VOL. 1 NO. 7 I DECEMBER 1-7, 2013
WANDERLUST
EAST JAVA’S SERENGETI
PERSONALITY
JAMES SPADER IN THE BLACK A LA MODE
PRIMED FOR PATTERNS TASTEBUD
SETTING SAIL FOR SEAFOOD TO SAVOR
STANDING
STRONG
HOW SUPERMODEL PETRA NEMCOVA IS WINNING HEARTS
Noted in passing
mark MY WORDS
THE JOYS OF (ONLINE) SHOPPING
Gratefully Ours
It’s easy to get caught in the net of cyber shopping. WORDS SONDANG GRACE SIRAIT
Illustration: Budhi Hartono
MANY OF us like to use the word “grateful”, whether in our everyday conversation or on our BlackBerry status. I certainly do, although sometimes, when a little addled and angst-ish, counting my blessings might be the last thing on my mind. What are you thankful for? For me, it’s getting to write – something I love – and having the opportunity to live more than half my life in Indonesia, in the land that I love. Meeting the model Petra Nemcova, a survivor of the 2004 tsunami, once again brought home the importance of being grateful despite what life throws in our paths. People speak in glowing terms about her grace and kindness – “you’ll fall in love with her, everybody does,” the rep for her non-profit enthused – and she certainly lived up to the description in her gentle treatment of others. Apart from her profile, we also head to one of East Java’s most stunning nature reserves, hear from veteran Hollywood actor James Spader and find out the more private side of Blue Bird Group COO Noni Purnomo. You can also see the launching of JPlus in a gallery of images on page 6. Have a grateful Sunday, and week ahead, everyone.
Bruce Emond
@JplusSunday
JplusSunday
SundayJplus
Check List
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Soul Food
Chef Mauro Uliassi’s simple approach to satisfying diners.
10
One With Nature
An architect’s home is a natural fit with its surroundings.
ON THE COVER Petra Nemcova Wardrobe sebastianred Photographer Meutia Ananda, MUA Tania Ledezma Stylist Willy Wilson
JPlus Team Editor Bruce Emond I bruce@thejakartapost.com Deputy Editor Willy Wilson Graphic Designer Budhi Hartono Copy Editor Imogen Badgery-Parker MARKETING & ADVERTISING Sales & Marketing Director Ady P. Pamungkas I ady.pamungkas@thejakartapost.com Marketing Executives Dewi Damayani I dewi.damayani@thejakartapost.com Sugeng Andrianto I sugeng.andrianto@thejakartapost.com
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IT STARTED as an excuse. Caring for a baby without the help of a nanny meant I didn’t have as much shopping time as I used to. What’s a girl to do when the need comes calling? Shopping is therapy after all – something to look forward to when you spend your days amid chaotic crying and endless diaper changing. It feels soothing, kind of like getting a pedicure and back massage at the same time, or sitting down with a cup of coffee and your favorite pastry. Everything online somehow just looks better. Perhaps it’s those skinny, pretty Eastern European models now dominating local fashion e-stores. Perhaps it’s the illusion of great, neverending sales. Perhaps it’s the freebies that go along with the purchases. Not only does it look better, but online shopping takes so little effort. All you need is some spare time and a reliable Internet connection. And so that’s how my affair began. My first purchase was swimming gear for my daughter. A friend had told me she had found a cute girl’s swimsuit for half price at that famous British baby store now trending at Jakarta shopping malls. So I went online to find that ... and ended up with more. In no time, I was a pro. I held memberships at plenty of e-stores. I shopped for diapers and formula, of course, but often threw in a little something extra for myself. I browsed (and shopped) so much on the iPad that every time my husband used it to read the news, ads for online fashion retailers would pop up. And if a little time went by without me making a purchase, my inbox would start filling up with emails telling me I had been missed.
See, the good thing about online shopping in Indonesia is that you don’t always have to pay with a credit card. Most stores offer online or ATM bank transfer, or even cash on delivery. Placing something in your shopping cart means nothing until you make the payment – which gives you extra time to ponder your purchases. In a way, it’s a method of self-control for people like me, who like to dump almost anything into their shopping cart, out of fear that someone out there might snatch that cute top or pretty flat shoes. Which, by the way, never happens. However, what’s not so good is that not all local e-stores are trustworthy. I once ordered by SMS (as simple as sending your name#address#purchase in a text message to the stated number on a website) and made payment to the provided bank account – only to never hear back from the seller. Anyway, based on my experience (and that of several fellow online shoppers), here are my tips on local online shopping: Only shop at e-stores that have a real address and office hours. Stay away from those that only display cell numbers. The most reliable e-stores are those that partner with major banks in accepting electronic payment. However, prices at these stores tend to be higher than those that accept regular bank transfers. Some e-stores do offer real bargains, so you might want to bookmark them. Letting them know you’re a regular helps to speed up the process. Happy online shopping! The writer prefers eating to sleeping and movies to concerts, but above all, favors any quest for guilt-free shopping.
table of FRIENDS
Last Food Before I Die
When it’s time to meet our maker, what would you choose to make a meal of it? @zoyaamirin
@ReneCC
I always ask this question to my closest friends, or those who are about to become part of my inner circle. It’s true that their answers reflect their personality. I get along pretty well with those who can express their last food tastefully and elaborately. It’s not so much about the what, but the how. If you don’t believe me, check out the answers by each of my friends here – Zoya, Wina, Edward and Iwet (well, Iwet perhaps is an exception, he’s no foodie, but I still love him :p) OK, my last food could only be THE perfect bowl of noodles with shredded white succulent salty chicken. The noodles must be al dente, served with a separate bowl of clear chicken broth. Serve it hot, serve it well, and I’ll be ready to die … many, many years later :p
I will gorge for 24 hours straight on all the delectable aphrodisiac foods, as well as fatlicious forbidden delicacies, just like Hobbit in Lord of the Rings. Breakfast will be a cup of black Java Monk Coffee, vanilla yogurt with all fruit, watermelon juice, crispy pork bacon and hash browns, salmon with toasted bagel and cream cheese (from Four Seasons Jakarta), and my mom’s special mixed salad. Brunch? Nasi kuning Manado/ bubur Manado with es potong durian and Teh Botol, followed by a lunch bonanza of strawberry juice and rujak (Menteng), gadogado (ibu Yati Condet) /ketoprak Kemang, my mom’s homemade brenebon beef and bean broth and ayam bakar rica chili grilled chicken (drooling!), Kecipir veggies and dendeng balado chili beef (Kembang Goela resto), crispy gurame fish and mixed chicken satay (Sate Khas Senayan), olive mutton and samin goat’s milk (Warung Bang Hoody) and soto Betawi. I would top it all off with durian juice. There would be plenty of afternoon snacks and tea time (not enough space for all of them), before getting down to the big business of dinner, with mucho Mexican food (if Lawrys was still in Jakarta, I would definitely dine there with some sweet red wine). Midnight dessert will be Love Potion ice cream by Baskin-Robbin, Caramel Chunk by Ben &Jerry’s and my fave cold stone bubble gum, butterscotch with Snickers and almond. Hey, it’s my last food (s), so no judging please! I’m no model after all!
