Slurping On Dissolutes Prairie

i'm not that late brit-murphy ramen girl,

but i'm feeling kitschy about the big

bowl of goodness slurp as background.

I wonder if the big bowl of goodness slurp

will make a perfect touch as phoenix-tail-prop.

I'll be satisfy as some of Moulin Rouge gal if that

sort attachment happens though.

As for ramen, despite the kikkoman overload,

miso laden, and thinly sliced beef, i love the 'lightness'

of the broth, truly. Again, japanese really know

how to market their food strategically. I wonder

if we can promote our "Bakmie Godhog khas Jogja", or

should i say, Jogjakarta, Central Javanese style

chicken noodle with duck-egg-and-garlic broth,

i bet we'll win the noodle war, i guess.

As for my clothing thrifts; prairie.on.navy dress from

ITC Mangga Dua, greywolf legging, Singapore

Botanic Gardens eco-bag, b/w stripe skinny belt,

and Giordano Ladies maroon-quilt ballet flats.

Location, Ramen 38 "Sanpachi", Pondok Indah, Jakarta.

Well...who said that food and fashion cannot make it

together, it's two of most essentials livings.

Just don't make me start a architecture + fashion

combo though, that would be epically gore-ish, PERHAPS!

Architecture Of Independece : Pain, Ignorance, And Pride

So yesterday, as we speak, the ultimate 17 wasn't just a something that counts, for my country is a history, great history, it's our independence. After 350 years + another 3,5 years of agony, torture, and suffer, it might be great that we've finally received an independence on 17.8.1945, right after the WW2 (hiroshima-nagasaki mega-bomb point). Maybe i'm too young to understand that (or to lazy to get myself a history book), history is important though; to know your real enemy in truth, to know exactly what country you really live in it, to know the grand-daddy of the cardinal-sin scheme, yeah...we must learn all of that.

I'm not gonna go nationalism-crazed right now, because the fact, my country cannot be something that i really joy-to-talk about. And...don't make me start about our politicians/govs agenda here, oh-my! I'm afraid that i'll be jerk around them, as i always says about my country these days as ripped-off-artist-ass-licker country, and i don't want to talk about the ripped-off artist part anyway...err...cheesy...emotional rage, right. But i want to share about something i really know and dealt with in these past years; architecture...in the heart and soul of the city itself, Jakarta.

Right, when all the power nation racing against each other to make themselves super-designed country/city, ours still struggle to keep waste disposes correctly. Our neighbor such; Singapore and Malaysia already stood their feet into urban-design wonders, sustainable city, green-movement and stuffs, and Jakarta as our home-state still far enough to compete those straight-A goodies. I always belief that Indonesia is much more nature/art/cuisine country than urban/modern/tech one, we must be proud for our self that we made our own unique and much real culture. But, as an architect who sees further to another country goals, this is desperate than ever.

As i took the snap-shot from Jakarta main city point it's always interesting, and also ironic. We just love our retro architecture with all straight line and vivid color, i've always want to discover more 'junk-from-the-past' that made this city looks like a mosaic of memories.

THIS IS NOT THAT FREAKKIN TOKYO OK?! Yeah...but we do appreciate small spaces just like those androids did, even better, and i bet Tokyo doesn't have the ever-loved durian stall right on the street, they only praised their own sweet red ichigo on-the-counter, the heck! Strawberries never ever be cute, OKAY??? They're just sour-patch fruit, even you guys try so hard to make the sweet-hybrid one, still SOUR, AND NOT CUTE FOR PETE SAKE, GOSH! And who says that we need good library with comfy couch to read, nah, the ice-tea box can do just well.

 Do we still need a fence as our protector? Oh hell yes, especially when you reside in your most high-crimes neighborhood, fence-free clustered home everyone? No sir. Yes, we have the over-advertised-so-called-cluster-housings, but our society who live under uncertain safety like Jakarta (1998's horror, political-rad) have some of 'trauma' awareness, so that's why fence really matters here, lack issue of trust even with your own neighbor (and family feud). MRT/SUBWAY/TRAM we don't have...okay we have our busway, but it's sucks, believe me, but "bajaj" like the up-shot there was perfect choice if you want a ethnically feels on your transportation, well if you can tolerate the over-buzz-diesel-noise that almost make you deaf, you'll be just fine.

Let the red-white sephia-nized of our flag waving with it's pride. Yes, it's on the fence again, as i thought, architecture can be a awesome defence stuff for our country, metaphorically. Clustered of stocks represented the sound of empty stomach back when the pre-independence time, the dutch/japan regime was a true form of evil, and change the concept of architecture in the country forever. As we have a growing pains, we ignore the world fast movement, 'cause our people still need to fed rather than to 'live'. Chaotic is our urban design, and we don't need the architect-slash-preacher to tell them what to do. Some of those loser will called us as taking-for-granted people, as we love to waste our really wide and big space (suck that Tokyo!), we ripped the trace of land with nonsense everyday, but why not? Even the govs did that, capitalist wHOREshipper, so as architect what we'll do then, keep 'preaching' or just do the viva-la-vida rebellions act? The answer rely on each of us, so there; Happy Independence my beloved country, Indonesia! 

