to be held again in near future, so I wanna share some insights and tips that might ease your shopping spree:

1. Based on few personal experiences, these kind of sale usually held in an office building or within the business district like Sudirman. Normally, people would come during lunch break or around lunch time. So, the busiest and most crowded time would be around 11am - 3pm. If you can, try to come after office hour because most people would prefer to go home to their family or have other activities. So, on several occasions, this method always works for me.
2. Come with company, 2 or 3 people at least. So, you could have second opinion on the things that you wanna buy and most importantly you could have someone to help you to stand in Cashier's que line and minimize your waiting period (in peak hours).
3. You also need to know about few basic things, like: brands that participate in the event, discount amount, promos from any credit cards (you could get additional discount), and of course the time and place of the event. Once you know the brands that participated, you could minimize the "hunting" process and time you spend for being clueless.
4. Let's not get too focus on certain brand or area, for example: If I wanna find cute cloths for my daughter in GAP Kids, so I will try to find something cute in those cloths pile but only on the surface level cause I don't wanna waste my time and energy to dig into the pile, so I just let people do it for me. Then, after few searches and findings, I leave the cloths pile and I wonder around to other brands to do the same thing. Then, I will come back again to my favorite pile and search for more. I keep on doing this and it's proven to be a success. Well, if it's meant to be then it's meant to be....you'll just find your pretty cloths like it was destine to be yours.
5. If you find cloths that you like but you're still unsure about it, just put it in your plastic bag and worry about those later. Just collect as many cloths as you like and then decide what you're gonna buy right before going to the cashier.
6. Final step, now this is the hardest part (at least for me). After collecting those beautiful cloths with bargained prices, you have to decide which ones that you're gonna buy (or will you buy it all?). Like I've mentioned in my previous blog, you have to consider about the cost and worth for your purchase. So, consider the pros and cons for every piece of cloth you found. Consider the color (can you mix and match it), consider the model (will it suits you perfectly), consider the discounted price (is it worth it), then put your existing collection at home into the equation, mix and match it between the cloths that you wanna buy and cloths that you already have. After that, you could eliminate few items, then you're ready to pay.
   

Well, i hope my insights could help you on the next sale event in Jakarta. See you among the crowds...


Happy hopping shopper...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Potato Head - Restaurant Review

I know this from a culinary forum and I'm curious to try. Lately, I finally have the chance to try this Restaurant.

They have indoor and outdoor seating, but you don't have to worry that you might get wet if you sit outdoor during rain time, cause the roof got it covers. They have 2 floors for indoor seating with unique restaurant design, I feel like I'm walking into an art gallery.

I ordered Beef Tendon Roll Sandwich, Spaghetti Aglio Prawn, Hot tea Earl Grey and draft beer. it's a bit weird for me, the price difference for hot tea and beer is only IDR 5k? It doesn't make sense. Hmmm....If I could give a score for this restaurant, then it would be 7 out of 10.

IMHO, The meal taste is kinda usually (just a bit above average), the place is great but the music is too loud and I can't have proper conversation here (making me feel less comfortable in it), the price that they charged us are kinda not worth it. Or Maybe I sat in a wrong place so the music become too loud and maybe I ordered wrong choice of menu so the taste is not as I expected. Ow well, maybe next time I should try it again.

Note:
Spaghetti Anglio Prawn is worth IDR 100k (rather small portion)
Beef Tendon Roll Sandwich is worth IDR 75k (the beef kinda smell weird or is it me who's weird?)
Hot Tea Earl Grey is worth IDR 30k (entitled for 1 time refill)
Bintang Beer is worth IDR 35k

Come on, let's try it again and proof me wrong. Hopefull, I choose the right meal next time.

Potato Head Restaurant
Pacific Place Mall Ground Floor
SCBD, Jl. Jend. Sudirman
T : +6221 5797 3322


Check this website to see the restaurant and promos:
www.ptthead.com


Happy tasting eaters....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Brightspot Market

Who would've thought of a brilliant concept like Brightspot Market. I think, who ever came up with the idea is a genius!