@edwardsuhadi
I was asked this by a chef one day, and to be honest I could not really tell. The aim was to get us to reveal our most beloved food, but I think if you dig deeper, it is also about cherishing every bite. I am imagining myself in a cell, with a warm plate in front of me. How would I feel with every spoonful of food in my mouth? Would I be analyzing its contents? Cherishing the taste? Grateful for the sustenance? Or perhaps saddened by it? And if you were to die after it, would the food still have tasted good? Or would you even care? That’s probably why I have a hard time answering the question. But if you ask my favorite food, then it’s definitely noodles. OK, I need to stop writing now and go find a bowl.
@mrshananto
This is hard, never thought about it! I travel a lot in my work, especially to East and Central Java. The one dish that always warms my heart on the road is wedang ronde. It’s basically a ginger drink served hot, but different parts of Java have their own versions. My personal pick is the one with ronde, soft flour balls with a crunchy nut surprise inside. My most memorable experience having it was with Rene and another dear friend, Yoris Sebastian, during a whirlwind Jakarta-Medan-JakartaSurabaya one-day trip. When we finally reached Surabaya at almost midnight, I thought my body was about to give out on me. So Rene pulled us over for a much-needed wedang tonic takeaway. It was so soothing and relaxing that it would have to be my choice of my last food before I bid my last goodbye :D
@iwetramadhan
Definitely Padang food! I’m so sorry, Rene, again you misunderstand me :D I’m a food lover, but I also love to run, so I burn off all the food and calories right away, hi hi. Back to the subject of Padang food. I grew up with it; you could say the first food that I chewed was ayam padeh. Then there was dendeng balado (dried beef with chili), itik lado hijau (duck in green chili sauce), fish, sambal and, of course, rendang. I still remember my grandmother cooking her famous beef stewed in coconut milk and spices in a gigantic pot at every Lebaran post-fasting month celebration. And she would ask me to help her stir it and keep an eye on the fire for her. With that nostalgic memory, naturally Padang food would be my last request. BTW, guys, I will invite you to my family place to try authentic Padang food. Just keep it quiet, it’s a very private invitation ;)
Join us at the table: send your feedback to @TOFChat and @JPlusSunday JPLUS December 1, 2013
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A la MODE
BREAKING THE MOLD Ethnic-inspired dresses for a glamorous night out? Why not! WORDS WILLY WILSON
Oscar Lawalata
Naomie Harris
G
etting the red carpet look right is tricky, especially for a new actress who suddenly finds herself caught in the whirlwind of award season events. Go all black and you will be labeled boring (Angelina Jolie). Go safe with Zac Posen fishtail dresses and they’ll say you are pageant-esque (Eva Longoria). But British actress Naomie Harris, whose portrayal of Winnie Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, is getting strong Oscar buzz, chose a sheer floor-length Valentino dress with ethnic embellishments for the New York premiere of her movie. Let it be noted that no Hollywood actress has gone ethnic for a major red carpet event in recent years. The dress she wore is part of the Valentino Spring/Summer 2014 collection, which saw intricate beadwork and embroideries that remind
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us of Dayak ikat and Persian weaves. The house’s design duo, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, confess that they drew inspiration from classic Italian opera – think Maria Callas’ Medea from Pasolini’s film. Yet, the vibrant colors of the beads, weave and embroideries resonate with universal ethnic clothing. Certainly Chiuri and Piccioli aren’t the first designers forging heavy traditional patterns on evening wear – Paris-based Taiwanese couturier Shiatzy Chen made a career out of it. Closer to home, Oscar Lawalata and Carmanita are dedicated to designing modern outfits from traditional fabrics. While the former favors a signature ladylike silhouette (loose fit, clean line and feminine pleat), the latter is known for her asymetrical dresses with unexpected drapes and folds a la Vivienne Westwood in vibrant colors.
Photos: AP, Jakarta Fashion Week
Valentino Spring/Summer 2014
Carmanita
firm FAVORITES
HASEENA BHARATA cuts a distinctive figure on Jakarta’s social merry-goround. The vice president of marketing & sales for a property developer and wine and spirits distributor is sure to be dressed to the noteworthy nines at whatever choice event she attends. Away from the party circuit, the mother of two says her favorite activities are dining out, watching movies and chilling with friends, and taking care of her two “munchkins”. + Kindra Cooper
Vanity Case Lipstick - Chanel lip gloss is the best, while MAC has the best, most complete colors and it’s smooth. Fragrance - Chanel Mademoiselle and Chanel No.5. I love their eau de parfum. Must-have makeup items - Concealer and mascara Mascara - Bobbi Brown Moisturizer - La Mer Shampoo – Kérastase Soap – Victoria’s Secret Body Liquid and for bar soap, Bali Anantara SOS’ Chocolate Bar Soap. Skin care - La Mer and only La Mer
Connections Indulgences
At Ease
Watch - Rolex
Favorite Movie –Love stories and dramas; Pretty Woman, The Bodyguard.
Sweet treat Cacaoté
Music - Jazz, RnB, Pop
Favorite tipples Depends where I am and the time of day. All-time favorite would be Rose Champagne, of course, and Dom Perignon Rose and Bruno Pallard Rose, Burgundy Red Wine. Altitude’s Dirty Martini, White Chocolate Martini at The Dharwangsa Hotel’s The Library, Earl Greytini at Grand Hyatt’s Fountain Lounge, Social House’s Tropical Peach and Luna Negra’s Flower Power. Boy, do I drink!