Oh Pesto You Just So Damn Good

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$Handful of Basil$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$Handful of Pine Nuts$$$$$$$

$$$$$$$$Cloves of Garlic$$$$$$$$$

$Spoonful Extra Virgin Olive Oil$

$$Grated of Parmigiano-Reggiano$$

$$$$$$$$$$Salt/Pepper$$$$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$Portion of Fettuccine$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The fragrances, semi-vegan (well...the cheese) green sauce laden pasta, is the only exceptional green-food that i've found very addictive to tasted it. I never believe that some food without any single meat (beef/chicken/fish) can be delicious/savory enough in my mouth, well the "Fettuccine con Pesto" will works for it though. Yeah... i think the sauce itself, the "Pesto" is the magic word isn't it. But the magic never works without great stuff behind it, let's talk about the quality then. What i know, and everybody does, some home-made/high quality ingredients/organic will conquer the 'store-brand-jar-thing'. Same as pesto, if the restaurant uses only good ingredients to make the sauce, administer by hands, not let's-open-the-bottle/jar, you'll get the essence of pesto-nirvana, you bet!

As for the cheese-factor which made this dish not qualified as whole vegan, it'll be succeeded if we uses "Parmigiano-Reggiano" one. It's not some snobbery's brand or something, it's just the italian kind of parmesan cheese, which very highly regards from it's origin Parma and Reggio Emilia area in Italy. Different than store-brand parmesan, it has a nutty, faint bitterness, and decadent aroma. It's not your everyday cheese, especially in my country which more familiar with cheddar, this parmesan is a splurge cheese, and it's expensive too (250 gr for almost 350.000 rupiahs, it's like 35$).

I want to make it my own pesto, someday, i'll save a money for it. But, the whole ingredients just intimidate me a little bit, the gourmet cheese, olive oil, dry pasta, and pine nuts, yes, the binding agent, which make the pesto taste so savory, it's a rarity here, expensive indeed. So, to experience my kind of addiction, i'll just eat-in at decent restaurant. Yup, job done, with 3-4$ a plate of "Fettuccine con Pesto" i'll be just fine. The fragrances, herbal(y) note from basil is the 'kick' that corner out the hardcore laden of extra virgin olive oil and the cheese, so...i can eat this like everytime my wallet allowed it, yeah...well...minus the green bits that stay in your teeth, err...fabulous?

{This lovely "Fettuccine con Pesto" shoot i took from Amadeus, Fx Sudirman, Jakarta, lovexxxaddictedxxxforever!}

Oh...i just want to share the magical "Pesto" recipe (i hope i'll try this sometime/someday/somecentury) that i found from this blog, cool!

Old Town, Old Town, Kota Tua Part 1

The most pleasant things when i'm get bored is to do travel and snap a cell-cam photo, yup...street lingering stuff. But, when my wallet/donor are not supported the concept of 'world-travel' so...i'm going local, to the main city itself. Jakarta Old City, is not just touristy  spot, it's got history, scenic, cultural responds, and unique street knick-knacks around them. For the hauteur photographer, Jakarta Old City or shall we say, "Kota Tua", is the sephia/monochromic landscape wonderland, there's so many photographic gems regards for this spot. Maybe the charming effect of Dutch-Colonial architecture allured them, or just the old-rustic/chaos sensations. The heck! I'm just enjoyed everything that appears to be interested me there.

Case 1: Taken this from Fatahillah Museum courtyard, it feels ghostly enough, because the empty-green-grey-clad plus the faint shadows.



Case 2: Short taken by my friend as my cell-cam really difficult to be auto-mode without that freakkin' TRIPOD. Still located in the Fatahillah's courtyard, the wooden gate just like something i've always imagine of Tudor-ian castle, i feel sombre than before, especially my whole pastel-this-pastel-that looks, yeah right!

Case 3: Detail...detail, architectural detail on "Kota Tua" is full of classicism wonder, this one happen to be the old-bureau-institution office, stone-by-stone characteristic, fun!

Case (s) >>> TO BE CONTINUED



Brown Colored Food Spelled Yum-Tastic Part 1

No kidding, every brown food always tastes delicious, unlike the green one (except, matcha flavored stuff!), ironic much, the earthy colour has contradicted meanings against each other. Back then i'm not a veggie person, regards my childhood, i've always in fighting-mood when my parents forced me to eat my veggies. Well, veggies always had a bad reputation for me, you know; bitter, slightly rancid, grassy smelled, and stuffs, no wonder i'll choose to be meaty person; for now, chicken, beef, and fish, yeah...savory one. Brown food isn't always be meaty and deep-fried, there's one thing works like magic, chocolate. There's no way i'll stop eating chocolate, the good-mood-saviour. People who hates chocolate, i think must be suffered enough to enjoy the great tasted, pity, in my humble opinion.   