Brightspot Market is held several times a year in different location and it's usually held for 4 days. It's an event that gather local and international, new and thriving designers or retailers to present their work. It's mostly clothing line or accessories like bags and shoes. But I like said, it's a brilliant idea.

You will find a unique and one-of-a-thing stuffs, things that you don't usually find in regular shops or shopping malls. Therefore, anything that you buy at Brightspot Market will be a new icon and everyone else will want to have it. Trust me.

The latest event was held in March 11 - 14 2010 in Pacific Place, Jakarta. It was a great success, more than 35.000 people attend the event. It was already crowded since day 1 but you will feel the excitement and the rush of hustling among crowds, searching for your favorite thing, buying beautiful cloths, meeting talented young people and being a part of a history in the making. Truly unique experience.

I think that Brightspot Market keep improving by gathering new designers or retailers to join the event. And once you went to it, you're hooked and you'd be waiting for the next event.

Hope to see you among crowds on the next Brightspot Market.

Check this website to know the schedule:
http://brightspotmarket.com


Happy hustling youngster...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

The Apartment - Restaurant Review

Where can we get good company, delicious meal, and a comfort like in your own home? It's the hippiest new place in J-Town, The Apartment Restaurant, can give you all the above.

I know the place from a friend of mine, she said that this place is the talk of the town. So, I wanna know what so special about this new restaurant. I checked few forums and read visitors comments about the restaurant, some are good and other aren't. All those review make me even more curious to try it my self.

I wanna avoid the weekend rush so I decided to come during weekdays. The place looks exactly like what I've seen online and I immediately feel like home. I asked for a grand tour of the restaurant before I choose which room I wanna be in. They have libraries, Bathroom (the only non-smoking area), bedroom, kitchen/pantry, living room, terrace, and bar. After seeing all the rooms, I chose living room. Each room offers the same comfort, the same homey atmosphere and full of cozy sofas/chairs.

Do you ever feel that sometime it's hard to have a good conversation when you're in a restaurant because the background music is too loud? So you end up screaming to each other. Well, this is one of the reason why I love The Apartment, they play an easy listening jazzy music in the background and the volume is very friendly to your ear. I always thought that music will help set your mood or ambiance and I think The Apartment did a fantastic job for considering this into their homey concept of a restaurant.

I ordered Pizza (forget the name but it must be a pizza with meat topping), hot earl grey tea, and chocolate lava for desert on my first visit. Frankly, I didn't expect much from the meal taste because I didn't want to end up disappointed. Boy oh Boy...was I wrong. The thin crispy pizza crust combine with peperoni made a great combination and it was delicious. Then my chocolate lava came, they serve it a bit different from other restaurant, they separate the ice cream and brownie cake apart, this make the ice cream last longer and you will have hot chocolate and cold vanilla ice cream in your mouth to the very last bite....it's the best chocolate lava I've ever had.

Note:
Hot tea is worth IDR 20k (you could ask for 1 time refill only)
Pizza is worth IDR 98k (8 slices of pizza)
Chocolate lava is worth IDR 58k

They made me craving for more of their delicious meal, so I came back for second round. This time I ordered Calamari Fritter for appetizer, Gracia Tower Lasagna (one of their signature) and black burger (one of their signature also) for main course, then I order for another round of chocolate lava for desert (it's my favorite desert, so I must try it in every restaurant I visited). However, only the black burger and calamari fritter that pass my test, maybe because the lasagna taste is too sour for me. But I extremely recommend you to try the black burger, it's very yummy. They called it black burger because they made a special burger bun colored black, I'm worried about the taste at first cause I don't know whether the black color will effect the bun taste. But my oh my....they proof me wrong again. The black burger bun is even better than original burger bun, the meat is so thick, the veggies are so fresh, it just perfect. The Calamari fritter also a must try meal, they served it in big sizes cuts of calamari but it still crispy, have it with chili sauce and mayo...hhmmm....heaven on earth.

