Marien Photography-New Zealand

Didik Nini Thowok

2009-02-08T19:08:00.000-08:00

Didik Nini Thowok is an Indonesian famous dancer.

He dressed as a woman,and his flexible dance moves, made him be a great dancer.

I took this pic when he danced in Te Papa Museum - New Zealand ( Wellington ).

Teddy Bear Picnik 09

2009-02-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

The sun shone and the crowds flocked to Botanical garden for the Teddy Bear Picnik on Sunday the 1st of February 2009.

Lots of children brought their Teddy Bear with them - below is the pic of my son- Josh with his Teddy Bear-Broery.

The Cathedral in Christchurch

2009-01-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

BeanSprout

2009-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

That was a long time ago, when I was in the Primary School. The teacher asked us to grow some Bean Sprouts , as a part of Biology studies. This is how we did it (but I can't remember it properly, though !! ) : We wet the cotton balls then put them in the small plastic container, we then sprinkled a little bit of Mung Beans on top of the wet cotton balls. After that we just put the plastic container in the dark area, in 2 or 3 days later the sprout had grown already. Wow...we were proud of ourselves.
" the beansprout...the beansprout..horreyyyyyy "

BEANSPROUT ( TAUGE in Indonesian ) is the young sprouts of the Mung Bean or Green Bean.
These are used raw or cooked as a vegetable, in salads, in soups, and in stuffings.

Star Anise n Nutmeg

2009-01-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T23:25:00.001-08:00

My Colour

2008-12-20T01:02:00.000-08:00

Shadow

2008-12-13T17:59:00.000-08:00

As fast as an eagle, as slow as a slug.
As tall as a tree, as small as a bug.
Sometimes in front, sometimes behind.
Never on top. and always aligned.

It's a shadow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Depening on what has the shadow, it could be large or small, or be moving quickly.

A shadow is never above you, but always in a line ( sun - object - shadow )

Prayer for Virgin Marry

2008-12-10T18:57:00.001-08:00

The Indonesian version !!!!

Salam Maria penuh rahmat, Tuhan serta Mu
Terpujilah Engkau di antara wanita dan terpujilah buah tubuh Mu, Yesus.
Santa Maria Bunda Allah, doa kan lah kami yang berdosa ini,
sekarang dan waktu kami mati.
Amin.

Fruits Salad

2008-12-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

When You Are Still Young

2008-12-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

Frame It

2008-12-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

My Cutie Photo Model

2008-11-27T18:37:00.000-08:00

Josh grabbed and mess up my strawberries arrangement when I was taking some pictures of them for my food photography-hobby. Instead of getting mad, I took the opportunity to photograph him and the strawberry. The photo came out well ( above ). It was a bit tricky, though !! because Josh was moving quite lot..so I had to did it faster than him.

*** Josh is 22 month 3 week and 6 days old

Night Shot

2008-11-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Napier 5 Nov 08.

The second time I used the long lense.
I didn't use the tripod, just put my camera on top of the car.

Strawberry Sexi Panna Cotta

2008-11-26T15:15:00.000-08:00

Me n My Son

2008-11-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

------ Love, affection and friendship give emotions that warm your heart -------

Picture : by my husband
Location : park in Napier City.

Vegetables Fritata

2008-11-23T01:58:00.001-08:00

Asparagus Fritata

2008-11-23T01:52:00.000-08:00

Paraparaumu Beach

2008-11-22T23:50:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Sticks

2008-11-21T04:14:00.001-08:00

Christmas is in the air, it's time for me to make the pineapple jam, and the Cinnamon Sticks are used in the recipe for making the Pineapple jam.

Tradisionally, the Christians in Indonesia make NASTAR for Christmas. Nastar is the cookies with Pineapple jam inside it. So for me and other Indonesians who live outside the country, Christmas is not Christmas without Nastar :)

Lonely

2008-11-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

I think God leaves me alone to let me find my own strength, because no ene else can give it to me. Sometimes it is very lonely but I know the lonely times teach me the most. I must let go in order to let anything in.