Book -The Secret Dinner spot Wow, I have a few. Amuz, because Chef Gilles Marx is simply the best here and whips up amazing, melt-in-the-mouth dishes. Chateau Blanc because I love the ambiance and décor – and it’s romantic. Hangout haunts- Altitude, Skye Bar & Restaurant Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast at Anantara SOS and W Hotel Bali. Brunch at Keraton at The Plaza, Jakarta.
Accessories and jewelry – Wow, a few of my faves are Cartier and Bulgari. I also like to get my jewelry from Club Solitaire
Laptop - Sony VAIO Ultrabook Cell phone - Samsung Galaxy and iPhone Gadget of choice – iPad mini
Bags - Hermes , Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Christian Dior, among others Designer label - Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci, Farah Khan, Karen Millen, BCBG
Social media faves Facebook, Path and Instagram
Biggest splurge - Cosmetics, fashion, bags and shoes
Camera - Olympus
Salon & Spa - D’Headline Salon, Dharmawangsa Spa
Casual wear - Mango, Zara, Victoria’s Secret and also Farah Khan’s Cruise Collection.
Car - SUV, Jeep
Travel destination Santorini Luggage - Louis Vuitton and Samsonite
TYING THE KNOT
Batik made easy with a few simple ties and knots. IF YOU ever wonder how batik fabrics stay on traditional Javanese dancers without any stitch or pin holding them, then it is time for you to put your curiosity to rest. The creative folks behind eponymous batik label Iwan Tirta Private Collection have made an extra effort to share some useful draping and folding tricks to turn a piece of batik scarf into a skirt, an asymetrical dress, halter top,
turban and even a bag. Visit Galeries Lafayette through Dec. 9 to check out the label’s exclusive batik scarves. Themed “Royal Wisdom”, the scarves bear such classic motifs as Buketan, Hokokai, Peksi, Ceplok Banji and Truntum. The collection’s promotional material, printed on a deck of 11 cards, will show you all the ideas you need to tie and knot for success.
JPLUS December 1, 2013
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JPlus LAUNCH
Friends AND A FABULOUS Fun Time
MONOLOG AT PONDOK INDAH STREET GALLERY WAS THE PLACE TO BE ON NOV. 21 TO WELCOME JPLUS. THE “TABLE OF FRIENDS” COLUMNISTS PLAYED HOSTS AND KEPT GUESTS ENTERTAINED WITH THEIR EASY BANTER, BEFORE THE SPIRITED TOAST FOR THE NEW LIFESTYLE SUPPLEMENT AND THE HANDING OUT OF PRIZES TO A LUCKY FEW. IF YOU MISSED THE GATHERING THIS TIME AROUND, BE SURE TO JOIN JPLUS AT OUR UPCOMING EVENTS.
The Jakarta Post Executive Director Riyadi Suparno, PT Bina Media Tenggara Associate Director Yudi Wanandi, editor Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post Sales & Marketing Director Ady P. Pamungkas
Table of Friends columnist Iwet Ramadhan has a point to make.
Happy Salma, Neneng Rahardja, Wanny Bhakti, Ann Delny, Dahlia Sardjono
Elwis Joy, Yudi Wanandi, Sri Astari, Harry Setiawan, Mitu M. Prie
Photographer Jerry Aurum is a willing spectator to the Table of Friends’ hijinks, with Iwet, Rene, Edward, Zoya and Ligwina
Riyadi Suparno congratulates lucky winner Ratna Mustika.
JPlus marketing executive Dewi Damayani greets the guests.
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It’s heads down for Rene, with Edward and Jakarta Vintage’s Luthfi Hasan.
Alex Frits catches up with Triawan Munaf
Ady Pamungkas and Fanina Susanti.
Happy Salma and a very happy Rene.
The Park Lane Jakarta’s Aya Suhastra, Desiree Merlina and Yanti Zorlu of Turkuaz.
Felicia Handali, Eric Handali, Vivi Sofyan, Lala Tedja, Amrit Gurbani, Agung Ari Wibowo. Photos: Fransisca Angela, Andrian Wirawan, R. Berto Wedhatama
taste BUD
FISH WITH FLOURISH
MAURO ULIASSI’S EPONYMOUS RESTAURANT IN SENIGALLIA, ITALY, HAS TWO MICHELIN STARS TO ITS NAME BUT THE CHEF ALSO BELIEVES IN OFFERING STREET FOOD TO ORDINARY PEOPLE.
WORDS KINDRA COOPER PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOTEL MULIA SENAYAN
To the Letter To ensure his diners appreciate it, the chef sent out written instructions: “Please take a moment to appreciate the fragrance of the soup before setting the shells aside in the jar.” As waiters served the soup into bowls, diners enjoyed the rich aroma of basil, celery, onion and lemongrass. Lemongrass in Italian food? “I love a lot Asia and the flavors of Asia, the smell of Asia in our food,” Uliassi says. The red snapper, baby squid and shrimp that make up the soup are bountiful near his Senigallia restaurant, but he reveals that he gives the renowned soup its flavor through the use of lemongrass, mint, cardamom and lime. Dish number four, reinterpreted black ink “strigoli” (thick, tube-like pasta infused with squid ink), draws its flavor solely from the baby squid it’s tossed with, cooked so delicately the meat becomes silken, almost creamy.
Most representative of the chef’s Asian forays was the fifth course: roast goose with a cherry tea, pineapple and lime lacquer. “This goose is classic goose but with the flavor of mint and lime that are typical flavors of Asia. And the lacquer tea is Chinese,” Uliassi explains. The feast closed with deconstructed tiramisu, in which the mascarpone and chocolate ice cream are served in blobs, the biscuit placed on top. It is almost time for Uliassi and his team to find something new again. Every year, they take a three-month sabbatical – Dec. 27 until the last weekend in March – to travel and collaborate with culinary bigwigs of the likes of Joel Robuchon, Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adrià. They then cloister in the kitchen for 40 days to brainstorm, although he prefers to call it “brain sailing”, “because your mind goes where the wind takes you. Brainstorming is like a tempest.” He plays with metaphors in his speech the way he plays with flavors in his dishes: “Cooking is very, very close to making love. All five senses are involved,” he says, confessing that he most relishes “reading the pleasure” in his guests’ faces as he offers them something different.
