Soccer for Smalls with Coach Zeric

So Eben's afterschool soccer experience left a bit to be desired all around.  (Note: it was NOT at the French school; they start kids at 5 years old, and I would assume that they really know what they are doing but I'll get back with you on that one next year.) 

With his first class, there were lots of bigger kids who were rough.. he got kicked in the face with the ball, I caught a stray and very hard kick in the back, there was too much wrestling--in lieu of listening and participating--on the field because... well... because Indonesians are too nice to yell at kids, and because the four young coaches were seriously outnumbered by boys (and one girl) that had a huge range of skills on the field. So we're not going back there for now.

Rather than pay more money and spend lots more time in the car looking for far-off practices, Coach Zeric stepped up to the goalpost!

There are between two and six kids that join in for 45 minutes of drills and games on Sunday mornings at 9.  They "walk the dog", play "cat and mouse", and practice throw-ins.  Join us, it's fun!! 

Looking tough.. J&E complete with socks, shin guards and cleats!

Equestrian netti pot?

This statue is just up the street from us, outside the building where we buy 80-cent knock-off movies.  Just wondering what breed these horses must be to be spouting water out of their noses... hmmm, curious.  The kids thought it was funny!

Zeric the Composting Guru

[Note that I have refrained from ANY snide remarks here about my husband and fertilizer.  I'd like some serious wife points, please.]

The Embassy newsletter came out this week, and Zeric was featured on the Embassy Green Team page!  Read on. The interviewer apparently stretched it a little, but we're all acurate now: we put together our own composter this morning!

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In action: Zeric grinds coffee; after brewing, he’ll use the grounds for composting.
Green Team: Pak Zeric, we hear you compost at your house here in Jakarta. What is composting exactly? Zeric: Yes, I do! Composting is the equivalent of spinning gold out of straw. It is when you make rich, loamy soil out of household and garden waste. You can use unwanted left-over food, garden and yard scraps, and shredded paper. Green Team: Can you use any kind of left-over food and yard waste? Zeric: You can use all vegetable matter, coffee grounds (particularly good!), egg shells, grass clippings, tree leaves, and rabbit or chicken droppings. You shouldn’t use things that rot and take a long time to decompose, like meat products or heavy dairy products (creams and cheeses). Also you shouldn’t use cat or dog droppings. Green Team: How can a typical Jakarta household start composting? Zeric: It is easy. You need a contained space outdoors. A metal or plastic bin with a good lid works great. Poke holes in the bottom and sides of the bin to allow for air circulation and proper drainage. Put your food and yard waste in and it will take care of itself! Green Team: What is needed for the composting process to work? Zeric: Composting is a biological process that breaks down natural waste products and turns them into rich soil. The process needs moisture and air, but not too much water that might flood the compost. Make sure to keep your compost covered during the rainy season. Green Team: Can apartment dwellers compost? Zeric: They definitely can, especially if they have a balcony or outdoor space in which to compost. Green Team: What can you do with compost after the process is complete? Zeric
potting soil and enhances the richness of the earth in your garden. : You can put the compost on your plants or in your yard. Compost makes great Each week in The Cicak we bring you important green information or profile a different member of the Embassy and find out what being environmentally friendly means to our community. This week we spoke with USAID’s Zeric Smith about composting for a greener world.

Purple Cake Day 2012

Purple Cake Day celebrates the children in our lives! It empowers them to learn about children globally and fundraise for those in need.  We invest in access to and delivery of quality education opportunities. This brings hope, education and real change to children living in poverty and hardship. www.purplecakeday.org



Thanks to our friend Afia (mom of Amira), Jaffa's class celebrated Purple Cake Day on April 3rd.  They did lots of fun purple stuff!  This was our first year, so we just celebrated and did an exchange with six schools worldwide, where we shared information and pictures.  One of the schools was Apple Tree in Columbia Heights--the school Jaffa and Eben went to last year!  Next year, we hope to do some fundraising for schools in Indonesia.

Malvy and Jaffa painting



Jaffa's purple jingle



good wishes, in purple



kindergarten heartthrobs Tim and Lazare



And I got to help make the PURPLE CAKE!!

Eating our way through Passover and Easter

Don't yell at me.. but I was so busy cooking, eating and leading our seder a week ago Friday that I didn't take pictures of the dinner and friends who joined us.  I did remember to take a picture of the beautiful seder plate that Benedict made for us.  It's such a special part of the holiday for us.  On the bottom, it says

Breslar-Smith 2012

FREEDOM - LIBERTY - DIGNITY

I love that it reminds us what this holiday is all about. 