Sabrina Ward Harrison

Killing the Time

2008-11-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Makara Beach

Steam Chocholate Brownies

2008-11-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

From the Sky

2008-11-19T17:29:00.000-08:00

Courtney Arms

2008-11-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

This is an English pub, bar and restaurant.

Location : 26 - 32 Allen Street, Wellington Phone : +64 4 385 6908

We went there twice for lunch. My 21 month old son likes this pub very much He likes watching the racing cars in the big screen while he enjoys hot chips, and he always does the boogey dance - listening to the music play.

Besides the big sports screen, Courtney Arms also has pool tables, dart boards, an open fire, and gaming lounge. It’s open Monday to Sunday from 12 am to 3 pm for lunch. The menu is just like the traditional English food but nicer (it’s not plain). My husband likes the Seafood Plater - hot chips, salad, mussels, squid rings, and calamari. I like the Meatlover Plater - hot chips, salad, sausages, fried chicken wings, fried mushroom balls. The sausages are nice - I like it !!!

Tug Boat Restaurant

2008-11-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

Wellington’s only floating restaurant, with the fantastic view of Wellington harbour

Location : Freyberg Lagoon, Oriental Bay. Ph : 04 - 384 8884

Lunch : Tuesday to Sunday 11.30am - 3pm

Dinner : Monday to Sunday 5.30pm - late

We chose the Tug Boat Restaurant to celebrate Josh’s first birthday in December 2007. We had a wonderful set menu, and the view of the harbour was a great setting for our early dinner. The meals were so generous. I had Mushroom Chicken with Wine Sauce accompanied with fresh green salad and hot chips, but I can’t remember what my husband had. The Apple strudel for dessert was fantastic. We absolutely will come back here again next time for dinner so we can enjoy the lights as well.

The first picture I grabbed it from the net.

Maranui Surf Life Saving Cafe

2008-11-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

It is the 1940s- style cafe and has an awesome view of the bay.

Location :
7 Lyall Bay Parade,
Lyall Bay, Wellington
Open 7 Days. 7am - 5pm.Ph: (04) 387 2829

My husband and his mate ( John Rafford - who transformed the Bucket Fountain in Cuba Mall and covered it with clay - he is famous as a Sculptor in New Zealand ) went to have some lunch in Maranui Cafe. It was the first time my husband went to Maranui Cafe

One day we went there for some lunch and yesssss I really love the view. I read the menu but none of them sounded interesting to me , I just thought the food seemed plain. Oh well…..I ordered Seaside Scramble Tofu accompanied with fried vegetables, grain bread, and avocado. Also Egg Benedic for my husband,

Owww..yuck !!! Seaside Scramble Tofu was not nice at all. It’s salty !! very salty !!! I couldn’t finish it up.

My husband keeps saying that he likes the food in Maranui, but I don’t want to go back there anymore to order some food, just for a glass of hot chocholate it is still ok.

Cochrans’ Baked Potatoes

2008-11-19T17:12:00.000-08:00

Location : Cathedral Square in Christchurch

We went for a holiday to Christchurch in March 08, two days after my birthday. There is one spot in the City Centre that I really like, which is always packed with people. It’s Cathedral Square.

Cochrans baked Potatoes is a kiosk selling baked potatoes and kumaras (sweet potatoes). They are cooked through a Victorian style oven powered by gas. They put some pinneapple, ham, yoghurt, sour cream, coleslaw, and cheese on top of split opened baked potatoes. The taste seems really traditional Kiwi Food - far from Asian Food which is hot and spicy ( as I am an Indonesian ) but it’s so yummy. Perfect !!! it’s why my husband had a seconds, though. Also has a reasonable price.

Sanur, Indonesian Restaurant

2008-11-19T17:04:00.000-08:00

This is the only Indonesian Restaurant in Christchurch.

Location : 73 Victoria St, Christchurch Central.

The restaurant interior is quite nice with the Indonesian decor and Indonesian music in the background bringing the feeling of home back. The owner - they are couple are nice and friendly.

