Monthly Favorites

2017 is almost ending. Only a couple of hours left as I'm dabbling into this post. I think it's kind of fitting to share with you some of my favourites from this month. I actually have quite a few things that have recently became my favourites. But, I think it calls for a separate post when I want to get in depth about those other things.

Here are some of my current favourites, things that I'm really into this month.

Staying Sane Being a Mom

"If you're a woman, go out with your friends as often as you can. It's good for your health, both physically and emotionally because there's not much that's as good as a night of laughter, adventure, and great company."

I find this oh so true. Especially mom friends. Why? Because you went through basically the same ups and downs you live with as a 'mother'. We love our kids and husband, but there's nothing wrong with putting your prettiest outfit, your most amazing red lipstick, and have fun with your friends every once in a while.

Stay sane and happy all you mothers out there!

Lazy Sunday

Sunday means family day. I spend it with my husband and kids. Just because it's Sunday, doesn't mean you should look anything less than 'presentable'. I still like to look put together and chic even during the laziest of days outing with my family.

What I'm wearing:

Topshop military jacket - H&M basic white t-shirt - Topshop Jamie skinny jeans - Givenchy mini Pandora bag in black - Chanel slingback shoes - SRW Libra leather bag strap

#friendsgiving

"While deep friendships can sometimes be formed in three minutes,

other superficial ones can linger on for years"

-Garance Dore Love Style Life

I'm so grateful for all my "three minutes"

Friendship #twocents

There comes a point in your life

when you realize who matters,

who never did,

who won't anymore,

and who always will.

And in the end

you learn who is fake,

who is true,

and who would risk it all for you.

These words hit home real hard for me. Recently, I have experienced a major enlightenment when it comes to people I consider 'friends'. Over the years, as I grew older (and hopefully wiser), I have come to terms with the fact that the people I used to call my friends, will eventually come and go. And only those who are truly in it for the same reasons/goals are usually here to stay. I came to terms of finding out who my real true friends are.

I am pretty fortunate that some friends who I have grown up with are still here to stay. Some, we just drifted apart naturally. And some, I had to learn the hard way of finding out that they're only there in the first place with their own agenda. They don't really give a fuck about you unless there's something in it for them. That sucks. But, we had to let those people go from our lives. Right? If not, they're only going to bring you down with their negativity.

I'm also very fortunate that along the way, I also managed to find new people who shared the same groove and vibes. And those people have became good friends.

So I guess, what I'm trying to say is that, don't worry if you're no longer friends with certain people in your circles. Those weren't meant to stay anyway. The good ones? They'll always stay, and if you haven't found them, they'll come into your live eventually. You just have to look out for the good ones. They'll worth every inch of your time.

I no longer have the energy

for meaningless friendships,

forced interactions

or unnecessary conversations.

Jakarta Fashion Week 2018

I was invited to a few shows during the Jakarta Fashion Week 2018, but from mommy duty, two kids recovering from mild flu and husband's birthday happening all in the same week, I had to decline most of them.

I did went to one of my friend's show, SOE JAKARTA (shout out to @monique_soe) along with two others on the same day brought by the British Council. It was fun.

The One with His Birthday

We celebrated my husband's birthday over the weekend. His birthday was actually on October 25th. But we decided to have his birthday lunch with our family last Sunday (on the 29th) at Sakana Japanese Restaurant (Mid Plaza).

The One with the Birthday Trip

My husband took me and the kids to Singapore on behalf of celebrating my birthday week there as well as a birthday gift for both my kids (who had their birthdays 2 weeks apart from each other.. and then mine was only a week apart from my youngest). It was a fun week as we get to spend a lot of quality time together just the four of us.

Thank you for the awesome trip, babe. I'm so blessed to have you and the kids in my life.

Birthday Brunch Girls

A few of my close girl friends and I went out for brunch the other day to celebrate my (belated) birthday at one of our favorite spot, Monolog Coffee.

Massive thank you to Monolog who has always been so incredibly accommodating with their good food and good services. I mean, they brought out a special birthday Latte Art with my face on it! How cool is that?!

Summer Leather

Just because it's (technically still) summer weather, doesn't mean you can't pull off a leather skirt.

What I'm wearing:

Topshop shirt - H&M leather skirt - Repetto 'Brigitte' flats - Givenchy mini pandora bag

Quay Australia vesper sunglasses - H&M baker boy cap (last photo)

Birthday Wish

My birthday is just a few days away!

Clockwise: Canon G7x Mark II, Repetto Brigitte shoes in black patent leather, Cupcakes and Cashmere At Home book, Chanel Mini Square in black caviar leather, Chanel loose powder in No. 30, Chanel compact powder

Well. I mean.. a girl can always dream, right?

A Museum Kind of Day

Jakarta History Museum / Museum Fatahillah

Last weekend, while husband is away on a business trip, I took my kids to visit Jakarta History Museum (or famously known as Museum Fatahillah). My eldest is a really history buff, so I thought this might be a good activity for us to do.

12 Steps to Self Care

I stumbled upon this amazing eye opener self reminder on how to care for yourself: Your well-being, Your sanity. I thought I'd share it here.

