Galeri Indonesia Kaya

Last week, I went to Galeri Indonesia Kaya which is located near the Blitzmegaplex movie theatre at Grand Indonesia mall. Basically, it is a place where you can know more about Indonesian culture.

The venue is a bit small but there are a few fun interactive attractions. 

From the moment you enter the location, you are greeted by screens of couples wearing traditional clothes. And then you get the chance to "try on" these clothes and even upload it directly to your facebook page.

Further along, there are touchscreen monitors which hold information on the typical cuisine, musical instruments and landmarks of various areas in Indonesia. 

 

You can also play some traditional games such as the congklak or more modern ones with augmented reality features.

 

Overall, it was a nice place to stop by - Nice alternative to spending hours at the mall ;)
Btw, Galeri Indonesia Kaya has an auditorium room with free performances on the weekends. I have seen them being advertised on Kompas newspaper.

Tex Saverio: Indonesian designer behind Katniss's wedding dress (The Hunger games)

I must admit, I didn't see the Hunger Games when it was in theatres, so I wasn't excited when its sequel came out : the Hunger Games - Catching Fire. But I had some spare time, so I decided to watch it this time. 

Maybe it was because I didn't have any expectations, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie!! And of course, Katniss's wedding dress caught my attention - how can it not, it was so beautiful!

Source pic: http://blbride.com/?p=1652

And to my surprise, this wedding dress was from an Indonesian designer named Tex Saverio, who presented a similar dress at Jakarta Fashion Week in 2010.

Source pic: http://blbride.com/?p=1652

This was not the first time he had international exposure. In 2011, Lady Gaga wore one of Tex Saverio's design for Harper's Bazaar. I think this was also absolutely gorgeous.

Source pic: http://gagafashionland.com/2011/04/lady-gaga-for-harpers-bazaar-tex-saverio/#sthash.bFWLKSwy.dpbs

And these are the latest design by Tex Saverio at Jakarta Fashion Week 2014.

Source pic: http://photo.sindonews.com/view/4248/rancangan-tex-saverio-pukau-penonton-jakarta-fashion-week-2014#3

Source pic: http://female.kompas.com/read/2013/10/20/1551452/Jakarta.Fashion.Week.2014.Tex.Saverio.Persembahkan.Busana.Siap.Pakai

Source pic: http://wolipop.detik.com/readfoto/2013/12/04/123452/2432194/941/3/

Monas again...

It has been awhile since I've gone to Monas. But last weekend I went there to see a housing exhibition - which turned out not to be there.

Failing to see the exhibition, I walked around and it was interesting to see the crowds of people (local & some international tourists) taking photographs and just having a fun day out with their families.

Since Joko Widodo (known better as Jokowi) has been appointed as the new governor of Jakarta, various events have been held at Monas. The most recent ones were the 19th Jakarta International Kite Festival and the World Royal Heritage Carnival 2013. It's a shame though that Monas doesn't have its own website to check the events, so you need to really search on the internet to know what is/will take place there.

The downside of Monas being more popular is of course the litter. We really need to be more disciplined in throwing our trash in the trash cans. But anyways, here are a few photos of my day at Monas.

Monas

Free train to get you to Monas' entrance

Souvenirs sold by sellers on the sidewalk

Horse-drawn carriage rides

Kerupuk

When you go to an Indonesian restaurant, don’t be surprised to see a plate of kerupuk on your table.

Kerupuk (pronounced as kahroopook) is a deep fried cracker to be eaten with your meal. It is usually made from tapioca flour mixed with other ingredients such as prawn or fish, which are the most common ones.

However in Indonesia, there are so many varieties of kerupuk that there is even kerupuk made from dried cow skin!

Kerupuk is such a common product in Indonesia that for those die-hard fans, they cannot have a meal without it.
I remember a friend of mine who, when studying abroad, ate chips as a replacement  for kerupuk with his meal just so that he can have some “crunch”.

Kerupuk can also be eaten separately; just add a bit of sambal on top of it and it becomes a delicious snack :)

Flight Simulator in Jakarta

Want to fly an airplane while doing your monthly shopping?
All is possible at Gandaria city mall, where you can find the only commercial flight simulator in Jakarta.