Since the Indonesian Restaurant in Wellington closed, this is the only one worth going to when in Christchurch. I had been craving the Indonesian Food from a Restaurant rather than from my kitchen

I ordered Nasi Padang. It’s rice accompanied with Indonesian grilled chicken, beef rendang, perkedel,and sayur lodeh. It was so different to Nasi Padang in Indonesia but the taste was still yummy. My husband ordered something with lamb but I can’t remember what it was. We ordered some Hot Chocholate as well. It was presented with a nice hot chocholate design on the froth. My husband and I were happy with the food, even though the price was a little bit expensive.

Golden City

2008-11-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

Location : Porirua Mall, Wellington

I like going to Porirua Mall, even though the mall is not as big as the malls in Jakarta. The Food Court has mostly Asian Food - like Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Turkish. But don’t worry, if you don’t like the Asian Food, you still can find the Fish and Chips shop there.

One of my favourites among them is Chinese Food, the place is called Golden City. It’s a Buffet style of the Chinese Food, you can choose the small, medium, or large plate and you can select what you want from a variety of food. Normally I choose fried rice, chicken curry, sweet and sour pork, beef with black bean sauce, egg Fu Yung, Tofu with the red sauce, fried chicken wings, springrolls and samosas on the medium plate. They are yummmmmmmmmmy and It’s plenty for my husband and I to share the one plate.

It’s after 5.30 pm that they reduce the price to $6 for the medium size. I can say you are not going to be dissaponted with the food and also the price.

Lone Star Cafe & Restaurant

2008-11-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

Location : 66 Tory Street, Wellington, New Zealand
(04) 385 4848

We went there to celebrate my sister’s birthday, 2006. Looking at the photos inside the Restaurant, I think this Restaurant is a good place for the sports people to gather together. When we had dinner, lots of the Rugby Stars were there too. Of course they had some beers and hot food.

I had Dixie Chicken. It’s really nice !!! It’s big chicken breast with mushroom sauce, I think (I can’t remember it exactly), hot chips, and some salad. My husband had some Mussel something-or-rather as a big portion. The prices on the menu were quite expensive, though !! But you pay for what you get. Besides, this restaurant is popular with the Rugby stars, heee haaa.

Dining out should be fun and value for money - that’s Lone Star’s motto. I agree !! - but my pocket doesn’t.

Pictures belllow, from the Lone Star website

Hell Pizza

2008-11-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

“Sell your soul or go straight to hell.” That is the sentence I read on the Hell website. I really like the website, because it’s cool and funny. If you click on the ’special offer’ it’s the funniest.

Location : just go to the website.

Website :https://hellpizza.co.nz/#i=5

The pizza is expensive but you will not be disappointed by every bite of the pizza from Hell.

We really like the Fiend, it’s classic pizza. It’s a little bit spicy and sooo yummy - with Salami, cheese, and BBQ sauce as the toppings. For the Gourmet Pizza, we like Grimm which has Apricot sauce, Cream Cheese, Pinenut, Rosemary, Cheese, and Chicken. It’s the best choice for the Chicken Lovers, I would say !!!

Book and Book

2008-11-19T16:46:00.001-08:00

The Tree

2008-11-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

For a tree to become tall, it must grow tough roots among the rocks
- Friedrich Nietzsche -

I took this picture in Mount Bruce

Makara Beach

2008-11-19T11:14:00.001-08:00

Makara Beach sits on Wellington’s wild south west coast, exposed and lashed frequently by the prevailing gales. The little village near the shoreline is robust against the elements to house the local inhabitants, many of whom enjoy the close proximity to boating, fishing and diving.

Makara’s closeness to Wellington and nearby Karori and Johnsonville (via the Ohariu Valley) means that it is a favourite for those who wish to be transformed in no time from comfortable urban life, to a little ‘rugged’ nature. There is great walking over the hills or along the coastline, both north and south from Makara Beach, which can take one for miles, if you are that way inclined.

But there are many fine days as well and summer, in particular, welcomes many looking for seaside pleasures. Maybe, take a picnic or check into the Cafe Makara for a coffee and snack.

(Source from :http://www.wotzon.com/profilepage.html?comp_id=1002721).

The main reason we headed to Makara Beach was to look for the nice wood which are lying on the beach - for my Food Photography 'properties' but we couldn't find the kind of wood we were looking for. I just found this small one - oh well that will do!!!