Growing up, i'm eating veggies just because to enhanced my body to be err...healthy? skinny? beautiful? yeah...for self-image purposes, i'm not going crazy like some of hypocrite lunatics that say anything but fair about eating meat, health-concerned people who preaches to everyone about how bad eating good/comfort things like; junk food (which happens to be my all-time favorite), fatty/sweets things (come on! Everyone needs them to be happy) and soda/alcoholic drinks (it's the advance culinary invention, it's not a sin you hypocrite losers! We have self-control you see, we're not robotics!). Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, Adam Richman, and off course my dearest Nigella Lawson, always be my constant heroes (yes, i'm TLC freaks), they're really humanize the meaning of gastronomy, not some kind 'patronized/Mr.perfectionist/utterly bullshit' one (HAHA*fill-the-blank*HAHA), they're really enjoyed/appreciated/created their food for REAL!

For the first part, i want to shared my brown food haven that traced from our culinary legacy, one of them, it's from the TeSaTe restaurant, located in Plaza Senayan, Jakarta. It's a traditional indonesian food for real experiences that usually you've got from our street hawkers but with the chi-chi-but-not-expensive a.k.a snotty environment, not like fussy 'hotelier-ized' one, still keep the real tastes and method. So, let's started now then;

So this is a brown drinks, a traditional indonesian quencher; "Es Kunyit Asem" it's iced drinks consists of; tamarind, turmeric and palm sugar. It's refreshing, and not forget, the compliments that you'll see in the silver spoon, it's pair of "Ting-Ting Jahe", it's a cashew-ginger candy, perfect companion with the sooth-herbal concoction. The pandan leave over there isn't just an accent, you may stirred your drinks before you slurped it for the aromatic effect. This drinks which i called legacy has many potential healing factor; to energized the body, to cured body odour, to cleansed the toxic for menstrual woman, and also to enhanced our appetites, indeed.

Yes, the meal speaks the restaurant's name and speciality itself, "TeSaTe" means a shout from Satay Man hawkering around to sell the stuffs, like "Satay...Tay...Satay!!!", oke...it's not Satay, it's Sate, the meat-on-the-skewer things originally came from Madura, East Java, Indonesia. This version on the shoot up there is "Sate Ayam Ponorogo" the chicken satay (skin, meat, and egg) with the special creamy/chunks cashew-peanut sauce, from Ponorogo, another East Java quarter speciality, also famous with "Reog Ponorogo" art performances. The sate came in iron-n'-charcoal pot to keep it warm, the meat itself stay moist too. I do like the chicken skin sate, yeah, it's fatty-karma, but it's sinfully good, the unforgivable taste noted from the cashew peanut sauce with the hint of "Kecap Manis" (again, our sweet soy sauce legacy). "Kecap Manis" made the sauce even savory without 'sarcastically' sweet. The chili and shallots bits extra acted as 'cuts' that gives you spiced-up in your tongue

TeSaTe restaurant not just like a 'traditional' restaurant in the making, it has modern-chic conceptual interior, before we entered the main room, we'll encounter something like this. The menu was excellent variety and not too expensive (a person's complete meals wil comes around 10-15$) from appetizer to dessert, and comes in english too, the service is pleasant, but do make reservation 'cause it's always packed when in lunch time. So...that's my first brown food experienced, i'll post about it again, soon enough, because brown food never dies, veggies is okay, but savory will wins at all causes, BROWNISSIMO!  

Many Thanks For Our Beloved Eco-Gramps

My days on architecture studies as undergraduates finally over for now. I don't want to express over-happiness on the word 'finally', 'cause to learn about architecture never been as one-phase-and-over only, it's developed more and more, pierces through the time. Yet, i look further about the true meanings about architecture, what is the real purposes? Shelter it is. Human needs shelter as a place to living, as the others stuff like food and cloths. Architecture combined the function of shelter with a touch of design, humans art perspective. And, somehow...when i look behind from my experiences on architecture studio sessions, it's always be design, design, design. I knew that architecture is the device of living art, life on spatial canvas. But if 'living' art not well-functioned as we expected, why bother designed it?

I just remembered my final thesis mentor, Dr. Ir. Bianpoen always mentioned; environment first, function next, then design. He always concerned about how the environment must be the first to look out, as he's been on Jakarta urban development for a long time, and ecological concerned activist, he really knows what he's spoke about. Jakarta, for the case, was a properly-designed city in the beginning, but for now, it's a cancer growth, deceased slowly, because what the government/politics done, you know money-based things. Mall and malls clustered gropes all green patch, killed the urban space, replacing them with concrete-glass-clad-air-conditioned-splurge buildings, some of hypocrite developer even dared to say it's 'green architecture', HA! KISS MY ASS.

