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January 29, 2005
Indo Vibe Party @ Cityscape - Hilton Hotel
Saturday night whole bunch of us went to Indo Vibe party @ Cityscape. Cong, Kathy’s friend, organized this Indonesian party. Not sure why, because Cong himself is a Singaporean. I reserved tables for 15 people, and 12 people came.
We picked up Kathy, Fersan and Yute, and met the rest (Greg, Reza, Alvin, Karlina, Andry, Sandy, Rudi, Anton) at Cityscape. Antos, Kresna, Didot, Phei2, Lisa, were there. Pretty much all the youngsters were there. Damn I feel old!! Oh well, I always feel young at heart….ehem..
They had fashion show (not sure why), therefore we couldn’t dance until the fashion show done which was around 12.30 am.
After the show was done, everybody just jumped to the stage, including me, and just danced danced danced…..and of course Ms. Yute ‘Dancing Queen’ Sasmitra accompanied me. She even mouthed every single song they were playing. We danced till the place closed at 2 am.
Then went home, dropped off Yute, Fersan & Kathy. We got home around 3.15 am. And I got to wake up early tomorrow for morning Mass & U2 concert tickets start on sale at 10 am.
Posted by hamdani family at 06:18 PM | Comments (1)
Betti's getting old
Happy Birthday to Betti!! She’s 30 years old today.
So I went to her house for her bday party lunch, and I made her ‘the well known so damn good Stuffed Tofu…hahahhahaha…..joking oke??
A lot of friends from Church and the foods were very good; we had es teler for desert, all the good stuff. The birthday cake was funny. Maryani picked that, good choice Mar. I don't want the cake, I want the real decoration. I think I wasn't the only one.
After lunch we played some games, then I went home around 4 pm.
Again, Happy Birthday Betti !!, Wishing you Happiness through all the seasons of your life.
Posted by hamdani family at 06:14 PM | Comments (2)
January 25, 2005
Kimpton Accounting Luncheon & The Rising Star Award.
I went to Sir Francis Drake with Mary Ann & Hon for Kimpton Group Accounting Luncheon. This was annual gathering they usually have. Anton, my brother’s friend, who works for P&P was also there. He was surprised that most of the Accounting people are Chinese. Well, get used to it Ton.
Basically on this luncheon, we had lunch, played whatever games they threw us, and done. This time the 1st game was, the price is right (our table win this game) and the 2nd was decorating our table with Valentine’s theme. Hon was soo excited and enthusiastic about the 2nd game, meanwhile the rest of us were in ‘whatever’ mood, didn’t really care.
After the luncheon back to work, and we had a meeting. This meeting was to nominate hotel employees for the Hotel Hero Award (www.hotelheroes.com), and Jean-Pierre nominated me for The Rising Star Award. Hhhmmmm….Rising Star, maybe it should be Rising Super Star…..hahhahaha…That would be perfect for me.
We also nominated Ondina (Exec. HK) for Life Time Achievement Award. She’s been working with Kimpton Group for 20 years, yeeaahh she deserves that. Hopefully someone from KG will win something this year. Heeyy that could be me, in that case, allright then, gotta go, I better start prepare my accepting speech…
Posted by hamdani family at 05:16 PM | Comments (1)
January 22, 2005
Tsunami Concert GG Park & Kevin's Bday @ Buca di Beppo
We went to Indonesian Concert for Tsunami in GG Park around 2 pm. But we had lunch first at oh well, Hulu House (again???). We had been craving for Wonton Noodles since last night (apparently we didn’t have enough last night) and that was the only entrée we had for lunch. Didi didn’t want to share his, so we ordered 2 Wonton noodles. We also ordered 2 other entrées to go.
We knew there would be some vendors selling Indonesian foods, but we were not excited. These types of vendors usually sell the foods overpriced, and sometimes the foods are not that good. Hulu’s foods are way better and healthier (as long as you don’t order Laksa all the time, which have coconut milk in it).
We met Novi-Steve, Evy-Ming-Nathan, Antos and whole bunch of Dewa’s concert committees over there. They had bands, Indonesian dance & traditional musical. Valen sang too with one of the band around 2pm. And that was the only reason we came to the concert.
The concert done around 3pm, and we went home. Novi actually wanted to order food also from Hulu, unfortunately they closed from 3-5pm. Wuaaahhh, she craved the food too….hahahhaaaa… I’m telling you, it’s addictive. We drove Novi & Steve home, and stayed at their place for a while.
And tonight, we went to Kevin’s Bday dinner @ Buca di Beppo @ 8.30pm. Before we went there we picked up Gary, and then headed to Jillian’s at Metreon to meet Kevin & Riana and some of their friends. We just stayed @ Jillian’s about half hour before went to Bucca.