Above, you can see the piece of wood from Makara Beach. A small plate with lasagna sat nicly on the wood. The natural coloured wooven cloth matched with the colour of the wood. The blue colour of the net material, blue handle of the spoon and fork and also the paper flower describe the colour of the beach. What do you think?

PS : The pic with me and the hot chocholate was taken by my husband.

Exploring the Beach

2008-11-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

We went to Makara Beach on the suny Sunday, but the wind was a little bit cold. Josh was wearing one jacket and we thought it's not enough warm for him so Daddy put his jumper on Josh. Gee......he was so cute in it, he was like a cutie little Penguin :)

Don't know yet

2008-11-17T01:17:00.001-08:00

Camel

2008-11-17T01:12:00.000-08:00

New Zealand Tuatara

2008-11-17T01:05:00.000-08:00

For me, it's difficult to take a picture in the dark room with the object was behind the thick glass windows, so I was quite amazed with the result of the pictures I shot. They turned out really good.

Took these pics when we visited the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier (Nov 08). My husband and I were both taking photos, so when we looked at these pics here, his comment was: " who took which pics ? they were really good ones". Hmmm...sorry Boss !!! that was me who took the pics - thanks for your unintentional compliment :)

Tuatara facts

The tuatara is native to New Zealand
It is the sole survivor of the beak-heads which is a group of very ancient reptiles
The tuatara is the most ancient of all living reptiles. It is even older than the dinosaurs
It has survived for almost 200 million years
Tuatara can live up to 100 years
The male is much bigger than the female
Young tuatara have a third eye. It is on top of the brain between it's other eyes. It becomes covered over when the tuatara is an adult

Babies

The female lays 8 - 15 eggs in a shallow hole in the ground. The eggs are not cared for in any way by the parents. It takes 12 - 15 months for the young to hatch. The female may only lay eggs every 3 - 4 years

Food

Tuataras are carnivores. They eat weta, moths and beetles. Sometimes they eat small lizards and even the eggs and chicks of petrels. At the zoo we feed them baby mice, huhu grubs, worms, meal worms and insects. They are fed twice a month.

Where are They?

Tuataras were once found all over New Zealand but now they only survive on offshore islands because of the rodents, wild cats and pigs that were introduced to the mainland.

Source from : New Zealand Tourism and Travel Guide

I Wish I Could Talk to A Fish

2008-11-15T04:38:00.000-08:00

I wish wish wish, I could talk to a fish
I could talk to a fish all day....

That is my 22 month old son's favourite song from Hi5 that I always sang when we visited the National Aquarium - Napier - 5 Nov 08.

Friendship Bangle

2008-11-15T04:23:00.000-08:00

Riding Bunny

2008-11-15T04:07:00.000-08:00

My son - Joshua Finn - 22 months old ,does not just like riding his motorbike but he likes riding bunny as well.

I took this picture at the Farmyard Zoo - Hastings

Free Range Chicken

2008-11-15T03:49:00.000-08:00

My best friend is encouraging me to begin eating free range chickens or eggs, nothing from the chicken factory built on cruelty.

It is said free range if we have small flocks of hens with spacious green paddocks to range on, offering well design housing to protect the hens from adverse weather conditions, and equipped with sufficient feeders and drinkers.

Photos was taken in Farmyard Zoo, Hastings, New Zealand

Ostrich

2008-11-15T02:35:00.000-08:00

NZ Lamb

2008-11-14T04:43:00.000-08:00

Do you know how many sheep in NZ right now?
According to the story that I heard, New Zealand has 4 million people and 60 million sheep but I think the figure is out of date now.

The picture was taken by me at the Farmyard Zoo - Hastings.

Oriental Bay - Wellington

2008-11-14T04:01:00.000-08:00

Oriental Bay - Wellington

2008-11-14T03:58:00.001-08:00

it’s one of the best spots in the Wellington City to enjoy the sun. The nice beach for everyone from all over the city come to walk, picnik, swim, play, run, cycle, dog walking, or the photographers play with their camera :). Also it’s where picnickers head with their fish ‘n chips and glasses of wine or the ice cream.