   

I took the shoot (feels like picturesque retro, hilarious background!) when me and the rest Mr. Bianpoen thesis groups had lunch together to celebrate our pre-graduation. It's really pleasant time, not like the others, despite his age, there's no awkward moment whatsoever, we have good time together, talks about what we felt about our architecture days, what we think about the essence of our future career, why we must defend our argument instead of fear against lecture, really great, he's really understand about student's condition, as he's been teach architecture for a long time, campus to campus. Inspiring.

Okay, so my thesis already legalized, i'm so relieved by that. But the most i liked about my thesis is about the topic itself; "Environmental Redevelopment in Housings Near Ciliwung River" (Case: Kwitang, Jakarta). The housings located in the heart of the city, but also the hidden gems that hardly notice, it's a low-economic centralized housings, and located near in Ciliwung river's stream. What i concerned about was the poor condition of the housing's environment, it's almost ironic, the beautiful scheme of the housings around the river, but full of garbage, and chaotic pattern of illegal business and other buildings almost raped the hidden gems factor. Sad enough, the government was neglected, and not do any action to change the environmental. Just think of it, why such a hidden gems like Kwitang that has many beautiful-touristy-inducing factors, must be neglected because it's overshadowed by the much more 'commercialized' place nearby such; Cikini and Menteng. Just like hiding a rotten meat over the ground, still smells like a shit. So...i think i'll shared further about my thesis as eco-project in my blog soon enough. I just have a glimpse of hope that my thesis goal will be transform as real-time project, as i want to see the hidden gems really a true gems, JUST MY 2 CENTS!

Okay...just for fun-memory-5thgrade-humor;

If you see the anime character

on the back of the gift card that Mr. Bianpoen read

on the snapshot photo up there

some of you will know (esp. anime freak).

This is it;

Yup, He's Tomozou Sakura, the great kind and loving

grandpa in Chibi Maruko-Chan anime series!

The animated version of Mr. Bianpoen, they're like

twins, aren't they?

When Mr. Bianpoen found that we're joke around him, he's just

"Are you kidding me, this is insulting you know?"

(He's LOL-ing off course...!) 

===Pics courtesy jasms and janomette===

 



Caressing Your Inner Adventurous Mind

Thank G-d for Internet, television, and books, so we can explores all the world in one possible place near us. Imagine if we're not exposed for all information available, maybe we'll wandering around searching for answers. Some says that television killed imagination, i think they wrong, totally, 'cause it's enhanced our imagination not vanishing it, poor those losers.

But, books can be little intimidating, like some little box with thousands words, some people (including me) prefer some motion, sound, and picture overloads. I'm not gonna lie about this, when i was a kid, i'm a manga-cartoon-freak, i tasted my first novel (fiction/non-fiction/sci-fi) on my 5th grade, it's a local teen-life novel, "LUPUS", and i addicted for it, it's humor, romance, horror, ballads in one book, cool inventions i've must say. Growing up, i developed my liking to novels in many variety; from Shakespeare's (the most intimidating, really), Rowling's, Blyton's, Dahl's, Burnett's, Stoker's, and so on. It's amazing how a words can lead you to mind-adventure, strolling your own path, your own labyrinth, without spending money, all in your mind only.

Recently, i'm borrowed this gems, from our public library in Sudirman, Jakarta (side-by-side with Ratu Plaza). The author, Capt. Marryat, is an English Royal Navy officer slash novelist, his position really impact on his works, one of them is "The Children Of The New Forest". The navy life really described in this story, the main character along the orphan kids stated their adventures trough their hard life; agony and desperation, and off course, proper happy ending, classy! (NOT A SPOILER, NOT A SPOILER) The shoot up there just a mix of the book itself, considered as lithography art with shade of royalty touch, the palette i choose, just the same value of ex-gift-gold-threads-wrapping-paper, reminds me of Sting - "Fields Of Gold", SHEER CARESSING! 

Sometimes, i just wandering my soul and mind like a wind, yeah just like wind, with a stormy cloud.

Maybe, i'm just a anti-sunny person, i don't effing care about that. It's better than being a hot head monster

flashing a giga-flare eyes everytime they try to test my nerve

Cool as wind, in the open field, i just want to sleep, endlessly.

xoxo

IRS INITSUGA

xoxo

The Art Of Repeating Stupid Mistake Part 3

Making mistakes for so many times to some so-called-wise-guy is a degrading, wasting time, and irresponsible as 'properly' human being. But, what if we never do anything wrong, always right and be perfect in our whole life? Is it normal? Is it the proper life? Well...being myself who making mistakes all the time, for my point of view is a part of learning, learning my own life. Even stupid mistake, which i love to make each part like a experience episodes, 'cause i'll remembered and remind myself to always aware about that. So...mistake for me is a life-coaching device, never be something i'll regret (try not to).