GOING FOR GREEK Photo Courtesy of Keraton at The Plaza
ANYONE WHO tasted Italian chef Mauro Uliassi’s exclusive multicourse offerings at Il Mare in Hotel Mulia Senayan recently will easily understand his vaunted reputation. But the chef approaches his life and cuisine with the simplicity of his Senigallia restaurant. The Uliassi restaurant, nothing more than a wooden hut when it opened in 1990, retains its clapboard quaintness, with awnings painted bright blue and striped deck chairs out front. “In the restaurant, you have waiters, chefs, beautiful glasses and precious cutlery. And the dishes cost a lot of money [to make]. But food is food,” says the
award-winning chef, who will repackage his haute cuisine as street food at next year’s World Streetfood Congress. Selling prosciutto and piadina (Italian flatbread) on the street for five euro each is Uliassi’s way of reconvening with “his people” – as if soccer legend Pelé were to kick a ball around with kids in the park, he says. “You can touch the soul of people; you can live in the middle of the people,” he says. “People are passionate when we go on the road because for the first time they can see a professional team in action.” Diners at Il Mare certainly felt the passion infusing the intriguingly fruity and oriental flavors of Uliassi’s dishes. The meal opened with a dish of “San Remo” red shrimps in a tangy lemon jelly, rounded off by tiny watermelon cubes heaped with cardamom. The oozy, silken textures to prep the palate continued into the second starter – yellowtail Carpaccio in tomato agretto and langoustine that melded smoky and sour.
For the third course, Uliassi offered his signature hearty fish soup, brought to the table in the same glass pot in which it had been slow-cooked over a low fire. The pot seals in the aromas and flavors, and heating at just 26 degrees Celsius allows each ingredient to express its full profile. “When you cook something over a fire, all the textures, flavors and smells of different ingredients mix together and change completely their identity,” Uliassi says. “And it becomes another thing – fantastic, but another thing.”
GREECE IS in the news in these parts, and thankfully it’s not only for the nation’s economic toil and trouble. A host of Indonesian celebrities have taken trips to the famed islands in the Mediterranean, including Farah Quinn and actors Rio Dewanto and Atiqah Hasiholan on their honeymoon. If you can’t make it all the way to Europe but want a taste of olive oil in free flow and fabulous feta, then Bengawan restaurant at Keraton at The Plaza in Central Jakarta may be to your liking. Guest chef Themis Agnatos from Athens is doing the honors with a selection of favorites for weekdays, weekends and the a la carte menu. The starters include horiatiki salata (containing tomatoes, onions, feta cheese) and htapodi xydato (with
octopus and sun-dried tomatoes), with entrees such as mousaka (beef, potatoes and eggplant) and psari a la Spetsiota (roast fish with peppers, onion, garlic, olives). Diners can end on a sweet note with karidopita (walnut pie with cinnamon flavored syrup served with ice cream) and galaktoboureko (phyllo pastry stuffed with orange and lemon flavored cream). The promotion is available during weekday lunch buffet hours at Rp 288,000 ++ per person and during weekend brunch for either Rp 495,000 ++ per person (with limitless non-alcoholic beverages) or Rp 995,000 ++ per person (with endless wine flow). The special a la carte menu is also available daily. The promotion runs through Dec. 8.
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cover STORY
P
BUILDING HOPE SUPERMODEL PETRA NEMCOVA RECOVERED FROM THE 2004 TSUNAMI TO REALIZE HER DREAM OF TEACHING CHILDREN. WORDS BRUCE EMOND PHOTOS MEUTIA ANANDA
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etra Nemcova believes in fate and that events, including painful ones, happen for a reason. “I’ve seen it many times in my life and the lives of my friends,” the Czech supermodel says during a visit to Jakarta for her Happy Hearts Fund, her not-for-profit organization that builds schools in communities affected by natural disasters. “Sometimes it’s to shake us and bring us back to the path because we get distracted. But it’s up to us to learn the lesson or not.” For her, the lesson was a particularly hard one. Nemcova, on vacation at Thailand’s Khao Luk resort, was one of the most famous victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that swept Southeast Asia, irrevocably changing millions of lives. She suffered a broken pelvis and other serious injuries, and was rescued after clinging to a palm tree for more than eight hours (she has said that more painful than her injuries was hearing the wails of children nearby and not being able to help). Her fiancé, British photographer Simon Atlee, was killed. She has talked about the ordeal at length in the media. Again, sipping a chamomile tea, she describes what happened in a measured and reflective tone: she and Atlee took a morning walk on the beach and then returned to their bungalow before the massive wave struck. “We cannot change the past. We have to learn from the experience, and perhaps others can learn from that and be inspired. We all go through hardships in our lives. But if I can share what I did to overcome adversity to help others, then that’s a beautiful thing,” the 34-year-old says. “It’s very simple. Every moment is a gift. We never know what will happen next.” The first few weeks of physical and emotional healing were tumultuous. Less than a week after the tsunami, while in a Pattaya hospital on New Year’s Eve, she experienced excruciating pain, but the words of the doctor who left his family to see her changed her views. “He said, ‘Sometimes the pain feels like it’s 10, when in fact it’s only 4; we feel it more because we are focused on it. Think instead of the things you love and that make you happy.’ It showed me the power of positive thinking and it changed my thinking then.” She had already had a spiritual grounding before the tragedy and believes that the experience allowed her put the concept of spirituality into practice. “Through my spiritual studies I learned how powerful our mind is, how we create our own reality. We can use the mind as a tool, or sometimes the mind becomes our boss. That’s something that I was reminded of through my experience.” In short, she learned to apply the power of perspective.
cover STORY
Helping Hand When Nemcova looks back on her childhood self, growing up in what was then Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), she admits that she was “a bit weird, in a sense”. While other children her age were playing outside on weekends, she just wanted to clean house. It was her simple way of helping her mother out. This desire to help others persisted, even years later when she was building a successful modeling career in the US after having won an international model search contest at age 16 (she has given up on trying to correct the apocryphal story that she was “discovered” on the street a la Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell). “I knew a year after I arrived in the US that I wanted to build schools,” she says,
“ WE ALL GO THROUGH HARDSHIPS IN OUR LIVES. BUT IF I CAN SHARE WHAT I DID TO OVERCOME ADVERSITY TO HELP OTHERS, THEN THAT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING” noting that it married the professions of her schoolteacher mother and builder father. “It’s funny, because I could barely speak English, but I knew that one day I would do it. And I saw not just one school, but many of them.” Five years later, the tsunami “sped things up” in realizing that dream. “Things sometimes happen magically. It seemed surreal and hard to achieve, but it happened,” she says of Happy Hearts Fund. For Nemcova, the day a new school opens is “a great day of joy and smiles and happiness”. “But the real meaning comes in the days after, how it changes the lives of the child, the family and future generations from the ripple effect on the community,” she adds, noting her belief in education as an agent of change and a means of raising communities out of poverty. “When the children can go back to school they can start healing from the trauma.” By the end of this year, 82 Happy Hearts Fund schools will have been opened, including 60 in Indonesia, located in Yogyakarta and West Java (her recent visit was to open two schools in Pangalengan, Bandung). Her target is to have 100 by December next year on the 10th anniversary of the tsunami.