There were quite a few people, some are from Kevin’s previous job @ Wamu, and the others are his families (sisters and cousins). Me and Didi sat in the corner, next to Pretycia and his sisters & cousin. Ohh maan, they are evil!! They told us everything bad about Kevin. We found out (from them) that Kevin is a PORN FREAK. Woww, we didn’t see that coming!! HAHHAAAAHAAAA…..Thanks for sharing girls!!
Posted by hamdani family at 04:52 PM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2005
Dinner @ Hulu House & Tony's house
We went to Hulu House Vegetarian Rest. again for dinner. Unlike last week, we just went with a small group, just me-Didi, Novi-Steve, Maya & Toni. We ordered all time favorite: Laksa & chicken drumstick, and a few more items. And we discovered new entrée: Wonton Noodle w/ Bbq pork, uuuhhh sooooo yummy. Didi said it tasted like noodle he used to have when he grew up in Singapore.
After dinner we went to Tony’s Apart. just to hangout, and hell, he has a nice place with beautiful view. Not to mention a very clean & organized too. WOW!!! I’m so impressed. I think this is the 1st time, I’ve been to male apartment (who cooks) and still managed its cleanliness. Not long after we were there, Greg and Adrian joined us. Greg just picked up Adrian from SFO airport, he’s from Malaysia, and in SF for business trip for a few weeks.
This was the 2nd time, Novi been at Tony’s, so she was actually the one who gave us brief tour about Tony’s kitchen. She opened his refrigerator, each drawer, each shelf and showed us what were inside and how organized he is. Me and Maya was just laughing. Not sure whether Tony was okayed with us snooping around like that. But the good thing was; now I knew a lot of new things for my grocery shopping. All those veggie meat turn out pretty good (as long as you know who make them).
Maya went home around 12.30 am because she had to work the next day. The rest of us stayed until around 2 am.
Posted by hamdani family at 04:35 PM | Comments (1)
January 11, 2005
Gold Dust, Hulu House & Cafe de Peira
I had to do wine hour on Friday from 5 – 6 pm (complimentary wine and beer for our hotel guests daily, and all managers have schedules to do this). So I told Novi and Pablo to stop by during this wine hour before we all went to Gold Dust for happy hour.
After I’m done with my so called job, I joined Novi & Pablo and had 1 glass of wine. We talked until around 6.15 then walked to Gold Dust and Nancy was already waiting at the door when we got there. Shortly after that Steve, Tony, Pablo, Didi & Fersan came. Then Greg, Maya, Kathy and his 2 friends also joining us. Lastly were Youlanda & Patrick. However, just 2 minutes after Youla & Patrick arrived (almost 8 pm), we all had to leave because we had dinner reservation @ Hulu Rest. at 8 pm. We definitely were late for our dinner reservation. I just felt bad that we had to leave right away just after Youla & Patrick came, but oh well we had been at the Lounge from 6.30, and we were all hungry. Sorry guys!!.
We had dinner at Hulu Rest. at Kirkham and 11th Ave, this is the best Singapore Vegetarian Rest. in town. We ordered Laksa, Pork chong fun, Vegi chicken drumstick, wonton, tofu, and all kind of stuff. I just ate whatever they served without worry. I was glad that Tony ordered the food perfectly. Everything turned out very good, even Maya, the hardcore meat eaters, said it was the best vegetarian rest. she’s ever been to.
I’m glad that she enjoyed it. Sometimes it’s hard to ask non-vegetarian to go to vegetarian rest. and eat those fake meats. I think what goes to their mind is ”Why would I want to do that? Why would I want to eat fake meat?” So to find that non-vegetarian actually loves this restaurant is quite satisfying, and prove them that we have normal taste bud too.
After dinner, we decided to have dessert at Cafe de Peira on Clement & 5th Ave. We had coffee and dessert, and also enjoyed the Trio jazz performers. Marjo and Alvin came also to join us.
We had a funny discussion about Maya’s who wants to join “Walk for Life” next Saturday (I think she’s in the wrong crowd); meanwhile Gregg proposed that all of us join him for “Bike for Choice”…..hahahahaaaa that was funny. Compared to his Hyaat joke, this joke was lame Dude!! We were at Café de Peira until a little bit around midnight.
SPECIAL NOTE TO GARY & KEVIN:
Didi didn’t lie about where we were going. We truly went out with this group of people, when you asked us out. Kevin, you read different journal man!!.
Posted by hamdani family at 03:46 PM | Comments (0)
January 08, 2005
Nathan's Baptism & House Party
This morning we went to Nathan’s Baptism (Ming & Evy’s son) at St. Dominick Church at 10 am, quite early for us compared to our regular Saturdays (that’s why we were a few minutes late). The ceremony was about 40 minutes, then after pictures taken, some of the guests went home and some went to Betti’s house for lunch. How about me? Of course I’d come to Betti’s house.