For this part, i want to shared my experience about buying trend stuffs. First, my local indie music. In my country everything that came from western world, become as 'standart' of trend. Like fashion (NYC, London, other Europe), something labelled as 'cult' fashion, usually marked as a highly-praise design, individual item (err...'limited'), and comes with very damnnnnnnnn expensive prices (cursed our corrupt tax policy!), really ironic, 'cause the label used to be not that high from their original places. As for music, 'indie' label usually patronized from; swedish-swing, electro-daft-punk-wannabe, bjork wannabe (puh-leazee...!!! They try to be so smarties, but ended as dorky), 60-70-80's (give me a break), and many idea-pretenders imaginable. I mean come on, we're not even swedish, their music capability was some kinda garage experimental something, but their fashion style & attitude (some of them) well..., SNOB ALERT! (PS: You guys only lasted 2 albums maximum OKAY!). I've only had 3 kinds, one of them is Dear Nancy, okay...they're not a snob, i don't know them in public (TV/Celeb/Gossip views), they're really nice on friendster (yup...it's been a long time period). I buy their lovely/chic-carton-covered CD in Aksara, our 'cult' lifestyle store located in Kemang, South Jakarta. It's not considered as an album, it's extended play (ep.) so it's more like a short project. Dear Nancy "My Little Story" ep. in my opinion, is a sort of music that we always play in our high-school band sessions. It's simple, doesn't have cool sound effects (even include synthesizer). The good point is, it's cheap, our local indie music' CD comes around 2$-3$ (20.000-30.000 in indonesian rupiahs), so...it's not a ripped-off stuff. But, i won't even try to buy again anymore, three-times mistakes is enough for me.

The other stuff i don't want to repeated to buy again is Krispy Kreme doughnuts, 'cause i always found the doughnut is slightly too sweet for my liking. I'm Dunkin Donuts person. Krispy Kreme becoming a 'saccharine' trend in my town, the green-red dot appeared almost in all mall/market, side-by-side with various doughnut contender (J.Co, Dunkin's). But i love the Krispy Kreme paper hat though, it's retro-fun! I'm even think about taking the free paper hat only if i'm visiting the stall next time, Heh! It's not stealing, right? I wonder...

Can you spot a stuff that not comes from this  stupid-mistake part?



Clue 1 : It's a childhood toy.

Clue 2 : It's 3D-feel-n'-touch experience.

Clue 3 : Cute and comfort to hug with (okay...i'm disgusted myself by mentioned it).

AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A MISTAKE.

Moon For Watch And Kill The Odyssey

...Oh great, i feel empty but yet comforted...

Courtesy; studio, hypercastle, look

And somehow, i wish they're disappear, so it's only me who exist here, occupied my own universe.

Perhaps, i'm just being sentimental right now, poor my soul.

Courtesy; tumblr28, iwatchstuff, guim

I remembered when i first saw this gems back then since i try so damn hard finished my last architecture studio drawings. True OASIS if you asked me. 

British duo Nathan Parker and Duncan Jones really simplified the power of mega smartass sci-fi movie, and made it cooler, if not darker, angst-ier. As i don't get it about all Star Wars phenomenon, i've found Moon (2009) to be suppaduppacomft to watch, the essences of your own horror, agony, and desperate shown rather beautifully, not some kind philosophical/preaches bullshit, and it gives me real experience through supernatural of human mind. Picturesque through solar-blue-n'-white space, calm my freezes brain, and distressed my emotion. Colorific??? It's not a scene, not pretend to be cultistic scene maker, the whole process of just watching was over my normal mindset, and it's not that damn Kubrick's Space Odyssey (1968/2001), i hate that, sorry for my narrow-minded act of mine, but...please i don't need to be judged by artsy-smarty message just for to be called cult/cool person, YUCKKKSY! 

Okay...i'll stop my value-ing right now, so excuse me,

i just want created my lunar/space/posse

of myself.

  

So, i'm wearing; Rolling Stones thrift shirt, grey legging, "Batik" belt, stripey bag, and some peek-a-hole sneaks.

Destination: TeSaTe, edgy-indonesian restaurant (and it wasn't a club!), Plaza Senayan, Jakarta.

Now...i really want Gerty for myself...!

