A Fishing Place

click to enlarge

This fishing place isn't far from our home. It only needs ten minutes to reach it. While my father and my husband are fishing, I prefer to wandering around and taking pictures.Can you see the man sitting alone? He's my husband :)

The Weekend in Black and White

Different Types of Cookware:Advantages and Disadvantages

Stainless Steel Cookware
Stainless steel would have to be the most familiar kind of cookware materials. You will possibly discover it in most homes. Stainless steel is really an alloy of metals including steel, carbon and chromium. It’s called ‘stainless’ because of its capability to resist rust.

Stainless steel is a good choice for cookware but because of its incapacity to conduct heat well; it is significant that you select stainless steel cookware that has an aluminum or copper core. Without it, you will find that you will get hot spots on the cooking surface and foods will cook unequally.

Advantages
Relatively low-cost
Long-lasting
Scratch resistant
Keeps it glossy look for a long time
Doesn't react with foods
Warp resistant
Disadvantages
Not a good conductor of heat

Cast Iron Cookware
Cast iron is a matter that has been used to make cookware for hundreds of years. Those that apply cast iron cookware completely affirm by it for its excellent cooking ability. On the other hand, cast iron cookware is not a simple to retain product. It needs a little attempt to maintain it working the way it should.

It is extremely durable and it is not uncommon to find cast iron cookware that has been passed down through the generations.

Advantages
Relatively inexpensive
Extremely durable
Good heat retention
Disadvantages
Reacts with foods unless seasoned
High maintenance; requires regular seasoning
Is heavier than most other types of cookware
Can rust unless seasoned

Aluminum Cookware
Aluminum is used in just about 50% of all cookware produced nowadays because of its exceptional heat conduction. Aluminum is a soft metal and can simply scratch and dent. It can also react with definite foods which is why it is usually sandwiched between other metals. You will often find stainless steel cookware with a layer of aluminum providing the advantages of both materials.

Aluminum is also often treated through a process known as anodization. This process places a layer of aluminum oxide onto the surface making it scratch resistant as well as making sure that it doesn’t react with foods. Aluminum cookware is often finished with a nonstick coating to guarantee food remains unburned.

Advantages
Excellent heat conduction
Disadvantages
Reacts with acidic foods
Scratches and dents easily

Copper Cookware
Copper cookware is usually used between professional chefs because of its outstanding heat conduction. Copper cookware on its own is generally quite costly so it is not often applied in home kitchens.

Copper is also often found sandwiched between layers of other materials like stainless steel. Copper cookware is the cookware of chefs and for good cause. It conducts heat extremely well which means it heats quickly and adapts to changes in temperature fast. This allows better direct over your cooking.

Advantages
Excellent heat conduction
Disadvantages
Relatively expensive
Reacts with acidic foods
Requires regular polishing

data source:whatscookingamerica.net

Yellow Things at Gubeng Train Station

Monday is time for us to see splash of yellow! I can share yellow things that I saw at Gubeng Train Station in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. When I waited for our train, I saw another train coming; lots of yellow on it. A large glass window near the ceiling has yellow touches, too. Nice! A camera can be a good friend while we started feeling bored waiting, right?

At Juanda Airport

These pics were captured at Juanda Airport Surabaya (East Java Province, Indonesia) last week.

The Weekend in Black and White

5 Tips for at Home Flower Arrangements

Floral arrangements can take a room from drab to fresh, vibrant and filled with atmosphere. Even in winter, when it feels like everything has died off and the weather is getting you down, a spray of flowers in each room can bring much needed warmth.

There are a lot of reasons to include flower arrangements in your home decorations, but the best of them is simply that they make you feel happy. On a dim day, when the sun is hidden, you're tired and overworked, anything that brings a smile is a God send!

Arranging flowers at home is less about perfection and more achieving something that lights up your room. It is about incorporating an air of brightness, and feeling like you produced something of beauty. So why not give it a go?

What you need to get started:
1. The tools
To get started you will need a number of different sized or shaped vases so you can work out what sort of look you are going for. You will also need a good set of sheers and thorn strippers so you can get around the flowers and make the flowers truly look their best.

Finally clean out your vases with a little bleach so you kill off any bacteria and provide an environment where flowers can live longer.

2. The flowers
Selecting the flowers you use is the biggest job. What is available will depend on the season and also the size of your florist, however for more popular flowers head to an online rose site and order them in. You will want some feature flowers, some smaller sprays of flowers and some foliage to go in between. Think about what would combine well in terms of size, colour and shape. Don't go overboard and pick conflicting flowers just because you like the look of them.

3. Colour vs scent
When selecting your flowers you also need to consider what your drive is for creating the arrangement. Do you want something bright and colourful that matches your room and brings it to life, or something that fills your home with a beautiful sent? If you're lucky, you'll find some that do both! Keep in mind sent isn’t for everyone, and for those with allergies or asthma, it may make your home unbearable!

4. Traditional approaches
Traditional arrangements use flowers, such as simple roses and complimentary sprays, cut at different lengths to create an arrangement that is well balanced and not overdone. The colours are complimentary, there are generally a range of different types of flowers, and the vase is simply the base of the arrangement. These look beautiful in entrance ways and on benches or shelves, especially if they have some height.

5. Modern or arty approaches
Some more modern approaches are a little more minimalist and rely on the vase to create the effect. For example, beautiful long leafy flowers wrapped around the inside of a round fish bowl, and filled with water. This fresh approach works great as a table centrepiece.

Yellow Things inside the Airport

Since yellow things can attract your attention easily; it’s not hard to find yellow ones in a public place. Last Thursday, I had a chance to take several pictures before the boarding time; at Soekarno Hatta airport (Jakarta, Indonesia). A few of them can be used for this meme.

If you’re a smoker like my husband, whenever you’re in a public place, you surely find a smoking room, right? I saw that the room was full! Too many smokers?

If you ask me; I always search for empty bench, hehehe.