[Especially] for Lauren, let me tell you about the menu,

matzoh ball soup

home-made gefilte fish, garnished with hard-boiled egg, capers, and cucumbers

marinated leg of lamb, from Zeric's grill 

3 baked chickens

chickpea, tomato, basil salad

Moroccan carrot salad

asparagus, simply broiled

quince tart

chocolate-dipped macaroons

fruit salad: pineapple, orange and banana

My charoset this year included apricots, apples (teeny tiny cubes, thanks to Mem's chopping), fresh ginger, brown sugar, cinnamon, and crushed almonds.  Yum!

Saturday, we cleaned up and relaxed.

Sunday was Easter.  The Easter Bunny must have gotten the memo from Santa Claus that this mostly Jewish household welcomes Christian visitors who leave presents.  So, he dropped off some chocolate..

It seems that all of the Western holidays are opportunities to go over the top here, so we joined in and had brunch with friends at a very fancy hotel.  The Hotel Mulia had 10-foot orchid arrangements and a buffet like none that I had ever seen: oysters, sushi, italian food, huuuuge chunks of cheese, shrimp cocktail, salads, made-to-order meals.. a chocolate fountain, twelve kinds of cake on the dessert table.. wow.  [Though I was tempted to take pictures, it seemed a bit .. what's the word? trailer park? .. of me to run around taking pictures of the decadence.  Besides, my mouth was full, and so were both hands.] We had 4 hours of unending adult beverages to enjoy it all.  Phew!

While the grown-ups were consuming vast quantities of food and beverage, the kids were off doing Easter things like egg hunts and rabbit chases (more on that in my future post on Indonesian's tendency for animal toture).  Overall, it was a nice day.. we came home and napped.  No need for dinner either. 

 

It was a celebratory and extravagent weekend!

Amuz--ing splurge!

We used Memere as the great excuse to go out for a great dinner mid-week.  We had been hearing about Amuz for awhile.  French chef, French food.  See http://amuzgourmet.com/.  We had a GREAT meal.  And Zeric chose an awesome wine..

Zeric's 'boobs and wine' shot



yum on a fancy potato chip



cauli gratin and onion ring



scallop carpaccio



seared scallops



satiated, happy girls :)



Let us know when to make reservations for when you visit!

Taman Anggrek

With Zeric and Memere (and kids) in tow this time, I headed back to the orchid garden in Jakarta.  I hadn't bought anything the first time I was there because I knew better; I knew I should wait for the crazy-about-plants people in my life.  So there we were, and it wasn't too hot or too crowded. Hooray!

I spent most of my time taking pictures of the flowers' beautiful faces!

as big as Zeric's hand, and smelled lovely!

orchid babies!

Mem and Zeric debating orchid purchases, we ended up with one each.. we have all colors and kinds!



Mem's Papuan orchid



The ladyslippers!

Hanging with friends!

Jaffa, Eben and Malvy.. lucky boy!!

Jaf and Malv on the floor of a fancy building downtown.. tired of waiting for grown-ups!

Girls gossiping on the stairs: Lou, Jaffa and Malvy

"What's that stuff??"

At the invitation of our friends Lou and Kutty (and their super cute daughter Malvy, who happens to be one of Jaffa and Eben's best friends), we went to a fantastic sushi restaurant for dinner a few weeks ago.  The restaurant flies in its fish from Japan every day.  Wow.  When we walked in, we were some of the very few non-Japanese people there.  We ordered a big plate of sashimi, and then another.  Zeric and I are psyched that Jaffa and Eben like sushi as much as we do.   

Memere was dubious.  At the outset, she ordered tempura.. and when the sake came, she asked, "What's that stuff??"   That was the beginning of the end of Memere's non-sushi-eating days.  First, Kutty fed her the sea urchin.  And she REALLY liked it.. and then it spiraled from there.. she ended up trying and re-trying and very much enjoying everything on the sashimi plate!

And then came the sake... she liked that quite a bit too.  Apparently enough to drink it with a straw!

Go Mem!! Eat sushi!!

G&S redux

Geckie and Sophia visited again.. and we really enjoyed hosting them.  They are:

- easy, no walks necessary

- easy, they come with a jar of crickets that is their meals for the whole weekend

- entertaining, they swallow their food whole and eat their own skin

- entertaining, they look back at you and lick their lips when you talk to them.. wonder what that means?



well fed at the Breslar-Smiths!



catching some shut-eye

We got lucky and have them again this weekend! 

We are waiting for some eggs and babies so they we can adopt one or two and have our very own lizards.  I'm sure Theda and O will be thrilled to have more...er, siblings.