I Love You.I Love You.I Love You

Courtesy, medsc

"But IRS, i'm already pledged my loyalty to Sam Bell only, my very humble apologize"

======Well...seems like we can't have everything that we want, can't we?======

Living Up The Materialism Of Our Life

Let's make a scenery combo: (posse + cloths + architecture) X legacy. I'm not gonna type 'equal' here, 'cause i'm still not confident about my 'looks', my bad after all. Speaking about legacy, it's important to said that i really appreciated my tradition. I'm not try to sounds so idealistic here, i don't have sort of prudish traits whatsoever. Idealism can be seems a little bit stupid-looking for me, at least when i saw in other people. If goods has to be lost, so be it, but if they're still exist until now, i'll be defend it. So enough my babbling now, started the posse already!

> Posse: Well...smirked, awkwardly, can't decide yet.

>> Cloths (main stage): The legacy note, the Batik dress that i wore as top/cardi (still, undecided yet). It's not ordinary typical indonesian 'Batik', it's a mixed-breed of "Batik Jumputan" originally from Central Java, the uniqueness of this bred is the tie-dye-pinch-n'-stain type WITH the other type, "Songket Palembang" which appeared on the fabric's textures. Those indigenous heirloom, comes from Palembang, South Sumatra, it's a "Ikat" / the indonesian speciality of woven technique. And the mixing result, gives an excellent idea for just so-called-fashion, yeah...some accomplishment in my opinion.

>> Cloths (the least): Giordano Ladies tube (my Mom's), GUESS? black skinny-fitted (err...not so), ANANAS khaki wedges, octagonal-woody bangle and Singapore Botanic Gardens green-efforts souvenir bag, YAY!  

>>> Architecture: The house (unknown) that located near my family reunion's house, somewhere in Jakarta. The detailing; material, element, space, they're creating sort of palette experiences. And the colour speaks for itself, it's not a futuristic-modern-metal-concrete-clad (boring...!), it's more a legacy, something that came around years, and it still immortalized.

POSSE (HUMAN) + CLOTHS (FASHION) + ARCHITECTURE

=

LIVING

AT LAST...DONE MY 'EQUAL' NOW, PHEEW. 

My Starbucks Anthem, The Everlasting Story Part 1

Don't get me wrong here...if i've posted something 'global-branded' thing doesn't mean i'm bluffing/adv.crazed. The reason i'm dedicated something to post here, because i'm been there, i'm falling in love/addicted to it. So not strange enough now if i'm dedicated to the lovely place i've been hangin' around right now. Yes, Starbucks Coffee is the 'global-branded' king, the mainstream space, coffee culture founder, the old man of the cafe euphoria. I've been there not just sip my favorite drinks, but also a place for me to socialized, to blog around (the free Wi-Fi (unripped-off) there was amazing!), and simply enough, to get relax (the interior indie-BGM, cool!) . For me Starbucks not just a cafe, it's more like convenient-slash-cult oasis.  
                                  

Yeah...the ingenious logo shoot up there i took from Starbucks Pondok Indah Mall 2, Jakarta. I love the place, it's semi-courtyard in the middle of shopping center, when my family just want to shopping-shopping-shopping i've just place my ass there, as i don't really like lingering shop-2-shop, just exhausting. I can sit there by hours and won't get bored, i think the place speak itself. Just like the 'space' on architecture, it has many meanings, and Starbucks gives me the awesome meaning to it, cozy, comfort, careless.

While i'm really enjoyed my time there, it doesn't mean i love all the concoctions, as my taste was turned to be resistible one. Here...my reviews of Starbucks drinks part 1 that i've tasted regularly. All the item's photo below was courtesy of Starbucks web mecca itself.  

1. Iced Green Tea Latte, my addiction, my #1 favorite, i loved the contrast between the sharp matcha with milk that makes it mild and comforting. See my earlier post here.

2. Caffe Misto, the poor/ghetto version of cafe latte, the cheapo alternative(beside regular brewed one). The tasted very much like ordinary latte, but because it's Starbucks, the coffee part tasted really strong, intense flavour. I liked whether it's hot/cold and sometimes add vanilla/caramel flavour into it. Nice and affordable if i'm in the broke conditions.

3. Iced Caramel Macchiato, well...it's my first Starbucks experienced. I've remembered that i've really had enough of the taste, it's the strong coffee note that made me headache (how embarrassing! I'm a coffee-phobic that time, err...before i'm entered campus, you know, when my time-phases still normal). But now, it just refreshing enough.

4. Okay...next up Iced Coffee, the vice-versa of earlier, when i'm struggling in architecture days, i've become extremist person. I love the bitterness, sharpness of the coffee note to maintained my bitter/sharp/hurt/emotional/depressed/humiliated of my already scattered heart from my post-annihilation of the architecture studio sessions. It's my truly 'marijuana'-caffeine-loaded of my psychological-aid until now. 

5. Java Chip Frappuccino, okay...this is the trendy stuff that i'm really regret tasting it. As i much liked iced coffee, i don't really get it the concept of heavy-loaded-of-ice-mix with the ever-wonderful Starbucks drinks. It's overdone, as i don't like froze-bite in my tongue over my already air-conditioned-bite body, not good. So this drinks was my trend-entry, thanks to the discount-BOGO-bank-promotion, just shared with my friends though. Good choice when my opportunist mode just turned on.

