A Motley Crew of Outcasts in a Utopian Island

For those of you wondering what Onrop! is, it's acronym for Porno, which translates in English as...well...PORN! It's a musical directed by Joko Anwar, an Indonesian movie director & screenwriter much loved for his biting social commentary and mean sense of humor. 


Those in the know have been following the development of this much anticipated production since the much publicized audition process. Well it's finally being performed on stage at Teater Besar, Taman Ismail Marzuki starting from November 13. Tonight I had the privilege of witnessing the incredible performance for myself. First and foremost, it was A LOT OF FUN! The cast delivered a solid performance. I'm not gonna discuss the synopsis, those of you curious enough should visit the website and find out for yourself. 


Leaving the theater at the end of the performance, all I felt was pride. Satire is no longer illegal!!! Hurrah! There's even a spoof on the recent hand-shaking scandal! What's even better is that it was a full house!  People actually pay to watch a locally-produced musical for god's sake! What a breakthrough. How heartwarming to know that there are THAT many people who care! It's unbelievable. I mean...it's theater. Who watches theater here? But seriously, the success of Onrop! proves that quality will eventually generate interest. So congratulations to the entire Onrop! cast and crew. To those who have not seen it...you don't want to miss it. seriously!!!

Jakarta Fashion Week 2010/2011: Priyo Oktaviano for Cita Tenun Indonesia

Indonesia is blessed with the most beautiful traditional textiles. These take so long to make and considered so valuable that in the old days, only royals and aristocrats were able to wear them. Fortunately, times are a changin' and people finally began to realize that these textiles do not have to remain as relics of the past. A lot of our designers now take on the challenge of revamping the image of traditional textiles, bringing them forward into modern times and making them wearable, not just as sarongs or shawls. I think it's admirable that there has been this collective effort to modernize traditional hand-woven textiles because as you can see, they are nothing short of amazing! 

But beyond that, it is also imperative for the Indonesian fashion industry to carve an identity of its own. New York has its sportswear, London its androgyny, Milan its tailoring and Paris its avant-garde. Indonesia is colorful, diverse, entrenched in history. We just need to figure out a way to incorporate all that into the every day. I've always been an avid proponent of Ready To Wear. Exclusivity can sometimes be overrated, I think. Wearing a custom made creation doesn't make me feel superior or special. On the contrary, it makes me feel rather isolated. RTW collections allow the designer to fully realize his/her vision, execute his/her workmanship and monitor his/her evolution. We need to be able to see that in order to identify who's good and who's not. Plus, it's always enjoyable to have conversations about a particular collection. RTW collections also pose a challenge to wearer to really WEAR the piece, infuse his/her own style into it, instead of having the piece dictate who he/she should be. 

In any case, I digress...I've posted some pictures I took during Jakarta Fashion Week 2010/2011. The designer behind it is the uber-talented Priyo Oktaviano who used to work under Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga. Would love to hear what you think :) 

For The Love Of...

So I've decided to resume blogging...


Current city: Jakarta. I guess everyone eventually gravitate towards home. I still complain about this city and I occasionally experience Tokyo-withdrawal BUT Jakarta's where I am. 


Funny thing is, I also returned to my former employer, Femina Group, where I now also resumed my work as Fashion Editor of Dewi magazine. I don't think any of this is coincidental. People ask me, so why did you go to Tokyo in the first place and waste all that time? I say, I found a new perspective. I'm glad that I went. I'm glad that I came back. Everything is how it's supposed to be. 


Anyways, I digress. The reason I wanted to start blogging again is because Jakarta is in the middle of its third fashion week, an annual event that Femina Group organizes with the support of various other sponsors and organizations. It is still in its infancy and there are of course much to be done and improved upon but I'm proud of it. I'm proud of our local talents, our local products...and aside from the grand, lofty ambition to put Indonesia in the global fashion map, I feel truly moved and inspired by the beauty that this country possesses. In spite of the natural disasters, the horrendous traffic jams, the poverty, the corruption; Indonesia is an innately beautiful country. 


So please, check out http://www.jakartafashionweek.co.id and @JKTfashion on Twitter. 