Living & Learning Nemcova is bright, inquisitive and informed. During the morning’s photo shoot, she asked the crew about Indonesia and their personal backgrounds and drew comparisons between this nation and Haiti, where she was appointed a goodwill ambassador at large following the 2010 earthquake and the place she says she feels most comfortable today (she is reportedly dating Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe). She is composed throughout the interview, giving her answers in slightly accented but almost perfect English. It is only when asked if the schools are also a way for Atlee to live on that she pauses and looks upward. “Simon’s way of living on is different. One of his favorite sayings was, ‘A day without laughter is a day wasted’. He wanted to live with joy and laughter. And that is what his family and I decided to do – to celebrate life every day. We take more holidays and I always get together with them when I am in the UK. We keep his spirit alive by celebrating life.” Nemcova, who published her autobiography Love Always, Petra in 2005, believes that having a mix of activities is important to enrich life. She competed in the US TV show Dancing with the Stars in 2011, and is now following other supermodels such as Heidi Klum and Kathy Ireland into business. She recently launched her home decor line Be the Light in New York City; one of the six nations providing inspiration for the first collection of luxury candles is Indonesia. “I think if you have only one element in your life, you easily become consumed by it,” she says. “I remember when I was working every day in fashion, I thought it was too much. But now, with all the things I have going on today, when I get to do fashion, it’s like a holiday. When you have variety, you appreciate your life more.”
Wardrobe: sebastianred
“Every experience, every job, every country has positives and negatives. Everything is in the eye of the viewer, and it’s true for experiences, too,” she says. “If you pick the negative, then that is what you will experience. If you pick the positive, that is what you will get.”
Photo: Courtesy of Happy Hearts Fund
JPLUS December 1, 2013
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good LIVING
PURE PERFECTION ANTONY LIU’S FAMILY HOME IS AN ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECE BUILT TO BLEND IN WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. WORDS WILLY WILSON
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JPLUS December 1, 2013
good LIVING
in this long corridor,” says Liu, for whom Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is an inspiration. “The glass walls, supported by exposed galvanized columns, blend the interior with the outdoor landscape and its water feature,” he adds. The “minor” mass consists of the garage and the service area and, as it sits in front of the main building, serves as a buffer. Made to Perfection For Liu, designing his house was easy; building it was difficult, both financially and technically. “We started building in July 2007 and finished in December 2008,” Liu says. “It could have been faster, but building a dream house isn’t cheap, especially if you require excellent workmanship.” Pointing out the house’s columns, Liu explains how each is aligned to the wood panels, window frames, concrete tiles and even the position of the doorknob. This precision and attention to detail are also evident in the master bedroom, which has an outdoor bathroom and a swimming pool. The outdoor area is covered in perfectly sliced and carefully arranged timber, creating a threedimensional effect from every angle. Perhaps the most curious feature of the house is the state-of-the-art fog system meant to reduce the temperature of his house by up to 3 degrees Celsius. Set up underground, beneath the rocks in the bamboo garden, the fog system uses high water pressure and specifically designed nozzles placed at precise intervals. “The fog system is a common technology used by orchid farmers,” Liu says. “But the nozzles usually shoot fog
LIU DEDICATED MOST OF HIS PLOT TO THE EXISTING TREES, CLIMBERS AND CREEPERS, AND MANGO TREES. UNDERNEATH THIS GREEN PATCH IS AN UNDERGROUND WATER ABSORPTION SYSTEM from above, creating mist that fertilizes orchids. I requested underground nozzles, which apparently had never been done before. I told the engineer that I was willing to experiment. I’m very pleased with the end results.” Liu worked for five architectural firms throughout the 1990s before finally setting up his own firm, Studio TonTon, with fellow architect Tony (and later on, Ferry Ridwan) in 1999. It now employs 25 architects. “We used to run the business from a tiny shop-house in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta,” he says. “It was a crowded area, and I personally
find the confined space put my creativity to a halt. I began searching for a space in Serpong, where you can still find green patches and fresh air.” When he heard that an 860-squaremeter block of land with a lake view in Serpong was up for sale, he didn’t hesitate to buy it. “I thought I was going to build a family house here. But I soon realized that the site wasn’t big enough for me to construct an elongated one-story house with a large compound – something that I’ve always dreamed of for my family,” Liu says. “I then decided to use the land to build the new office for TonTon studio. And as fate would have it, I soon found a bigger plot in the same area that was just right for me to build my dream home.” Liu, a devout Christian, knew that building his dream house would be creatively and financially challenging and considers its realization a divine miracle. “That is why I named nicknamed the house ‘Bea’,” he says. “Not only does this refer to the architectural beauty of the house, but it is also a potent reminder of the beauty of God’s plan in my life.” Photos: Cherly and Albert Lim (courtesy of Studio TonTon)
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ntony Liu of Studio TonTon is best known for imposing modern structures across Bali, such as Conrad Hotel’s wedding chapel, the famous Bale resort and, more recently, the ultra-hip Ize Hotel. His aesthetic is clean, modern – some might even say cold, given the dominance of glass and raw concrete – but he refuses to define himself by a single genre. “I don’t sit down and think of the design category my works belong to. But the one consistency in my work is that it has always been unobtrusive to the surrounding environment,” says the 42-year-old architect, who is also a skilled painter. “I always strive to design buildings that complement the surrounding nature, without compromising style or function. Unfortunately, the terms ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ are often used in opposition of nature.” Liu doesn’t like to take too much credit for his work. He brushes off the idea that he single-handedly pushes sustainable modern design in Bali, where the proliferation of resort developments could cause environmental damage. But