Note:
Calamari Fritters is worth IDR 55k
Black Burger is worth IDR 78k
Gracia Tower Lasagna is worth IDR 98k
Hot chocolate is worth IDR 25k (no refill)

Now I understand why this new restaurant become the talk of the town. I recommend you to come and try it yourself. Not only will you have delicious meal but also comfortableness like in your own home. You better make reservation prior to your visit especially during weekends cause the place is packed.

Restaurant information:
The Apartment
Menara Gracia Ground Floor
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav c-17
T : +6221 520 0380
F : +6221 522 0939
(It's right after Australian Embassy and before MMC Hospital)

Business hour:
Sun - Thu : 8.30 am - 12 am
Fri - Sat : 8.30 am - 2 am

Also check this official websites of The Apartment to see pictures of whole restaurant and check for new promo:
www.culinaryconcepts.asia/theapartment/


Happy eating homey....

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)

Hongkong - The City of My Dream (Part 4)

Have you fall in love with Hongkong by now? If not, let's visit the Theme Parks...You must visit Ocean Park and Hongkong Disneyland, each will need one whole day, so make sure to plan your trip right. After that, we will visit the Giant Buddha.

Ocean Park
The park opens everyday from 10am - 6 pm, just took MTR to Admiralty station exit B then follow the direction to bus station out side, took city bus no 629. There's a ticket booth near it that sells Ocean Park ticket, you could also buy the ticket on Ocean Park but if you want to anticipate the long que line, then you better buy the ticket first before hop on the bus (it's the same price). Funny thing is, I bought mine in Admiralty MTR station, there's a store/office inside Admiralty station that sells this ticket cheaper than the usual price (don't know why), this store/office is also an official seller of Ocean Park tickets but I don't remember this store/office location specifically, so you just have to keep your eyes wide open and search it yourself. The ticket is worth HK$ 250/person (adult) and HK$ 125 (children 3-11).

City bus 629 will take you to Ocean Park directly, i think it's dedicated only for Ocean Park's visitors, you will arrive exactly in front of it. Ocean Park is divided into 2 location, Headland and Lowland. If you're using the city bus 629, then you will arrive at Headland. I suggest you to start from Headland because most people start from Lowland first then they took the cable car to Headland, therefore the cable car's que line to Headland is very very very very long, you could even que for hours. While the cable car's que line to Lowland is very...well...there isn't any que...hehehe.

Maybe most of you will find that Ocean Park is more fun than Hongkong Disneyland, in a way, I thought so too. They offer exciting things for adults and children, so everyone will feel satisfied by the end of the day. As I mentioned before, Ocean Park is divided into Headland and Lowland. Headland is where all the thrill rides located, it's more intended for adults. They have 2 categories in Headland, thrill rides and animal kingdom. These are the thrill rides that you could enjoy:

1. Raging River (like Niagara-gara in Dufan)
2. Space Wheel
3. Mine Train (medium-sized roller coaster on the edge of a cliff), you will feel like falling to the ocean below.
4. The Abyss ( greatest ride in Ocean Park), you'd be pull +/- 100m from the ground and then it drops you suddenly.
5. Eagle (like Rajawali Condor in Dufan)
6. Crazy Galleon (like Kora-kora in Dufan, only bigger and better)
7. The Dragon (huge roller coaster)
8. Flying Swing (like Ontang-anting in Dufan)
9. Farris Wheel (huge one)

They also have variety of animal show or inhabitants, like:

1. Flamingo pond
2. Bird's Aviary
3. Pacific Pier (seagull)
4. Shark Aquarium
5. Attol Reef
6. Sea Jelly Spectacular (house of jelly fish, very cool place, never knew that there's so many types of Jelly fish before)

My personal favorites are mine train, the abyss, and sea jelly spectacular (simply awesome). Afterward, ride the cable car to Lowland and you'll enjoy great view Hongkong from above. It's between scary and astonishment cause it's down the hill and waaaaayyyy above the ground. Lowland is focusing on children, but we could still enjoy a thing or two here. They have:

