1. Intimate conversation with my best friends. I remember my best friend, Opie, used to pick me up in the evening (when we were still in high school) to just sit at Puri Mall’s Dunkin’ Donuts (somewhere in West Jakarta), ordered the overly sweetened hot/iced chocolate and of course, donuts, and just talked and talked and talked, and then went home. It became our ritual, basically. It’s amazing that it happened 12 years ago. Now my best friend lives in Bali and I miss her more than anything, huhuhu.

Of course as I grow older, these kinda conversations replicate itself with different best friends. Whether it’s over Dunkin’ Donuts, fancy resto, coffee shops, Eiffel Tower, or random spots like toilets or emergency exit at the office, you know a quality talk when you have one.

2. Clubs that only play R&B

3. Walking alone around Brugge, Belgium with my headphones on and sat by the little park near the river just observing people.

4. Catamaran cruising in Ibiza. For free. I seriously loved it so much more than the nightlife.

5. Beers and live music that plays 90’s songs 

6. Dogs. Especially meeting the cute ones when you walk around your neighborhood.

7. A shuffled playlist that reminds you to the old songs you didn’t remember you had.

8. Finally met my blog friends outside Indonesia and finding out they’re basically sweethearts and treat you like you’re their own sister. *sobs*

9. My friends, really. They’re true gems. 

10. Barcelona with Juli. She was still working as a flight attendant for Qatar Airways back in 2013. I told her my Euro trip plans that year and she adjusted her schedule. We met in Paris first (thanks so much Christophe!) and later she flew (on duty) to Barcelona (which was also my next destination) and I stayed at her hotel and we had the most fun there because weather was great and we met the hottest guy alive who worked as a cashier (!) at Stradivarius near Plaza Catalunya. I still think he’s the hottest guy alive, by the way.

11. Seeing my mom happy. I knew she’s gone through a lot in her life. I once had this good day with her last year where we went out shopping and eating and talking with no fights at all. I don’t always feel connected to my parents, but that day I feel like I did.

12. Labuan Bajo Trip. That was one of my happiest moments in life. I didn’t expect my hometown would be that gorgeous, and that trip was only a chunk of it.

13. Binge watching all my favorite series. I remember I spent my entire weekend staying in my non-AC room (imagine the pain LOL) because I wanted to finish watching my favorite mundane TV series (read: Mistresses, Empire, Devious Maids), and so I did. I felt happy and clueless after I finished everything in one go, hahaha.

14. Singing along to a song in the car

15. Coffee dates

16. Watching your favorite musicians live in concert 

17. Finding shoes that fit (Confession of a big-feet woman)

18. Amsterdam and my second family there. The ones who always welcome me ever so warmly (and even text me every once in a while to check how I’m doin T___T) 

19. Guardian angels.

I know I’ve had my days of sadness and distress, but somehow I always feel “guarded.” Like, just when I thought I might need to give up already, something relieving always happens. A helping hand(s), a “miracle” so to say, a nice coincidence (if there is such thing), strangers with hearts of gold. Basically, a way out when you need it the most.

20. Meeting somebody with crazy chemistry 

21. White wine 

22. That 3-hour straight quality convo last January at that underground bar over a very very good cold Heineken draft.

23. Indonesian food: Nasi padang, Manadonese, Indomie Goreng Telor Keju Kornet 

24. A good job with great colleagues and solid drinking & party culture (read: aCommerce, the company I work at now, hahaha)

25. Me time

Okay, I need to stop now as it’s 2.30am already. I’m gonna think about this more and bug you with my next list, hahaha…

Good night (or rather, good morning), darlings!