one achievement he happily acknowledges is the impeccable work of “Bea House” (Bea is short for beautiful), the name given to his family home in Paramount Hill Golf, Gading Serpong. The house, both spare and luxurious, covers 1,470 square meters of land. The single-story structure uses raw concrete walls and polished Bangkirai (commonly known as Meranti or Philippine mahogany) panels. With a rectilinear design set around a sculptured patio and lush, natural greenery, “Bea House” is indeed a stunning masterpiece. “I don’t like the idea of axing existing trees and plants. And my idea of a dream home is one that is kind to the environment,” says Liu. With this in mind, he dedicated two-thirds of his plot to the existing trees, climbers and creepers, and mango trees. Underneath this green patch is an underground water absorption system. Three Components The house is laid out in three masses. The linear “prominent” mass stretches along the site, housing the master bedroom, with an adjacent outdoor bath and swimming pool, three other bedrooms, a home theater, and a living area. Set alongside this mass is the “supporting” mass, which includes a kitchen, a study and the spare bathroom. Separating the two masses is a long corridor, featuring vertical wooden panels on the right and a row of glass on the left. “The wooden panels are purposeless; they are there to conceal the doors to the private rooms. Visually, I do like the dramatic juxtaposition of wood and glass
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wanderLUST
HOME ON THE RANGE EAST JAVA’S BALURAN NATIONAL PARK IS THE PLACE TO GET UP CLOSE WITH NATURE EVEN IF JUST FOR A DAY. WORDS FRANSISKA ANGGRAINI PHOTOS ASRI
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y trip of discovery to Baluran happened on a whim. I was taking in the glorious sunrise from the jetty of Shorea Beach resort in West Bali when I caught sight of the magnificent towering volcanoes in the distance. Intrigued, I decided then and there to head to East Java. I shortened my stay by a day and caught a minibus for the one-hour drive to Gilimanuk Harbor for the crossing to Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi. Due to my limited access to the Internet in West Bali, I arrived in Banyuwangi without knowing what to do or where to stay. But Banyuwangi is the the gateway to four national parks in East Java – Ijen, Baluran, Meru Betiri, and Alas Purwo – and I decided to choose one of them as my place to visit. The pick was Baluran, for several reasons. It is the closest and easiest to reach, and it does not require any trekking. It is also dubbed Java’s Africa, with its stretch of savannah said to resemble the Serengeti, with deer and wild oxen replacing giraffes and elephants. I set off at dawn the next day, intending to see the famous sunrise at Bama Beach in the park. Unfortunately, the gate does not open until 6 a.m., and the ranger told me I would need to stay overnight in the park if I wanted to catch the spectacle. My jeep driver made the best of the situation by taking me to a nearby fishing village, where I could watch the rows of fishing boats at anchor against the backdrop of the rising sun. We then headed back to the park, traversing a narrow lane fringed by dense overgrowth. My driver stopped the car and turned off the engine.
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wanderLUST
“Listen, it’s the cry of junglefowl,” he said excitedly. A little way along, he stopped again and pointed to marks on the road. “Look, those are wild boar hoofprints,” he exclaimed, coaxing me to look out from the jeep’s rooftop. We finally reached the 300-hectare expanse of land called Bekol. There was an almost surreal feeling on this fine morning, with the fresh air, eerie quiet, vast greenery, the bluest of blue skies and a strangely empty landscape save for a few ox carcasses. Monkey Business The stairway of the nearby viewing tower was crowded with a playful group of long-tailed macaques. They paid no attention to me, but I gingerly made my way past them and held on tight to my belongings. From above, I saw the savanna wasn’t really empty after all. I spotted a herd of deer grazing under the shade of a clump of trees, and I decided to see them for myself on foot and snap some photos. They were wary of me but stayed put. Not far away were numerous macaques nibbling on flowers. Monkeys, mischievous and always entertaining, are a favorite of mine. Surrounded by lush mangroves, my next stop of Bama
THERE WAS AN ALMOST SURREAL FEELING ON THIS FINE MORNING, WITH THE FRESH AIR, EERIE QUIET, VAST GREENERY, THE BLUEST OF BLUE SKIES AND A STRANGELY EMPTY LANDSCAPE. was quiet. It has small bungalows and a restaurant run by the national park (www.balurannationalpark.web.id), and travelers can also pitch a tent on its white sands. The beach is beautiful, but I was captivated by the surrounding mangrove forest. There is a meandering boardwalk that leads into the forest and a floating terrace. It was here that I learned that monkeys, despite the commonly held view they cannot swim, can dive and stay submerged for a few seconds. They were a hilarious sight
to behold, especially the adults keeping a watchful eye on the frolicking youngsters. I spent a full day in Baluran, which somehow did not seem enough. I weighed the option of staying overnight to watch herds of grazing wild oxen and that famed sunrise, but I wanted to head back to Banyuwangi to sample the town’s delectable nasi tempong and rujak soto. You cannot have everything in life; I chose to say a fond farewell to the monkeys and return in the near future.
IF YOU GO … • The best time to visit Baluran is March to November when rain is infrequent (so about now is a good time). • Baluran can be explored independently by renting a car from Surabaya, Situbondo or Banyuwangi. • Wear comfortable footwear and bring mineral water, snacks and mosquito repellent. • Bring cash for the park entrance and meals at the restaurant in Bama, because the nearest ATMs are located in Situbondo and Banyuwangi. • Merpati Airlines (www.merpati.co.id) has flights to Banyuwangi from Surabaya. There is also daily service on the Mutiara and Lawangalun trains (approximately six hours). • Hotels in Bayuwangi include Bella Vista Villa & Restaurant (Jl Raya Situbondo No. 99) and Mirah Hotel (www.mirahhotel.com)
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persoNALITY
RED IS THE NEW BLACK
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for immunity – but he will work only with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen. “He’s definitely a very bad guy, but he seems to have a plan of sorts that maybe might turn out to be righteous – I don’t know,” Spader said in a telephone interview. “But there’s a strange honesty and truth about him even though he lives in a very nefarious world [...] when dealing with this young woman, Elizabeth Keen, and I’m intrigued by that relationship.” Which means the role has just the kind of complexity that the 53-year-old relishes.