Caffeine Cravings

Anyone who knows me the slightest bit understands my attachment to coffee and cafes. Lucky for me, Tokyo is brimming with mesmerizingly beautiful cafes that serve good coffee...and cakes...(these two come hand in hand, you see). I had read about A-Z Cafe in one of those trendy tokyo guides and was immediately intrigued by the Yoshitomo Nara-inspired decor. Nara has been one of my favorite Japanese contemporary artists--I even drove all the way from SanFran to San Diego just to see his exhibition. So why not get on the JR to Omotesando, right? 

True to the theme, there was a tiny room, which resembled the artist's work space, I suppose. You're not allowed to enter but you can take a peek from the windows. I don't think that the design of the place was revolutionary or anything but it felt warm and cozy...but then again I've always been drawn to wooden fixtures. 

Anyways, I decided not to order coffee that day because I was broke and something else caught my attention. Namely this gigantic Macha Parfait.

Another one of my favorite newly-discovered area is Naka-Meguro. There's this quaint little street divided by the most charming river just a short walk from the station. On each side of the street were some pretty inspiring indie/vintage boutiques of the most kick-ass kind. 

It was raining when I went there, which made the atmosphere even more subdued and melancholy. There were lots of cute dog boutiques and salons that only remind me of my lil Timmy. Anyways, look what I found!

As charming as that Beetle Mobile was, I decided to chill at this cafe called ie, which is Japanese for "house." I love the Japanese approach to naming their things--always simple and straightforward. Flower shops usually bear the name of the owner + hana-ya (which means flower shop). I don't know if it would sound as charming in Indonesian though. Toko Bunga Budi. haha anyways...I ordered a cheesecake and iced coffee :)

Naka-Meguro's neighboring area is the very posh Daikanyama. I'm not even going to start talking about how that place makes me feel like a pauper. BUT it's always been a strong belief of mine that even if you can't afford nice things, you can always afford good food. That's exactly what I did one morning when I decided to up my spirits by strolling around Daikanyama. Found this lovely bistro with an outdoor patio--Parisian style. 
Ordered a watermelon-flavored Perrier and Caprese sandwich :) 

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa

Part of the reason why I love Japan so much is their unflinching veneration towards their history and culture. That's what makes Japan such a fascinating culture to observe, I think. Express trains and automated machines aside, I find it absolutely moving that they are still very much attached to their roots. This is a society obsessed with Louis Vuitton and Western everything yet they travel domestically, eat locally grown and produced food, purchase Made in Japan products and (to the dismay of incoming foreigners) speak only Japanese. 


Anyways, my friends and I went to Asakusa a couple of weeks ago to check out one of the biggest annual festivals in Japan called Sanja Matsuri. Asakusa is famous for its gargantuan Hozomon gate and the Buddhist Senso-ji temple. For all my photographer friends, a lil trivia: the Senso-ji is dedicated to Kannon (or Guan Yin in Mandarin). The Kanji for Kannon (観音) means sight and sound, hence...Canon camera. Geddit? 


Well, as soon as we arrived we were greeted with a loud bellowing sound coming from the mikoshi (portable shrine) carrying mob. When we got closer, I was surprised to find that a lot of the ojisans weren't wearing pants. Okay, that sounds like an ignorant foreigner comment...i know it's a traditional thing but still...I was scarred for life ( I exaggerate but you know that :P ). Underwear sightings aside, I had a lot of fun watching the procession...all I saw were smiles...and the energy was infectious. 

you see what i mean?

You see that fountain above? That's where you wash your hands and rinse your mouth before you offer up your prayers. First your left hand, then your right then with the water in your left hand you rinse your mouth. This is similar to the Muslim wudhu. I'm sure you've seen this in Japanese dramas or movies, you know how they clap twice before prayer. Apparently that symbolizes your humility as you face the deities, it means you come with empty hands, bearing no weapons, with an open heart. Isn't that beautiful? 

Okay...now on to the fun part. The great thing about matsuris is of course the FOOOD!!! I almost died of excitement. I ate like a hippo, I couldn't help myself. 

Candied Fruits

Chocolate-covered Banana with Sprinkles

Caramel

Yokohama Lull

To be honest, life in Japan isn't what I thought it would be. It's crazy, exhausting and high-tension...ALL the time! The formal procedures are endless and super time-consuming...and of course it doesn't help when my Japanese is crappy. I have lost count on the number of times I'd nodded listlessly over whatever it is the person in front of me is trying to convey. I'm irritated by their inability to just GET TO THE POINT and they're obviously irritated at me for being this idiot gaijin who can't seem to comprehend the things that come so naturally to them. 