      

PS: Ha! I told you this reviews was a part 1, so it will be continued, SERIOUSLY!

It's My Patriotic Act Over Slice Of Srikaya Toast

These days singaporean-coffee-hawker-theme became popular in Indonesia. No offense, but it’s just insanely ridiculous. It’s not i’ve anything against that, no. But, Indonesia has many good things to made as trend, ironically, we just copy-copy-copy from others culture, it’s insane. From ‘gaudiesque’ non-contextual architecture, so-called-indie-fake-band-and-other-stuff, even the europeanism frikkin' snobbery  traits on celebrity and socialite, horrible! Coffee hawker is just one tiny example, it started when the popular Singapore’s coffee hawker brand, Ya Kun Kaya Toast had placed their popularity in Jakarta, and it was booming.  I love the kaya-toast, teh ping, and soft/runny boiled egg combo though (as my Dad favorites combo too), but it’s just an ‘okay’, not wonderfully good. The Ya Kun always packed of peoples, especially on weekend, the concept was smart-ass approached, i don’t mind about it. But for me, there’s one contender that can beat those Singaporean cool franchises, its Kopi Lay, the North Sumatran (Medaners) version of true coffee hawker, located at Eat & Eat Food Court Concept, Mal Kelapa Gading 3, Jakarta.

The history of coffee hawker it’s not originally came from Singapore. It brought by the chinese immigrants, hokkien spoken/Southern Fujian, Taiwan descendants, that have been recited around Singapore, Malaysia, and Medan (North Sumatra, Indonesia) for centuries. So no wonder, there’s a lot of franchised/ghetto/modern version of coffee hawker amoba-ized everywhere. It‘s just the same as “Warung Kopi/Warung Tegal” in Jakarta, and else here, it’s essentially a place to hang out (usually for workers/salary man) after hard days labor, drink a couple of solid-black coffees with easy snack, discussing reality of life, then get relax. Just easy like that.

Now, back to Kopi Lay, i’m always have a regular combo from there, consists of; “Es Teh Tarik”/pulled-iced milk tea or “Milo Dinosaur”/iced Milo with full drenched with sprinkled, well... Milo. That refreshing drinks doesn’t come plain; they dressed in vintage glass, perfected by small tea plate with the complimentary of finger biscuits, nice! The meal itself; “Toast with Gula Melaka”/dark brown french toast, tasted comforting, with the retro-thick-sliced-home-made bread. And for the egg (there’s no proper coffee hawker combo without soft/runny boiled egg combo, damn right!), and Kopi Lay excelled that by using “Telor Ayam Kampung”/free-ranged egg. Take that Ya Kun guy!

Yup, that guy just making my order, "Es Teh Tarik". As you can see, the stall was retrotastic! The vintage plank/canister, old owner's family portrait, F&N creamer can, and...the "Selai Srikaya"/indonesian version kaya jam on a plastic jar, okay...it's not like Ya Kun, singaporean version which pale green, it's more yellow-pale-tan colored (as they aren't contained "Pandan" and "Suji" leaves).

The chinese folkore pin-up right there just one of the props from Kopi Lay stall. The rest, well, there's vintage knick-knacks like; "Fan Bo" beauty powder, Carnation condensed milk can, and so on. Overall, it's pleasant experiences to lingering the place itself, food and drinks are very affordable, and such a relief matter to escape from all-things-singapore booming in Jakarta for a while, BREATH!

Greyish Heart Translated To My Presence

Showing emotion for me just like naked-ing a brain, it's hard, but not difficult, it's ankward, but not overly weird. So...when i try to strike a posse, i've always think the result it's not incredible, well you know...not-camera-person dillema. But i don't give a damn with it, i love making my own memorial. Chronology through self-mirrored-image is my true personal coach, without someone try to coaching me. That would be horrible, as i hate teacher, school, and stuff.

I'm sleepy, daydreaming, un-interested, restless, sombre, seems ghostly, disfigured. Nevermind. It's located on local-bussiness block somewhere on Pondok Indah, Jakarta, took the shoot before lunch, so i think it's explained my flatty expression, duh! I love the contrast between the grey-wolf wall, blood-stained floor, and greenish greenery behind. Kinda like desperate/hope, dying/lively conotation.

As usual, i had some unhealthy addiction of my Mom's Giordano Ladies collection, so i took her slouchy shirt, it's total comfort haven, 'cause when the wind blows, it flies. The minimalist bag, also from my Mom's GL (as a frequent-customer gift), khaki capri from GUESS? (another ashamed), faux-rose-quartz bangle from ANIMALE, and my favorite dual-combo of them all, the black bear necklace (dulcet fig boutique, Singapore), and m)phosis black-strapped sandals, again, comfy!comfy!comfy!