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WORDS KINDRA COOPER
“I like to play characters that are very difficult to pigeonhole, that really have a great deal of conflict in their life and in their character, in their temperament. And this guy is certainly that,” said Spader. The relationship between FBI profiler Liz Keen and Red is unveiled by degrees: after Keen discovers fake passports and a handgun belonging to her husband, she can no longer ignore Red’s insinuations that Tom Keen has a shady past. Red’s seeming omniscience confers on him even more power when he divulges that he knew Keen’s estranged father, hence his insistence on working with her. A crime show so riddled with relationship drama begs the question: Is the real focus on interpersonal tangos or down-and-dirty crime-solving? “I think in this show, it’s sort of all wrapped up together. I think there’s things that Elizabeth Keen will learn about her life that’s wrapped up in the world that Raymond Reddington comes from,” Spader explained. “And I think his life experience relates directly to her life – and not just her life in the past, but more importantly, to what her life is in the present and will be in the future.”
Photos: Courtesy of AXN
ames Spader (Boston Legal; The Office) is once again commanding attention on our small screens, this time in the role of, as he puts it, “a very bad guy”. Spader stars in The Blacklist as Raymond “Red” Reddington, aka “The Concierge of Crime”, who brokers shady deals and leaks classified information among terrorists, corrupt politicians and mobsters. This elusive criminal surprises and perturbs the FBI by turning himself in, with an offer to help capture the “clients” on his “blacklist” in exchange
VETERAN ACTOR JAMES SPADER TAKES ON “THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME” IN ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED TV SERIES OF THE YEAR.
Role Play Throughout his 35-year career – his first major role was in 1981, as the older brother of Brooke Shields’ character in Endless Love – Spader has hand-picked roles with bite – “dichotomous” characters who, if not outright repulsive, certainly demand contemplation. He claimed particular attention as soft-spoken voyeur Graham Dalton in 1989’s Sex, Lies and Videotape, who films women discussing their sexuality. The film was archived in the US National Film Registry for its honest depiction, which Spader modestly attributes to “chaotic dumb luck”. Spader subsequently became sought after by casting directors to take on characters with odd fetishes – which seem
to be a recurring theme in the actor’s résumé. Secretary (2002) explored the dominant-submissive sexual relationship between Spader’s character and his secretary, Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal). In the psychological thriller Crash (1996), Spader’s character and his wife attempt to reinvigorate their sex life by deriving pleasure from car crashes, with some critics decrying the film’s graphic sexuality and violence. Spader’s latest film, The Homesman, co-starring Hilary Swank and Meryl Streep, is in post-production. His next film role is Ultron in the upcoming The Avengers: Age of Ultron to be directed by Joss Whedon. But he has also branched out into theater, having starred in David Mamet’s Race on Broadway in 2009. “I think the industry used to be much more compartmentalized,” Spader said. “I think that people are spreading themselves out a little bit more and taking advantage of opportunities in all the different mediums.” He attributes this shift to what he refers to as a “contracting economy.” But with Red in The Blacklist, Spader feels that he has hit on the role of a lifetime. “I expect to be surprised along the way, because that’s the fun of doing a television series in the same way that it’s the fun of watching a television series,” he said. “Television can take a left turn very, very quickly and then come back on the road again and then take a very severe right turn. So just as long as I’m maybe two or three steps ahead of the viewer, I feel perfectly comfortable.” The Blacklist airs on AXN every Wednesday at 9 p.m.
culture VULTURE
Aming Turns the Spotlight on ‘Saman’ Adding some modern polish and attractions to Indonesia’s traditional dances. WORDS KINDRA COOPER PHOTOS COURTESY OF DJARUM BAKTI BUDAYA FOUNDATION
COMEDIC ACTOR Aming Supriatna gave a talent tour de force with his thoroughly modern and quirky interpretation of the legendary Acehnese Saman and Seudati dances titled “Saman” at Galeri Indonesia Kaya, Grand Indonesia. The actor, best known for his role in Trans TV’s hit slapstick variety show
Extravaganza (20042009), presented Psycho Diva, his recent arts venture comprising art and design installations based on interpretations of music, theater, couture and design. Among them was the DIY dress made from colored straws he famously donned to a 2012 Katy Perry concert in Sentul. The show, performed on Nov. 23-24, began with eight female dancers kneeling, motionless, with their foreheads pressed to the stage. The unmistakable rail-thin actor slunk onstage in a black bodysuit with yellow polka dots to match their attire and painted faces. There followed a skit, with the dancers enacting extra-terrestrial beings who repeated Aming’s every word, freezing
comically whenever he turned to look at them. The more he provoked them the bolder they grew, entangling him in an increasingly flustered tussle with himself. One particularly fiery, motor-mouthed dancer was called Rihanna. “Obviously Rihanna is on a diet,” Aming quipped, eyeing her robust frame. The dance, with its customary staggered rhythm, was led by a percussionist beating a kendang drum, who chanted folk and Islamic verses. Performed entirely while kneeling and featuring harmonized handclaps and upper body gestures, the routine was authentic save for the pop culture jibes in the skit and the polka-dot costumes to match Aming’s art installation of hanging black-and-yellow balls against a samecolored background. Red and blue strobe lights distorted the striking colors, giving the performance a disorienting undertone as the kendang drum beat faster and faster and the
dancers moved in time. “’Psycho Diva’ is about having fun, being happy and being yourself,” Aming said in a Q&A session with the audience post performance. “They’re amazing, aren’t they?” he added of the young dancers, all aged between 14-18. “They are already professional dancers who can perform all types of traditional dance – extraordinary. And they’ve been everywhere.” The performance took place on the same day as “Indonesia Menari 2013”, a flash mob movement to promote traditional dance initiated by the Djarum Bakti Budaya Foundation. Opened in October, Galeri Indonesia Kaya is an exhibition and auditorium space built by the foundation that is open for rehearsals, exhibitions and performances free of charge. Psycho Diva was part of its presentation of “prime time” artistic performances on Saturdays and Sundays, each one no longer than an hour-and-a-half and curated by the GIK team.