I went to Betti’s house by myself after I dropped Didi off. There waayy too many food for just 20 of us. The foods were: Nasi Uduk, Fried Noodle, Fried Chicken, Spinach w/ garlic, Walnut Prawns and Sweet & Sour Pork. Even though I couldn’t eat most of them, I still managed to stuff myself. I was impressed with my capability to do that.
And for dessert, Maryani and Maya made bubur kacang ijo, hhmmmm yummy!!
We were at Betti & Bill’s house until around 4 pm. And you know what, even though they had a lot of left over, but we managed to clean them up, YUP, TO GO is the key word. I was jokingly said the food that I took was actually for the tsunami victims.
I got home around 4-ish, and called people around to know what their plan for tonight. And Novi and me managed to get 16 people to have dinner together at local Chinese Rest. called 8 Immortal. This rest. is a local favorite, which is cheap, and the food is quite good. When my parents were here, they always wanted to go to this rest. for lunch, after we went to church on Sundays. They just loved that place, even though they were here for 3-4 months, they never got bored. Sundays is 8 Immortal day.
So who showed up for dinner? Me & Didi, Novi & Steve, Rudy & Ivon, Greg, Aldi and his friend (sorry, forgot his name), Valen & Irene, Fersan, Reza, Alvin, Sandy and Andry, Novi’s brother who literally just arrived from NY.
After dinner Reza asked a question, who were up for drink, and oh well, I raised my hand. And Novi added, she didn’t care where we were going to have it, the place doesn’t have to be fancy, as long as there’s alcohol, she’d be there. Yeah!! That’s the spirit girl!!
Then we decided to have it at our place. Cool!! Reza, Alvin & Andry brought 1 full bottle of Vodka, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, Tequila, and we provided Cognac, Bailey, Whiskey & Gin. Alvin acted as our bartender, mixed simple drinks, such us screwdriver or just Whiskey & Coke.
Valen-Irene, Aldi & his friends left at around 11.30, then Rudi-Ivon & Ajas showed up around midnight. Some of us stayed in the living room watched TV and the hardcore drinkers (Greg, Fersan, Novi, Me, Didi, Reza, Alvin, Andry) talked standing up in the dining room, munched pumpkin seed (weird huh?) and kept drinking. The stories are getting funny and funnier. Loots of shots!! I said something weird, which made everybody (Greg especially) laughed and of course I didn’t remember a thing. We talked in the dining room until about 2 am. Novi, Steve & Greg left around 2 am too.
The rest of the group stayed until around 3 am, we watched Double Take (not sure who brought the video) and we kept rewinding one particular scene, which at that time was hilarious. We just laughed until we all had tears, especially when Reza didn’t realize that he hit Didi with his broken arm, and after that he was in grateful pain. And we just laughed. What a cruel crowd!! When they left, me and Didi watched them from our Apt which in the 2nd Floor, and we saw Reza laughed and lied down on the sidewalk, because of what Andry did. Eeeuuuuu….Yuck!!
Didi had a major major headache that night; ooh well he drank too much and mixed drinks too. I was fine because I stopped after a few shots. Ooh gosh, what a great house party. Hopefully we don’t do this every month.
Posted by hamdani family at 12:09 PM | Comments (1)
January 07, 2005
Dinner date @ McCormick & Kuletos
Friday night we had a dinner date, just me and Didi, at McCormick and Kuleto’s Seafood Restaurant in Ghirardelli Square-Fisherman’s Wharf. Even though it has the same name as the restaurant I am currently working for (Kuletos Italian Restaurant), but they run by different management companies. They have the same name because Pat Kuleto is the designer for both places (and many more restaurants in SF).
We had table facing the big window, so you can see directly through the bay. Unfortunately during the night the view was not really all that good, though. The standing water nears the Marina and there were no clear sight lines to the most spectacular portions of Marin County from the restaurant. But the reason we went there was not because of the view, we went there to have a nice and wonderful dinner.
We ordered Clam Chowder, Coconut Prawns with Papaya Mango Salsa and Red Curry for Appetizers, and I had Escolar (name of fish which I’ve never heard)- Griddled with Rock Shrimp Potato Hash, Steamed Asparagus, Lobster Butter Sauce, Crème Fraîche and Caviar (Oooohhh sooo good!),and Didi had Sea Bass- Grilled with Orzo Pasta, Steamed Asparagus and White Wine, Tomato, Caper Sauce (which he didn’t like). We were so stuffed; we didn’t have room for dessert.
After dinner, I called Novi; we were planning to stop by to her place and burn some songs. This gal has quite good collections. But when I called she was still having their dinner at Sakana Bune. Well in this case we just went straight home. Maybe some other time deh say!
Posted by hamdani family at 11:36 AM | Comments (2)