Hello September

Summer months are officially over (although not where I'm from.. we only have Summer all year long, except for the rainy months season we have now and then).

HELLO SEPTEMBER.

We have finally reached my birth month.. I'm hoping September is going to be pretty epic. Quite a few things to look forward to: My daughter's 2nd birthday, and also My husband is planning a birthday trip for us. Yay.

That 90s Vibe

Channeling that whole 90s, Skater vibe on a sunny late afternoon.

What I'm wearing:

H&M floral wrap dress - Quay Australia 'vesper' sunglasses - Vans old skool sneakers

La Cru Chanel

Taking some of my vintage Chanel beauties out and about..

These were given to me by my mother and as you can see, they are in superb conditions. My mother and I really take good care of our treasured fashion pieces. I wish to hand them over to my daughter too one day.

"Classics are Timeless"

You're My Lobster

This post is dedicated to a very special someone. My "lobster".

To the man who has taught me what Love is:

Patience (for putting up with my antics)

Courage (for making me stand up for myself)

Doting Parents (for becoming my personal 'manny' when needed)

Loyal (for going that extra mile for me)

Caring (despite your 'stiff' persona)

Encouraging (for pushing me to take more risks)

..and most importantly,

Annoys the living daylight out of me.

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you for a wonderful 8 years of love and adventures.

We made a promise to love and cherish each other 8 years ago, so Here's to many more amazing adventures to come!

Happy Wedding Anniversary, my Love.

Bullet Journal: Start

I have been diving into the whole bullet journal journey. I'm finally able to put my mind into it and ready to commit myself into this whole wonderful world of bullet journaling.

And what do you know, it actually worked really well with my OCD and anxiety issues.

How to start, you ask?

Simple!

To start your own bullet journal adventure, all you really need are two things: a Journal and a pen.

Any kinds of journal and/or pen will do. In my case, since I'm such a stationery geek, I really put a lot of effort in choosing the perfect journal and pens that I know would work well for my needs. I really love my Leuchtturm1917 dotted journal (I prefer the dotted pages compared to the lines or squares because it's so much easier to work around with). This journal has great paper quality, has a decent number of pages and it looked simple and chic. For pens, I personally love ones that feels buttery soft when you write with: Staedtler, Uni-ball and Greebel are my personal favorites (all in plain black). And then, to add more colors and dimensions to your bullet journal, I like Koi Brush Pen. Also, to add more decorations to your bullet journal, I love using stickers and washi tapes (you can find them online these days).

If you're interested and want see more of my bullet journal adventure, I occasionally record my journey on my instagram story. So make sure you hop on there (@karagunawan) and see when I post stuff about my bullet journal. Would love to hear your feedback and whatnot.

Until next time!

Japan Hauls

Check out some of the goodies I got from my recent trip to Japan!

(We'll go from Left to Right)

1. Blazer and Shorts Co-ords

These are from H&M. I've been looking for blazer and shorts co-ords for a while now, so when I saw it on their website of course I wanted it. However, the H&M Jakarta don't have them in one set (they only came with the blazer). So when I saw them in H&M Kyoto (as a complete set), I snatched them right away. The fabric materials are fine, they're comfortable and fit very nicely. It looked nice too.

2. PureSmile gold and black pearl sheet masks

These are my favorite sheet mask brand from Japan. My personal favorite has got to be the gold and black pearl one. They came in a pack of 8. I bought them in Tokyu Hands, but you can find them in any Japanese cosmetic/drugstores.

3. Marvel Face Pack (Iron Man and Captain America)

I also love these characters sheet masks. This time I got The Avengers' series. I can't wait to use them.

4. KITTA washi tapes and Alphabet stickers ("K")

I geeked out a bit at Tokyu Hands' stationery aisle.

5. REPETTO Rose Mary Jane in black patent

6. Harry Potter's "Ravenclaw" pin

I got this pin at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Studio Osaka.

7. VANS Old Skool sneakers

8. UNIQLO frilly white tops

9. Fringe earrings in tan

10. High waist trousers in military green

This trouser I also got from H&M on my last day. I saw it on the display mannequin, fell in love, tried it, bought it. End of story.

Current Favorites: Perverse 'Muse'

I really love cool sunglasses. I've had quite a collection. Classic edgy style mostly. None of those weird funky looking ones though.

My current absolute favorite at the moment has got to go to my 'Muse' sunglasses in white (here), which retailed at $42 a piece, from Perverse Sunglasses, a Los Angeles based sunglasses company.

Check out their website for more cool and chic sunglasses to your heart's delight. I highly recommend this brand. Not only they have so many varied selections, they are super affordable and well-made too. I'm eyeing on what to get for my next purchase.

Current Go To: John Masters Organics Scalp

After giving birth to my daughter, I experienced the worse postpartum hair fall/loss I've ever had. It was so bad that I can easily see some parts of my head thinning. I've tried a couple of different hair treatment/tonic. None of them worked to its max potential I think. And they made my scalp itch and my roots dry. A few months after giving birth, a friend of mine recommended that I should take biotin supplement (mine is this one). So I did. And it helped to a certain level. I've got baby hairs starting to grow exponentially. But it still lacking that volume, shine, and oomph that I want.