COMFY FOREVER, SO I WON'T BE CORNY 

OH YEAH...!CORNY,CORNISH,CORNI-ESQUE

JUST LIKE THE CULLEN'S (OR CULUN, INDONESIAN SLANG OF DORKY)

NO OFFENSE!;P

My Taste Bud Know I Want To Break Free

After my angsty-pre-emotional post, i just need a relaxing break, and the nearest thing i could think/feel of, it's by remembering my favorite place to satisfy my taste. Different than "Pondok Kuliner" that i mentioned in the earlier post, this is more little restaurant formed, located in Pondok Indah, Jakarta, called "Resto Ngalam". This interesting eating spot, side-by-side the well known massage parlor institution "Bersih Sehat" (It's Clean and Healthy!), just served the traditional culinary sensation from East Java (Surabaya & Malang) specialities. 

I just remember my first visited, it's from last month, and the only time i took the photos. The interior it's simple, modern twist with a little of pop factor. I don't take the interior photo but more of the meal of the day shoot, the food itself very represented the restaurant theme. For example, i took the entree, the dessert-like-sweet "Perut Ayam".

Yup, just like the name and it's form, "Perut Ayam" literally translated as chicken intestine. This sweet spiral thing, it's the indonesian version of doughnut. This made from mixing the simple batter, consists from; plain flour, egg, and liquified Java's palm sugar, and then you deep-fried (with the spiral-ing tech from the egg-skin-holed) it with a lot of palm oil. For just an entree, this "Perut Ayam" really kicked out your taste bud, it's not heavy, not-to-sweet, and the crunchy-outside-moist-inside effect just so amazing. It's yeast-free, bread-improving-free, topping/filling-free too, just simple as a snack, but more healthier.

As for the main course, my light-but-refreshing meal are; "Soto Gubeng" East Java speciality of lightly herbed meat broth, accompanied with hard-boiled egg, rice, and kick-ass sambal. The meat broth was lovely, the herb was blended well, and delicate in taste (it wasn't like curry, okay). The sambal just made a zingy factor to cut the savory/meaty consistency. And...for the perfect ending, just drink a glass of "Lime Squash" and your sanity shall be relieved. And it's not even a diet meal ever, the culinary of Indonesia was essentially healthy, made by grinding a fresh herb, lightly choice of meat, not heavy ladden in fat and dairy products. It's a veggie wonderland, if you know how to choose, and the best of all, it's damn cheap food mecca compared with most of other asian countries, PROUD!

How To Strike A Wall-E Posse Without Feeling Dead

So many places i'd like to visit, and take some picture of it, moreover i'd like to pretending-i-was-posse moment, and if that's happen i asked someone to take a shoot (usually my Dad or Pal) rather than made my cell-cam auto timer mode (big no-no!). As i responsible to all my shoot-pic here, it's only execptional when it comes to self-photography err...correction...a photograph of me, by asking someone to taking the shoot (with my humble instruction), yeah that's it. And like all proper fashion-posse, there's three stuff to mentioned here; clothing, location, then...posse, and you don't wanna messed up yourself by ignoring those, don't you?

As i getting skinnier than the first-third-until-yesteryear of my college periode, i became the mutual parasite of my Mom's wardrobe, oh yeah! She's around size 1-2, and i'm around 1-4 (i'm curved...so the zero size challenge is definitely no way for me), the mutual relationship of me and my Mom's clothes will be considered as an affair. Sometimes i just took it without permission, and when my Mom saw me with her clothes, well...that's not good. She's regret my weight effort i think, ha! That's right, 'cause sometimes skinny woman can be really *sorry, Mom* bitchy. Even your own family/siblings/friends, and i found it's really disturbing phenomenon, just example of dumb-jealousy. Scarry.

Yet, i accomplished my posse by somehow looks like ankward robot, it's still managable, thanks to the location itself, the underground parking lot at Pondok Indah Mall II, Jakarta. Location is like a painter's canvas, it's a base of creation. The whole pastels theme just make a sense of emptiness, or just add calming effect on my ankward expression, well...time will teach you. So the cardigan, and tank top, it's Mom, both from Giordano Ladies, the khaki-colored capri pants by GUESS?, wedges pair by local shoe designer, ANANAS, and the necklace from my college friend's bussiness. I must admitted, i'm really got stucked on my capri nowadays, i can wear it for every week straight! It's a wonderful comfort feel from fashion that really worth the price itself (even it's from discount sale, makes it even better!). My whole posse thing was my enjoyable (although with ankward result) moment, it's free-spirited act, no need too fashhh-yonnized, really.

PS: Please be free to posse your own, take your own risk, enjoy your moment, BRUTALLY!