1. Dolphin University
2. Frog Hopper (mini abyss)
3. Kids' World Playground
4. Balloon up-up-and away
5. Clown-a-around
6. Merry-go-round
7. Amazing Bird Theater (I saw a pretty cool show of those amazing birds)
8. Farm Yard Fun
9. Ocean Park Grand Prix (go cart racing), you have to pay HK$ 40/person to play
10. Sky Fair (Hot Air Balloon)
11. Giant Panda Habitat
12. And many other

Am I right? So many fun stuffs to do right? I'm sure you will completely satisfied by the end of the day. If I may suggest you, come to Jumbo Floating Restaurant afterward cause it's really near by Ocean Park, just take a taxi for only HK$ 20 fare and then have a superb meal.

Jumbo Kingdom Floating Restaurant
It's a very famous restaurant since I wasn't even born and it's known for its delicious meal, unique and artistic restaurant design, and the fact that it floats. They have few small ferry to take you to the restaurant and it's free of charge. There's also a mini photo studio in the lobby where you could take photos wearing a traditional Chinese costume, but I didn't have much time back then so I didn't take any photo and I'm very sorry for not be able to tell you the price for it.

Since I'm a fanatic for Chinese cuisine, my taste buds keep improving itself to determine a quality of this particular cuisine, so I have pretty high standard for it. But this restaurant pass my test with flying colors.

This place could also be your photographs destination, very beautiful at night. But it's a bit tricky to continue your journey from Jumbo Kingdom. It's very difficult to find a taxi and taxi will cost you quite a lot. So, may I suggest you to take bus instead? Like I've said, it's a bit tricky. Well, let me flash back a bit to the first bus ride from Admiralty MTR station to Ocean Park, you will need to pay attention to the road and you will notice a bus terminal near the area. Please memorize the bus terminal location, this will be useful for you when you want to continue your journey from Jumbo Kingdom. So, I walked from Jumbo Kingdom to bus terminal then I look for bus number (on the information board) which route pass Causeway Bay and I waited. After few days in Hongkong, I already familiar with the streets, so I easily find my way back to my apartment. Like I've said, it took guts to travel alone, but if I could do it, then I'm sure that all of you could do it too.

Hongkong Disneyland
It's located quite far from central Hongkong, it's in Lantau Island, so the best way to get there is by using MTR. Just took MTR to Sunny Bay MTR station where you change train to Disneyland Resort Line which will take you to Disneyland Resort station and you will ride on a specially designed Disney train, riding on it already an entertainment for me cause the train is so cute with Disney characters accessorizing the train's interior.

Even though the size of Disneyland is smaller to Ocean park, the rides is less exciting than Ocean Park, the view is less spectacular from Ocean Park, the price ticket is more expensive than Ocean Park, but I guarantee you that you're gonna have a MAGICAL day in Disneyland, like its tag line said. The price ticket is worth HK$ 295/person on regular day and HK$ 350/person on peak day, you have to check Disneyland Hongkong's website to know the schedule for peak or regular day.

Disneyland is divided into 4 sections of theme attractions; Main Street, USA. Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. These are the attractions for each section:

Main Street, USA:

1. Hongkong Disneyland Railroad, a tour around Disneyland using an excursion-style train.
2. Main Street Vehicles, cruising up and down main street in a motorized vehicles.
3. The Disneyland Story, original artwork, rare film footage, and artifacts from the creation of Mickey Mouse to the creation of Hongkong Disneyland.
4. City Hall, information center and where you could rent a stroller or wheelchair.

Adventureland:

1. Festival of the Lion King*, it's a pageant of music and dance about The Lion King.
2. Rafts to Tarzan's Treehouse, crossing the rivers of Adventure with a raft.
   
3. Tarzan's Treehouse, where you could explore the treehouse in search of adventure.
4. Jungle River Cruise, boat ride journey along the mysterious rivers of Adventure (very cool)
5. Liki Tikis, where you could enjoy the beat of jungle rhythms.