During my trip to Singapore back in February, I went to Sephora (of course) and went to the hair section. I found the John Masters products and rest my eyes on the Scalp Treatment spray. I bought it mainly because it is organic and there weren't many chemicals within the ingredients. So I decided to gave it a try for a month or two at least. Lo and behold, I've only been using it for over a month and I have found quite a dramatic change in my hair! I find more hairs are growing and thickening in the areas where it used to be thinning post-partum. My hair strands grew its size. Even my hairstylist noticed the difference when I went in her salon to get a trim. She said she could felt it when she grab my hair in a ponytail it felt thicker than it used to. My scalp didn't feel itchy and my roots aren't dry. My hair felt more luscious and easier to style. All in all, I'd say this is a product I live for! Success! Highly recommended if you are experiencing similar problems as me.

***

The One About Japan (finale)

Tokyo Sky Tree

We've finally come to the last chapter of our Japan Winter Trip saga. The last two days of our trip.

The One About Japan (part 6)

Shabu Shabu time!

December 31, 2017

It's New Year's eve. But it's going to be a super short post this time. I think I'm pretty knackered from the previous pack-unpack mode the last couple of days.. We didn't really plan anything special for New Year's celebration. But do read on anyway.

The One About Japan (part 5)

Gion, Kyoto, for some authentic Japanese experience

Let's visit Kyoto for one night!

The One About Japan (part 4)

The famous Gundam statue at Odaiba

This will be the last time I'll ever get to see its glory because they're tearing it down March 2017

Sorry I've been MIA. There has been quite a lot of things going on right now. Nothing major, mostly my own issues that needs to be sorted out. But I'm back now, and shall we return to my Japan trip recap story? We shall. Let's go.

Singapore Fastcapade

What I Wore:

ASOS black crop top (no longer available)

ASOS black high waist tapered trousers (no longer available)

ZARA black leather jacket (similar here)

REPETTO 'Brigitte' black flat shoes (here)

GUCCI Soho Disco Bag in metallic (here)

Missing You

My dearest Tisha,

I love you. Forever and always. You are the most gracious, kind and beautiful human being I ever known. I am so blessed to have you in my life as a sister/cousin. I miss you so much already, it hurts.

You've put a dagger straight to my heart. It pains me so much seeing you gone. Knowing that I will no longer be able to hear your voice, see your face.. But I know time will slowly heal the wound. And the scar will become a beautiful memory of you.

You will always be in my heart.

Japan Hauls

I thought we take a little break from my Japan trip saga for a bit. I'm going to do a little haul post here. Stuff I got from my trip to Japan.

This trip I didn't really buy anything fashion-wise, mainly because it was mostly winter clothing (stuff I can't exactly wear back home - think hot and humid). With that in mind, I went a little cray with beauty products. I've been obsessing over face sheet masks for a while now. It has been part of my beauty regime new year's resolution thing. So yeah.

1. I got a bunch of varied Japanese face sheet masks

My personal faves would be the Geisha and Nightmare Before Christmas one. I've tried some of them, and they've been amazing so far.

2. I got the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base

3. Also as a part of my get fit new year's resolution, I got myself an Exercise Loop

4. I got the Repetto Electra shoes in Hermine Taupe

Something I've been wanting for a while now.

5. Vans Sk8-Hi sneakers in tan/blush color made out of vegan leather

6. A Japanese wooden hair brush

7. Another personal fave purchase from the trip, a Daruma doll bento box

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The One About Japan (part 3)

Tokyo Disneysea has got to be one of my favorite Disney park ever! So beautiful.

Brace yourself. Part 3 is here and we're in Tokyo Disneysea for 2 days!

The One About Japan (part 2)

Ueno Park

It's time for part two of this whole Japan trip saga.

The One About Japan (part 1)

Arrival at Narita International Airport, Tokyo, Japan

It's time for the Japan trip story! Are you ready?

Hello 2017!

Happy New Year everybody!

I think 2016 has been a pretty sucky year in general for the world, as I've probably already mentioned in my previous post. However, despite all the sucky thing that's happening around the world, 2016 still has some of its perks in my life personally. There has been some amazing moments here and there. But all in all, I'm glad 2016 is done and I'm hoping for a better 2017 for myself and the rest of the world.

***

Speaking of which, I have been back from my Japan trip a few days ago, but I haven't gotten my groove back to blog about it. Give me a hot minute and I'll get around to it ASAP. I promise. It's just that soon as I'm back in the hometown, I have been super occupied with so many things that I couldn't just sit still for a minute in front of my computer to blog.

This trip, I didn't manage to produce any materials for a vlog, and I didn't manage to produce too many pictures mainly because: a). my younger kid was being a bit difficult during the trip, and b). our schedule was so packed, I was just basically couldn't care less to document too much. So forgive me if I don't have much 'materials' to show you. But I will try my best to tell a good story about the trip.

So, yeah. I hope everyone had a good New Year's party (or staying at home comfortably ringing new year) and let's all hope for a better year ahead!

Cheers!