September 6//BABO Café hopping

I can't clearly remember that very first time when i started being a cafe enthusiast. Back then, it was always only about the menu or kinds of dishes that the cafes offer which led me to check them out, or in other words, I came there only to satisfy my tongue and stomach. 

However, now is different. It's not only about the stomach issue that matters. That feeling of convenience and acceptance during the time spent while living in the moment also take (quite) a big place in my mind and heart. Of course, I'm not putting aside the important role of taste! It's definitely still at the peak of the conditions chart. 

I'm sure you have fully understood the term 'convenience' that I pointed out above so I won't explain it further. Rather, I would love to explain the 'acceptance' part. What i mean with acceptance above is, that feeling of being accepted by the place that we're going (yup, the cafe itself). Just like coming to a close friend's/relative's house where they just don't mind you exploring every corner of their house (or even it might be possible for them to proudly guide you in exploring their cribs too, lol), snapping and posing with their amusing fancy furnitures with no worries, spending long time admiring the subtle interior and exterior design.. or, in my case, doing a stack of translation work for hours in serene, without any disturbance, at all. Such feelings are what I experienced at BABO Café on my last last last Sunday! Lol.

BABO Café's signature rattan chair <3

   

This wonderful space is located at: Johar Nurhadi street, Kotabaru, Yogyakarta (behind Bethesda Hospital). 

This place is truly a gem in the heart of Yogyakarta. Unlike any other part of the city that is always packed with  the overflowing motorbikes and cars, Babo located in a very peaceful and calming neighborhood that consistently made me fall in love with the vibe during every second of my presence here. Only a few number of vehicles passing through the street in front of this cafe. What a rare atmosphere, thought i wasn't in Yogyakarta for a moment...

Let's sneak inside the cafe, let me show you guys what my bestie and I got for brunch ;)

 Pardon my face... Just intended to look cool, turned out I even myself wanna slap  myself too. Lol.

So, here they are... BABO Café tropical fruits festivities!! ;) 

Bestie ordered Pina Coconato (that pineapple one. It consists of coconut ice cream, young coconut's flesh and jackfruit slices! ) and umm i forgot the drink she ordered tho, lol. A juice? Milkshake? Ah I simply can't remember, too bad sorry.. xD 

As for me, I ordered mango sticky rice! ;) so fresh, so yummy.. Accompanied with a glassful of strawberry mojito! We're feeling so tropically refreshed back then <3 yeay! 

Let me introduce you, my weekend darling: Ana! ;) i usually call her "Miss Ana" tho. No specific meaning, just for fun lol! We've known each other ever since junior high.

So, see you guys again on the next post! I'm thinking to write about another cafe that I found worth a visit too. So... Just wait for it okay! I hope you're all doing well, living every of your day in good high hopes, enjoying the time of your life, and listening to good musics! <3

Anyway, I'm writing this blog post via blogger app for iPhone. I don't know how this will appear in the desktop version yet tho. However, I found this app very helpful at eradicating my tendency to procrastinate posting something on Morning Hope! Yes, I do hang a high hope for posting anything regularly again just like those good old days, by downloading this app ;)  *fingercrossed* I'm even writing this at airport lounge, waiting to get on board in few minutes!! 

Well well well, see you guys again! I'll be flying to Jakarta in a bit, so... Good night, beautiful souls! 

xx,

Your always so clumsy Shabrina

Hakone Getaway // Part 1

-December 7th, 2013-

A memorable one day getaway towards Hakone earlier this month. Hakone is famous for its onsen (hot spring) resorts and numbers of impressive natural views such as Mount Fuji, Lake Ashinoko and Owakudani Valley. But this time my friends and I didn't enjoy the onsen, yet we tried another course that was also very fun. What is that another fun course ? Feel free to scroll down to know the answer ;)

Bought a Hakone freepass for 3,900 Yen so that my friends and I could stroll around Hakone as much as we wanted, freely. This freepass was valid for two days tour but we only used it for one day because we decided not to spend the night there.

At Odawara station while waiting the others

First destination : Soba making !--That another fun course that I mentioned at the beginning ;p

I think some of you may be quite familiar with the term "soba" which refers to Japanese buckwheat noodles.

The soba master

Spread the dough with the machine. It was very fun to do ! As the dough stretched, it became very thin and ready to be cut.

It took around 30 minutes of work share for our group to finish cutting the dough into tiny pieces. If you're observant enough, you may notice the thick pieces at the leftmost. Haha they were our first attempt. Luckily we got better and better at the end. Yeay!

"itadakimasu !" 

after several hardships at the beginning when we stirred the dough, also the cutting session that really took time, finally our DIY-Soba !! Lol. But all the process was really worth the satisfaction. We left happily, ready to head to the next destination.

 We were on our way heading to Motohakone Pier to board the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. We stopped for awhile to snap the scenery of Lake Ashinoko. It was a beautiful place with a really clean air.

Anyway, see the beautiful green ship, right? It is called as The Victory Cruise, the ship that we board to cruise around the lake. There are three sightseeing boats that run on this lake: Vasa, Royal, and Victory.

I'll show you more about the cruise and our rope-way experience on the next post ! Soon, I promise :)

xx,

Shabrina

Tokyo Rikugien // Evening Light Up

Almost forgot that I have these stock of photos taken at Rikugien Garden, Tokyo a week ago ! How careless I am to let this babies remain in a folder in my hard disk.

So this is it, evening light up ! Another dramatic way to enjoy autumn beside going to the park and having lunch under the Ginkgo trees. Went here with my friends (as ever), anyway. It was so interesting and thrilling, also for the one who's not so good at taking night photography like me it was quite challenging ! :D 

You know, I was busy with my camera's setting, stopped walking for a while to check if I got the best shots with it, while the security staffs kept on telling all the visitors to keep going and restrain from taking pics by standing still. haha, geez. They really didn't know how to enjoy light up I guess. Oops.

tea house inside the garden

I was so lucky, because the time when I went there, it was the last day of evening light up ! I guess now is the time for Christmas illumination. By the way,  I never imagined before that autumn in Japan will be extraordinarily romantic like this, lol. I enjoyed so much, although it was cold enough. I entered the garden around 5 p.m and left at 6:30.

Ah I love these lens flares ! They turned out so natural and sparkling, yeay (y)

Basic Information

Opening hours: 09:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)

Evening light up until 21:00 during autumn color and cherry blossom seasons.

Closed: December 29th to January 1st

Admission Fee: 300 Yen

This garden is so recommended. I'm planning to visit it again someday with my Mom ! <3

See ya !

xx,

Shabrina