On July 6, the youngest Wacek finally reached legal drinking age! Leah's birthday started out a little differently than the common American 21st birthday. We all loaded up the car and headed to the local Catholic hospital to visit a baby that my parents had admitted to the hospital 2 weeks ago for jaundice and other problems. They found the baby when they were out with a colleague visiting some slums and described him as "the yellowest baby I've ever seen. He was really almost neon/florescent." They talked to the parents and eventually got them to take him in for medical care (with my parents footing the bill). So, now, two weeks later, we got to go visit little Dion. He was doing much better and, although, still a little yellow, had put on some weight and was getting stronger daily. He was doing so well, in fact, that the hospital discharged him on Leah's birthday and we were able to see him go home.
From the hospital, we all headed over to another part of town where the Loppies family lives. My family has been supporting the Loppies for more than 10 years and Debora Loppies came to live with us in Virginia (to study English/go to college) back in January 2009. My parents try to make it to their house at least once every time they're in Jakarta, and it just so happened that we all got to go today! Unfortunately, we were earlier than they were expecting, so the 3 girls were alseep (although we did peek our heads in their room before we left!). We enjoyed some fresh coconut, some fried noodles, and lots of laughs and catching up. As we were leaving, two of Debora's brothers came home, so we got to see them and take pictures for her.
After the humanitarian events of the morning were done, we came home and got showered and prepared for the real partying to begin! Around 6:15 we again piled into the car and headed to a mall about 4 miles away to have dinner at "the BEST Mexican restaurant in Jakarta!" An hour and a half later (no exaggeration!!), we got out of the car, walked 1/4 mile and finally arrived at the restaurant, an hour late! We didn't let this get us down, though, and we got right to work ordering freshly made guacamole and drinks. The food was scrumptious and we all commented that it was the most "American-feeling" restaurant we'd ever been in in Jakarta. After eating, saying what we appreciate about Leah, watching her open presents and down her first alcoholic beverage, we paid our bill (actually, dad paid.. thanks again!), and headed out.
As we were leaving, we decided we didn't want her birthday to end yet, so the 4 Wacek kids, Sally, and Tina all walked to the next mall over for a little Karaoke! Now, unbeknown to us, Karaoke in Jakarta has a completely different definition than Karaoke in the states. We were not put in a smoky, dark bar to let our ears bleed from the awful singers. Instead, we paid $8.50 to rent a private room for 2 hours that had unlimited karaoke songs for just our listening pleasure. It was so awesome and we so wish that these karaoke lounges would come to the states! As we blew through some Justin Bieber, Grease, Miley Cyrus, Spice Girls, Beach Boys, and Backstreet Boys (to name a few), our time was up before we knew it. We headed out to a taxi, came home and fell in bed after a full, very celebratory day.
"If everybody had an ocean, across the USA.." Surfin' and air guitarin' - doesn't get much better!
Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing... Classic!Stacy, you would have LOVED this Karoake place. Since we missed having you with us to watch/participate/make fun, we decided to dedicate two songs to you (
Song #1 and
Song #2). Enjoy. :) And count your blessings that you sing like a Kroeze, not a Wacek!
(**Stacy Wacek - remember to ask us about Dad's incident today, not blog appropriate!)
From the hospital, we all headed over to another part of town where the Loppies family lives. My family has been supporting the Loppies for more than 10 years and Debora Loppies came to live with us in Virginia (to study English/go to college) back in January 2009. My parents try to make it to their house at least once every time they're in Jakarta, and it just so happened that we all got to go today! Unfortunately, we were earlier than they were expecting, so the 3 girls were alseep (although we did peek our heads in their room before we left!). We enjoyed some fresh coconut, some fried noodles, and lots of laughs and catching up. As we were leaving, two of Debora's brothers came home, so we got to see them and take pictures for her.
After the humanitarian events of the morning were done, we came home and got showered and prepared for the real partying to begin! Around 6:15 we again piled into the car and headed to a mall about 4 miles away to have dinner at "the BEST Mexican restaurant in Jakarta!" An hour and a half later (no exaggeration!!), we got out of the car, walked 1/4 mile and finally arrived at the restaurant, an hour late! We didn't let this get us down, though, and we got right to work ordering freshly made guacamole and drinks. The food was scrumptious and we all commented that it was the most "American-feeling" restaurant we'd ever been in in Jakarta. After eating, saying what we appreciate about Leah, watching her open presents and down her first alcoholic beverage, we paid our bill (actually, dad paid.. thanks again!), and headed out.
As we were leaving, we decided we didn't want her birthday to end yet, so the 4 Wacek kids, Sally, and Tina all walked to the next mall over for a little Karaoke! Now, unbeknown to us, Karaoke in Jakarta has a completely different definition than Karaoke in the states. We were not put in a smoky, dark bar to let our ears bleed from the awful singers. Instead, we paid $8.50 to rent a private room for 2 hours that had unlimited karaoke songs for just our listening pleasure. It was so awesome and we so wish that these karaoke lounges would come to the states! As we blew through some Justin Bieber, Grease, Miley Cyrus, Spice Girls, Beach Boys, and Backstreet Boys (to name a few), our time was up before we knew it. We headed out to a taxi, came home and fell in bed after a full, very celebratory day.
"If everybody had an ocean, across the USA.." Surfin' and air guitarin' - doesn't get much better!
Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing... Classic!
I can't wait til this album goes up. I want to comment on how thrilled Dion's mom is that he is doing better.
ReplyDeleteOh, and good news: they DO have karaoke restaurants like that here, right down the road from us actually. We'll have to go sometime with the whoooole Randy/Rick Wacek crew. Imagine Aunt Poison rockin out on it... oh goodness!!
What?! Why have I never heard of this before?? It's awesome! Is it only $8 for 2 hours in the states, too??
ReplyDeleteNo but the price includes Korean food. YUM
ReplyDeleteI remember this day. It was so much fun.
ReplyDelete