HIP-HOP AND TRADITIONAL BETAWI DANCE MAKE EXCELLENT PARTNERS
Galeri Indonesia Kaya will be the place to be next weekend for hip-hop lovers. GET READY for a good time at the “Hip-hop Indo Weekend”, a cultural mixand-match of performances combining Indonesian traditional dance and wayang (shadow puppetry) with US hip-hop. Animal Pop Family showcases its Indonesian hip-hop movement at 3 p.m. on Dec. 7-8 at Galeri Indonesia Kaya, located on the 8th floor of Grand Indonesia’s West Mall. It boldly brings forward “Betawi hip-hop”, combining the traditional dance of Jakarta – which can include dialogue and comedy preceding, punctuating or following the dance – with the Bronx-
originating music genre that is now internationally synonymous with popular culture. Betawi music is provided by the two-string spike fiddle called a rebab, a gendang drum and an ensemble of bronze idiophones. The Jakarta-based group will combine this with hip-hop’s rap music, turntabling (DJ music), break dancing and graffiti art. Choreographed by contemporary dancer and choreographer Jecko Siompo, who has also studied traditional dance, the show exemplifies how disparate cultures can combine
without losing the essence of either. On Dec. 8, “wayang hip-hop” (hiphop shadow puppetry) will take cultural assimilation to new heights with Endog Jagad, a theatrical wayang performance featuring a DJ soundtrack rather than traditional gamelan. Both performances underscore the pliability and adaptability of Indonesian arts and culture in that it can undergo modern adaptation without falling prey to antiquation. Break dancing communities are plentiful in Indonesia, such as StreetpasS, the community that originally created “Betawi
Hip-hop”. Traditionalists initially opposed the idea of marrying modern and Betawi dance, believing that it encroached upon the sanctity of tradition. However, working with students from Jakarta Art Institute (IKJ), “Betawi Hip-hop” has led to the modern development of traditional dance that will be crucial for its sustenance. Performances are open to the public free of charge. For more information, visit www.indonesiakaya.com. + Kindra Cooper
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20/ 20
“I’M IRRITATED BY UNCERTAINTY” Me, in three words… Passionate, a mother, optimist.
For me, it’s the whole experience of eating – from how it looks to how it tastes.
Someone I really respect or look up to… My late grandmother [Blue Bird founder Mutiara Siti Fatimah Djokosoetono].
Go-to food in Jakarta… Sop kaki kambing (mutton leg soup) Irwan in Kebayoran!
Best childhood memory… Hmm…I spent my childhood with my grandmother and father at the office! I guess messing up the office (laughs). Key to being a good leader… First of all you have to have passion, and you need to have respect for others. Our job as a leader is to make sure that we’re helping whoever is working together with us, and to make sure everything is running well. I always tell my kids… To reflect on something good and bad they encountered during the day. The good news is to teach them to be grateful, and the bad news is so they can learn something from it. I also teach them not to get attached to material things by donating a portion of their birthday gifts to charity.
IN ADDITION to running the leading taxi fleet, Blue Bird Group’s vice president for business development Noni Purnomo has chalked up many colorful experiences in her lifetime. It turns out the mother of three stumbled into a radio DJ hosting gig while studying industrial engineering at Australia’s University of Newcastle, completed an MBA in finance and marketing, cooks and kicks up her heels with Thai boxing to relieve stress.
I am irritated by … Uncertainty. It’s not that I don’t like changes; I like new things, but I like to plan. What gets me up in the morning… The thought of doing something new and/or something better each day. Favorite food to cook… I don’t have any particular favorite thing, I usually just experiment. I do like fusion, though, so sometimes I would prepare an Indonesian dish but present it in a French style.
Favorite city in the world… San Francisco. A perfect day would be… I don’t like rainy days, that’s for sure. A perfect day would be when the sun is out and I can spend time with my children. Oh, and to be able to do something. I have to have a new idea or a new implementation. My all-time favorite book… The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. My hidden talent… Hmm…what is my hidden talent? Actually, my friend hosted a Chinese New Year party featuring a musical, and I was the main actress. Apparently everybody said I was good. Favorite aspect of Indonesian culture… The dances – we can learn a lot about a culture from the dance. What helps us grow as a person… It comes back to finding our passion and having a vision. Words to live by… From my late grandmother: “At any time, you must be able to look down and up.” It means you need to always be grateful for what you have, but at the same time there’s always someone more successful than you. + Words & illustration Felicita Goentoro
talk of THE TOWN
Hats Off to Good Causes and Good Times
Shangri-La Jakarta GM Jürgen Dörr, WWF Earth Hour Ambassador Nadya Hutagalung, WWF Indonesia CEO Dr. Efransjah, Mobiliari Group CEO Millie Stephanie, MasterCard Indonesia Country Manager Irni Palar
WWF AND TATLER MEDIA CONFERENCE
MASTERCARD DESTINATION BALI GUIDEBOOK LAUNCH
WORLD WIDE FUND for Nature (WWF) and Indonesia Tatler announced on Friday their collaboration for the high-society magazine’s annual ball, held the same night at Shangri-La Hotel Jakarta. This year’s “Indonesia Tatler-Panda Ball” set out to raise awareness of the WWF’s Coral Triangle Program and threats to marine resources.
MASTERCARD LAUNCHED its MasterCard Destination Bali guidebook on Nov. 29. The book, published by the Mobiliari Group, is intended to help visitors, particularly holders of the card, find the best shopping, dining, hotel, spa and tourist attractions on the resort island.
MasterCard Indonesia’s Country Manager Irni Palar & Mobiliari Group CEO Millie Stephanie
Haute Couture and Art to Wear 2014 Musical High Tea with Harry Darsono Couture GUESTS WERE treated to a sneak peek of Harry Darsono’s Art to Wear 2014 collection on Nov. 24 at MRCCC Siloam Semanggi, South Jakarta. Lions Club Jakarta Nusantara cooperated with the Harry Darsono Foundation to raise funds for cornea transplants for the underprivileged.
PAULANER BRAUHAUS GRAND REOPENING
The designing man of the hour, surrounded by models and friends
Sunita Lakhiani, Sunita Punjabi, Divya Naresh
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Kempinski’s director of public relations Rebecca Leppard
Charles Saerang of Nyonya Meneer (right)
THE LEDERHOSEN and frankfurters were out in force as Paulaner Brauhaus reopened in Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, Central Jakarta. Guests tucked into a selection of Bavarian bites and the Munich establishment’s bodacious beer before getting down with some oompapa musical accompaniment.