Fantasyland:

1. Sleeping Beauty Castle, the icon of Hongkong Disneyland.
2. Mickey's PhilarMagic**, a 3-D theater starring Mickey the Maestro and Donald the con-duck-tor.
3. Dumbo the Flying Elephant, a joy ride.
4. Cinderella Carousel, a joy ride.
5. Fantasy Garden, Where you could take photos with Disney Characters.
6. Mad Hatters Tea Cups, a joy ride.
7. The Golden Mickey*, a 25 minutes of musical show (spectacular show indeed)
8. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, a whimsical storybook journey through the Hundred Acre Wood.
9. Snow White Grotto, a wishing well.

Tomorrowland: (by far the most awesome section)

1. Space Mountain**, an indoor roller coaster ride (in the dark), very thrilling cause you won't know what will happen next.
2. Orbitron, a joy ride.
3. Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, a joy ride.
4. Autopia, a mini car race.

Note:
* This attraction only available based on the show's schedule.
** This attraction is the most favorite in Disneyland, therefore it's more likely to have a long que line. Disneyland provide a Fastpass for these attractions.
Make sure that you gather all the flyers in the main entrance, this way you would know schedule for each show and learn more about Fastpass (and how does it work).

A side from the above attractions, they also have Disney on Parade which usually scheduled twice a day and Fireworks shows everyday on closing time (regular day on 7 pm, peak day on 9 pm). You really have to stay until closing time and see the fireworks, make sure that you find a good sitting spot right in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle so you could enjoy the magical experience in a proper way. It was the most amazing fireworks show that I've ever seen. I went home feeling Magical indeed.

For you shoppers, don't worry cause they have souvenir shops every where and they sell the merchandise according to the section's theme. And you better prepare a lot of money when going to Disneyland cause you will want to buy everything in the souvenir shops (trust me). Owww....how much I love Disneyland!

The Giant Buddha

It's also located in Lantau Island and it's even farther than Disneyland. Took the MTR and stop at the last station, Tung Chung Station, it took me 45 minutes ride from Causeway Bay (Hongkong Island) to Tung Chung Station and afterward we still have to continue our journey to the top of mountain where Giant Buddha is located by using bus, it's another 45 minutes ride, or you could ride a cable car Ngong Ping 360 and enjoy the mountain view of Hongkong, its length is 5.7km and it's about 25 minutes ride. The bus fare from Tung Chung Station to Giant Buddha is HK$ 30/person, while standard cabin of Ngong Ping 360 will cost you HK$ 169/person (adult) and HK$ 86/person (children 3-11).

The Giant Buddha is located exactly on the top of the mountain. Since I went to Hongkong in winter time, it's freezing for me the whole time I'm at the Giant Buddha. You will have to pay for another HK$ 23 to climb the 268 steps of stairs. Can you imagine? 268 steps of stairs and I have to pay for it? I think I'll pass...So, I didn't climb to see the Giant Buddha up close and personal, I already satisfied seeing it from afar. But my husband did climb those stairs and he glad that he did, cause it's just magnificent, all those statues, those view, and obviously the Giant Buddha itself. So, it's totally worth it, every single one of those 268 steps just pays off. By the way, the ticket is also included for a snack and one cup of hot tea in Po Lin Monastery. So, you could relax your feet a bit before continuing the journey.

Well, I think that's pretty much everything I know about Hongkong. Can you understand now why I love Hongkong so much? I, the perfectionist, visiting a very organized city with clean air and surroundings, it's just like finding my soulmate.

Few tips from me, I think that you better come to Hongkong in early November because the weather is just perfect, it's the beginning of winter so it wouldn't be too cold and most importantly, it's not peak season, therefore you could save a lot in price tickets and hotels. You also have to gather all the information that you can get from the internet, it will help a lot (trust me). It took guts to travel alone, going to places that you know none about, but if I could do it then all of you could too. Until our next trip my fellow traveler.

Maybe these websites could help you:
www.oceanpark.com.hk
www.jumbo.com.hk
www.park.hongkongdisneyland.com
www.np360.com.hk


Happy adventure traveller...

Cheers,
MissCandyBar
=)