It is located on the ground floor and is hard to miss, since they actually use a real fuselage of Boeing 737! When word spread that they will be opening, I was quite excited. However, when they did open, the prices were a bit expensive..so be warned.

But if you are looking for a unique experience, I think it is still worth it.
For more info, check out their website: http://www.flightexperience.co.id/

Jakarta Great Sale 2013

Jakarta Great Sale is held every year to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary (which falls on June 22nd). This year, the event starts from 1 June - 14 July 2013.
Supposedly, there are discounts up to 80% for goods sold in various department stores and outlets across the numerous malls in Jakarta.

And specifically for this year, 14 malls will hold a midnight sale event on June 21st (today!). During this event, the malls will have special discounts starting from 21:00 until midnight.

Here is the list of participating malls for the midnight sale:

Central Jakarta:
- Senayan City
- Plaza Senayan

South Jakarta:
- Cilandak Town Square
- Kalibata City Square
- Kuningan City
- Plaza Blok M
- Tebet Green
- Plaza Semanggi

West Jakarta:
- Central Park
- Mal Matahari Puri Daan Mogot
- Mal Taman Palem

North Jakarta:
- Mal Kelapa Gading 

East Jakarta:
- Arion
- Kramat Jati Indah Plaza

Batik bags

It used to be difficult to find high quality batik bags i.e. bags made from batik tulis and leather (not the ones sold for Rp. 50,000 by street vendors in Jogja). But nowadays, there are quite a number of brands to choose from. I am going to share you a few of these brands that I follow. Many of them don't have an established shop yet, so they usually sell their goods on facebook. You can buy ready-made ones or have one custom-made for you.

- Pribumi
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pribumigj

I love Pribumi because currently it is the only one selling batik wallets that is large enough to fit all of my cards & receipts! Their service is excellent: fast response & friendly.

- Lovely batik
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/lovelybatik

- Envy
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/envy.batik.3
Envy also has another more premium line: http://www.facebook.com/envymebag

- Kunthi
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/kunthi.full
Same as Envy, Kunthi also has another more premium line: http://www.facebook.com/kunthi.prime

- Ziba label
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ziba.label.1
Ziba also has an online shopping website: http://zibalabel.com

- Gia
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/gia.batik

 

- Batik Queen
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/batikqueenpage

- Batik Chic
This is one of the first brands that I knew. Nowadays, it has opened a shop in Kemang and it also has an online-shopping website. Maybe because of this, their facebook page seems to be not that active anymore.

Website: http://batikchic.com/
Gallery: Jalan Kemang Selatan Raya no. 107B, Jakarta

Indonesia’s Rising Middle-Class and Affluent Consumers

Anyone who has tried to find publicly available secondary data in Indonesia, knows how difficult it is to do this. So I really appreciate BCG for providing this report to the public.

If you want to get a general view on Indonesia's Middle Class consumers, then you must check this out:

https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/center_consumer_customer_insight_consumer_products_indonesias_rising_middle_class_affluent_consumers/

Angklung

One of my "To do"s is watching an Angklung performance by Saung Angklung Udjo in Bandung. Bandung is just a 2-hour drive from Jakarta (if there is no traffic), so I have to make it a priority this year!

Angklung is a traditional Sundanese musical instrument made from bamboo. The sound comes out when shaking it. One angklung represents one note, so it is usually played in a group. 

Saung Angklung Udjo is a group well-known for its angklung performance, kind of the pioneer actually in taking this traditional instrument and introducing it professionally world-wide.

If you ever get the chance to go to Bandung, besides going for shopping & eating...try and stop by at their workshop. Having read many reviews, you won't be disappointed!

To know more, check out Saung Angklung Udjo's website: http://www.angklung-udjo.co.id/

New Year's Resolution

Source pic: http://www.wallpaperswala.com/happy-new-year/

Happy New Year everyone!

For me, 2013 is literally a "new" year because of the changes that have happened in my life.  I am now working on the "client side" which has given me more free time to pursue my personal interests. So this year my resolution is to try new things, one of which is signing up for a gym membership.  

In Jakarta, there are basically 2 main fitness clubs that you can easily find at the major malls: Fitness First & Celebrity Fitness.

Four weeks in, I still haven't gone to the gym yet....but this week, I am determined not to let my money waste like that. Wish me luck ;)