Little things have also started to annoy the hell outta me...like people stopping in the middle of the stairs when I'm trying to catch my train or the the non-stop loud blaring noise in busy areas like Shinjuku or Shibuya coming from salespeople specifically hired to scream their lungs out in an effort to draw in customers. Dude, people will buy your shit if they wanna buy your shit, you know! Seriously now I know why they're so many suicidal, agoraphobic Japanese. 

In any case, I got a chance to escape crazy Tokyo for a while when I took a visiting friend to Yokohama. The main agenda was of course to visit the Ramen Museum but we discovered that this port town has a lot more to offer. 

Our first stop was at Chinatown. Well, Chinatown here is like Chinatown everywhere else in the world except it's cleaner. There were still throngs of people walking about and we didn't spend more than 15 minutes browsing through the busy alleys but like I said, Chinatown's the same everywhere. One of my favorite findings, though, has got to be the yummy Chai-flavored soft ice-cream...oh and this souvenir store that sells tons of beautiful Japanese crafts. 

Then we continued all the way to Osanbashi Pier. Osanbashi is this super cool International Passenger Terminal designed to resemble a ship. A lot of people go there with their date/boyfriend/girlfriend to chill and just enjoy the view (Rainbow Bridge and City Center with the signature Ferris Wheel look amazing from Osanbashi). I wish there were places like this in Jakarta....uhuh...yeah...Well, wishful thinking aside, here are some pics I took. 

Last but not least, the Ramen Museum! Entrance only costs 300Yen, excluding the Ramen of course.  The museum itself is a 1:1 replica of a section in Tokyo in 1958 (that's the year when Instant Noodles were invented). So you stroll around the alleys in the upper level, pick a ramen place you like, purchase a ticket from the vending machine, eat really fast, then on to the next vendor (you can buy mini portions if you feel like trying every single flavor). There are about 10 Ramen stalls originating from various parts of Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, etc and each of them specializes in different kinds of Ramen: Tonkotsu, Miso and Shoyu. Our poor friend who happens to be a Muslim was severely disappointed because there was only 1 halal Ramen vendor. Well I could only fit 2 mini portions: the miso from Ryshanhai (Yamagata prefecture) and a shoyu-based Yokohama one. Oh boy, I must go back there at least one other time before I leave. Drool*

The Best Things Are Definitely Not Free

One of my favorite areas in Tokyo is the very posh Roppongi. I don't really care that I can't afford anything there. I just think that the landscape is beautifully-manicured...and I like that there are parks right smack in the middle of the very modern and very urban enclave. 

That structure in the background is a sleek contemporary art space called 21_21 Design Sight. There was an exhibition held there the day I went but I'd rather spend my 1000 yen elsewhere so I didn't go in but I stole this shot from the entrance:

However I did go to a design exhibition in the Midtown Tower (it's free). I was too lazy to decode all those characters so I was kinda clueless but basically, it's about Design in Japan 2010. 

The exhibition was rounded around 5 themes: Food and Study Design, Japanese Aircraft and Design (Honda and Mitsubishi are in the process of manufacturing their own aircrafts), Region and Design, Humid Design (don't ask me what this means)...BUT my favorite is the very simple Romance and Design by Masaaki Hiromura. 

To quote from the pamphlet,  "Romantic encounters can often give birth to a multitude of obstacles and contradictions, and our need to overcome such trials makes for intense communication. The graphic design of the future, meanwhile, will need to stir up strong emotions in the hearts of its recipients, to connect with its users."

The concept and medium are simple, a short movie documenting a pair of long distance lovers, and after a phone call they both started running toward each other. What's endearing is the decreasing distance (expressed in millimeters) as they run closer to each other until it reaches 0 (that's when they hug). 

After that, we had a lil stroll through the mall (forgot what it's called) but it's got great interior stores and even better traditional Japanese crafts stores. I'm a sucker for these traditional, handmade Japanese things...you know...lacquered dishes, metal teapots, wooden furniture, aromatic soaps even handmade paper! Of all the restraint I've had to exercise during the course of my stay here, this is the moment when I'm most proud of myself for managing to NOT buy anything. Anyways, my favorite has got to be this one:

After this mentally draining excursion--it physically hurts having to see all these beautiful things and not being able to OWN them :(((--I comforted myself by having a mini picnic in the park right behind the mall. There was a Wurstmart event goin' on. I figured, I could at least afford this: