Vol. 1 No. 12 I JANUARY 5-11, 2014
WANDERLUST
The Bean Streets of Saigon CULTURE VULTURE
3D Art Makes Waves PERSONALITY
A Young Man On the Go
true brew how indonesia woke up and smelled its urban coffee culture
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Noted in passing
mark my words
Pretty Much
Changing Tastes
Being beautiful is becoming an ugly business these days. Words Jamie Irena Rayer-Keet
FROM OUR cover, and the contents within, you will quickly determine that coffee is the predominant theme this week. I was at the opening of the first Starbucks Indonesia store way back in 2002, and last week sat down once again with the company’s general manager Anthony Cottan to discuss the growth of the company and its plans for the future. While I know not everybody is a fan of big-time coffee stores, I crave my morning perk-me-up, wherever it comes from. “Make mine black and bitter, like my heart,” as some wag once remarked. Cottan mentions the “coffee journey” of learning about coffee culture, and I am among the passengers on this journey, literally and figuratively. Wherever I go, I seek out local beans and their flavors, whether it is Mandheling of North Sumatra, Flores and Toraja here at home (not so won over by the kedelai version I once tried in North Sulawesi) or from parts abroad – Mexico, Colombia, Kenya, to name just a few. This journey also leads us to Vietnam, famous for its own coffee contributions, and on to Italy, which the drinking of coffee has been raised to a fine art and lent us most common coffee-related terms today. Whether it’s coffee, tea or mie, drink and eat up, make the most of your day off, and have a great Sunday!
Bruce Emond
@JplusSunday
JplusSunday
SundayJplus
Check List
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Cream Come True
Italy’s coffee-inspired classic Tiramisu..
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Art Felt
Getting swept off our feet by 3D art.
ON THE COVER Starbucks Indonesia general manager Anthony Cottan Photographer Meutia Ananda I Stylist Willy Wilson
JPlus Team Editor Bruce Emond I bruce@thejakartapost.com Deputy Editor Willy Wilson Art Director Budhi Hartono Graphic Designer Lody Andrian 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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Beauty is no longer just skin deep or up to the eye of the beholder but rather a question of how deep can you go. Into your pocket that is. Here’s a brief history of beauty in three brilliant quotes by three brilliant minds. (note that the female stereotype indicated here represents all genders). “Crying is for plain women. Pretty women go shopping.” Oscar Wilde The playwright wasn’t just being his charming self when he unwittingly prophesied the global boom that would light up the faces of skincare manufacturers worldwide a century after his death. And who’d know more about the extortionate price, mentally, physically and financially, of such a grave desire to remain beautiful than he who granted a dolorous life of debauchery to Dorian Gray? Natural beauty, bless its spotless soul, has become a thing of the past and is reduced to a 21st century oxymoron bought at a plastic surgeon’s clinic. A brave new world where anti-ageing is the supreme being and we’re mere worshippers grovelling at the feet of a US$35 billion cosmetic industry. A pretty penny indeed. That’s not even considering the approaching onslaught of neurocosmetics – “skincare that creates a dialogue between the skin and the nervous system” – that’s set to hit consumers in the face very soon. Before you know it, your skin will be having conversations with your brain and adjusting muscles in your face you never even knew existed. “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel The French designer knew her women. They wanted to be liberated (from the corset), resilient yet stylish and bouclé clad (French for that iconic tweed), and above all, drop-dead sexy (cue: Chanel No. 5). So a friend of mine had a wife so
beautiful she’d give Salma Hayek a run for her money. Or maybe a triathlon. But yes, stay with that GQ-worthy image of the glowing siren you just conjured up and add a few dollar signs to that shapely figure. Face it – three to four currency digits per month for dermatology maintenance – who said that flawless blush was free? Shape it – three digits down for that hunky personal trainer with the grin at the gym - the one that you’d like to deflate one day. Eat like an epicurean – four digits a month of gourmet cuisine she needs to keep in fine fettle (like lingerie, the less the substance the more its exorbitance). Over an untouched cuppa one day, this friend mused listlessly that you’d think beauty and happiness somehow ought to go hand-in-hand, that surely one can’t live without the other and they must take evening strolls together on the beach that Disney created. “Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson It is to poets and philosophers such as Emerson that we turn when we want an eloquent reason to save money. Societal pressures, advertising and the media are all experts at persuading us to part with our pensions and prescribing what we should look like on the surface. But wise beholders know better. While it is every person’s yearning to be easy on the eye, it too is every critter’s desire to be happy. The unrelenting ugly and extravagant pursuit of conventional beauty does not come with the promise of happiness. Rather, it is those of us who are able to accept not only our own shortcomings, but also those of whom we love that happiness can ultimately be achieved. For beauty’s loyal bedmate has always been imperfection. And having the courage to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections is far more attractive than any symmetrical face will ever be.
table of friends
Black Magic How do you like to enjoy a cup of coffee?
@zoyaamirin
I became a coffeeholic during the past two years, from spending summers in the USA enjoying Indonesian coffee while there. Hate to brag, but Indonesian coffee is the best in the world. Isn’t it ironic that it’s easier to find Indonesian premium coffee outside the country than here ;(. I only drink premium coffee, because good coffees equal good health. As a sexologist, I would recommend you drink two cups of black good quality coffee every day as a mild stimulant. I do! I love plain black Java monk coffee with dark chocolate or with dates (the dried fruit, not men). It’s my favorite not just because of the story behind the coffee itself but because of its good arabica smell and robusta kinda taste ... perfect! You cannot go wrong with that strong smell which remains bold even after the first taste. Mmmhhh ;)
@edwardsuhadi
Do you remember your first cup of “real” coffee? I do :) I was one of the usual lot of so-called coffee drinkers, chugging sugar with a little coffee extract from sachets :) That was until one day a friend of mine – let’s say he was first barista ever before people knew what a barista was in Jakarta – handed me a cup of brewed coffee. “Try it without anything.” I spit it out because it was so bitter. I remember feeling sick for hours after because of the lingering after-taste. But I thought there must be something special about it for others to devoutly sing its praises. That was 10 years ago; fast forward to today, and now I am now a confirmed black coffee drinker. I like how they call it “long black” in Australia. No, I don’t like espresso, I love a full cupful. In the morning to wake you up, with its warmth, its smell and that knock-knock caffeine for your brain. The best thing to have it with? A greasy breakfast of sausages, scrambled eggs and toasted ham, topping off all that saltiness and fat with a hot black bitter punch. OK, I need to go get some groceries.
@ReneCC
Imagine the smell of coffee when you open your eyes. Imagine the pouring sound of that thick black elixir while you chat with your loved ones. Imagine when you hold the warm cup in hand while feeling the morning breeze. Priceless. I drink coffee every morning. I love its smell and I can give you as many reasons as you wish on why we should drink it faithfully every day. Sure, some health freaks or tea-lovers like Ligwina and Iwet may disagree with me, but as Robert Palmer said in his song, “It takes every kind of people to make the world go round”. Coffee is more than just a drink. Coffee is a culture in which critical minds, gossipers and passers-by collide. My best moments of epiphany and discovery always happened around coffee. I swear I always feel my IQ climb up a couple of notches whenever I drink a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, the second cup does not seem to produce the same effect LOL. Need more proof? Hey, Even the great Thor drinks coffee – something he could never have found in Asgard – well, may be this is stretching it a bit. What else can I say? Stop talking about coffee and just drink up!
@mrshananto
Coffee? What coffee??? Disclaimer. My body does not tolerate coffee. Yes, I do hang out in coffee shops a lot, but I drink tea latte instead. Sounds very sad, doesn’t it? However, I have traveled far and wide in this nation. Javanese by blood, I grew up in South Sulawesi, not far from Tanah Toraja. I’ve been to Aceh and Papua, so I cannot ignore the presence of coffee. While you can shoot me for not downing coffee, I will bring you coffee as oleh-oleh from all the different places I visit :) Yes Rene, I mean you. Didn’t I bring you some good Amungme coffee from my last Papua trip? ;)
@iwetramadhan
I see coffee as a culture, not only rich in taste but also blessed with the wealth of its story. Last year, I even made a connection between batik and coffee. Just like batik, coffee is really all about people. People and their character. The coffee you drink represents who you are, what you like and what you don’t like. It signifies your values. As with the tradition of batik, I always respect everything and anything that bears a relationship between people and culture. I am no big fan of coffee, but I always respect the story and culture behind it.
Join us at the table: send your feedback to @TOFChat and @JPlusSunday JPlus
January 5, 2014
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NEWYOU
A la mode
The
WARDROBE ESSENTIALS FOR HIM AND HER TO START THE NEW YEAR. Words Willy Wilson
The Manbag Conundrum Not too long ago, men’s bags meant a stiff briefcase or a nylon duffel to put your laptop and smelly gym kit. Fortunately, fashion designers have taken pity on our desparate need to solve the bag conundrum. Here are some of the practical, fashionable and well-made bags this season.
Classic Satchel
If you’re a fan of a slim leather briefcase – and of Christian Louboutin – you must check out Alexis Document Holder. Adorned with Louboutin’s signature studs, the holder’s latest edition comes in mute shades of brown (the previous incarnations were just a tad too much). Measuring 35.5cm by 25.5cm, this document holder has two general compartments in the interior and various slots for cards and notes. Now this is a stylish bag that you can actually carry to work.
The Easy Bag
Gucci’s beige cotton with brown leather trim and signature web detail is the reinterpretation of the classic Italian tote. Hand-braided leather shoulder straps and roomy silhouette mean that this tote is a perfect companion for a relaxing weekend – you can stuff your gadgets and training shoes in one bag, in style.
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Modern Briefcase
Bottega Veneta’s Fraise Inreccio Match Briefcase is flawlessly crafted. What makes it really special is the exclusive artisanal technique incorporated into the bag, rendering a beautiful rippled and tinted effect. In terms of shape, it is subtle and modern. Featuring pure intrecciato handles – an adjustable leather strap and brunito finish accents – the contrasting interior of this stylish briefcase comes with two lateral compartments, a generous zip compartment, an open side-pocket and smart phone sleeve. Perfecto!
Photos: Gucci, Chanel, Bottega Venetta, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton
French Style
Practical and understated, Bottega Veneta’s Walnut Sporty Tote is a classic, everyday bag made of pure, washed vintage leather. The facade has two flap pockets with leather loop closures. Inside, there’s a generous zip compartment and a handy slip pocket. The meticulous tonal stitching and intrecciato accents on the pockets and seams add an exquisite sartorial finish.
A la mode
LAIDBACK LADIES Gucci’s Frida Giannini and Chanel’s Karl Largerfeld couldn’t have been more different as designers. But they both seem to agree that sophisticated women on holiday this year must wear a high-waisted, wide-legged pants, with oversized tops. Giannini may have been thinking about Rio de Janeiro when she designed the Gucci 2014 cruise collection (that pink sunset in the campaign is unmistakably Ipanema). She advocates slouchy, baggy and lightweight tunics paired with wide-legged trousers in shimmering materials. But the collection’s most outstanding pieces are a hoodie in woven mink and a lightweight cashmere coat that look like a nightgown when tied up. Oh, and the kimono gown with crystalembroidered pajama set. These Gucci women are reminiscent of all those glamorous ladies of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Herr Largerfeld took his cruise collection – he emphasized it wasn’t a pre-collection! – to Singapore in what turned out to be a brilliant homage to Coco Chanel’s revolutionary gender-bending concept. Largerfeld champions high-waisted, wide-leg pants worn with oversized T-shirts, white shirts over baggy sweaters with exagerrated V-neckline and lightweight coats. So did he draw inspiration from Singapore? Well, he admitted he drew inspiration from some elements of local culture, such as the traditional black-andwhite woven curtains that adorn the island’s homes, which lent the collection its graphic palette. That sounds, er, inspiring. Anyway, the moral of the story is keep your skinny jeans in the closet and embrace your inner Lauren Hutton, with or without a gaptoothed grin.
Chanel
Gucci
THE MARC MUSES Marc Jacobs is no longer the creative director for Louis Vuitton, but the latter is milking his legacy to the very last drop. The French fashion house signed six actresses, models and personalities of different era (and nationalities) to star in its 2014 spring / summer campaign. Photographed by Steven Meisel, the campaign sees Catherine Deneuve, Sofia Coppola, Gisele Bündchen, Fan Bingbing, Caroline de Maigret and Edie Campbell posing with the season’s variations of Noé bag – embroidered with feathers, crystals, alligator or sequins, in supple calfskin, or in Monogram canvas trimmed with black leather. The simple studio backdrop and restrained color palette turn the spotlight on the personalities. The campaign is set to hit magazine pages next month. Fan Bingbing
Catherine Deneuve
Sofia Coppola
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PERSONALITY
MAGIC MIKEY
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JPlus January 5, 2014
DEEJAY AND EVENT ORGANIZER MIKEY MORAN ADDS ANOTHER FEATHER TO HIS COOL CAP WITH GO-JEK, A PICK-UP SERVICE THAT HE BELIEVES COULD HELP RESOLVE JAKARTA’S NOTORIOUS TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS.
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here are 747 bottlenecks in Jakarta’s chaotic streets, only 407 of which can be eased by traffic officers. So says a study by Bandung Institute of Technology, which concluded that people residing in Greater Jakarta spend two to three hours a day stuck in traffic, losing productivity to a hefty estimated value of Rp 34.73 trillion per year. Offering a balm to Jakarta’s acute traffic problems is 32-year-old deejay and entrepreneur Michaelangelo “Mikey” Francisco Moran. In the summer of 2010, Mikey, then a student at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, received an email from his pal Nadiem Makarim, detailing a business plan. “The idea was to mobilize ojek, Jakarta’s informal motorcycle taxi drivers,” Mikey says. “We wanted to set up a call center, with operators informing potential clients of the price of the service based on the distance measured on Google Maps. We then call the nearest Go-Jek drivers to come and pick up the clients. It is a pretty straightforward business plan.” Despite its simplicity, Mikey recognized the plan’s potentially massive social impact. “By taking the existing motorcycle taxi drivers under their wing, Go-Jek doesn’t increase the number of vehicles on the streets,” he says. “It does, however, offer an efficient and trustworthy transportation service for Jakartans.” Mikey knew that with standard operating procedures – and a new jacket and helmet – the ojek drivers would have the opportunity to tap into the city’s middle-class commuters, who would otherwise drive their own cars or motorbikes to and from work. “There are approximately 50,000 ojek drivers in Jakarta,” Mikey says. “The unspoken rules among them are a driver can’t pick up a passenger outside his area and once a driver gets a passenger, he will have to go back to his base and wait until everyone else gets a passenger before he gets his second deal of the day. The market pie is getting smaller and smaller.”
Under Go-Jek’s systematic approach, the drivers get also business from other sources, such as courier, shopping and delivery services. Under the company’s generous commission structure, they pocket 50 percent of the revenue. Mikey beams with pride as he reveals that Go-Jek drivers have reported a significant increase in their monthly income since joining the company. “We are now looking at the possibility of partnering with a major taxi company, while lobbying the city administration to formalize ojek,” says Mikey, whose Go-Jek fleet stands at around 550 drivers. For its innovations and social values, Go-Jek has won several awards, most remarkably the Global Entrepreneur Program Indonesia (GEPI) and praise from the likes of former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt.
Work Hard, Play Harder
But how did a guy best known for spinning discs at the coolest nightclubs become a social entrepreneur? “I consider myself a creative person. But business runs in my family,” says Mikey, whose parents made their fortune by distributing international-label fashion and accessory items in Indonesia. Adding to his business credentials is a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Finance from Boston University. Sure, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he didn’t have everything served up to him on a platter. “Upon returning to Indonesia in April 2004, I told my parents I want to be cut off [financially]. With my bachelor’s degree – and basic deejaying skills – I was determined to stand on my own two feet,” Mikey says. “My first gig was at Manna House. I played at nightclubs for free to get my name out there, and at the same time, I saw the opportunity in the eventorganizing business.” Being well-rounded helped his deejaying and event-organizing career tremendously, he believes. Once he had established his name among the who’s who in the nightclub scene, he founded his eventorganizing company, called Danceflow Productions. “And then I wanted to be a designer.” He laughs at
himself and then adds, “So off I go to San Francisco’s Academy of Arts University. I learned everything I needed to know about design medium, from print, audio, video, photography – the whole nine yards.” Mikey had planned to stay on in the States until he received the Go-Jek business plan from Nadiem. With Go-Jek now a growing business, Mikey is once again delving into deejaying and events. He currently divides his time between Jakarta and Bali, where two of his older brothers reside. His favorite spot to spin in Bali is Velvet Hypnotized, “a cool nightclub that retains Bali’s laidback atmosphere but strictly forbids its guests from wearing the Bintang tee”. But his heart is still in Jakarta, a city he describes as “a melting pot of culture with some of coolest, chillest people and most thriving nightlife scene”. “The traffic problems aside, we really don’t know how we good have it here [in Jakarta] until we go out to the neighboring capitals,” he says. “We’re definitely blooming – thanks to the rise of the middle class. It is an exciting time to be in Jakarta.”
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January 5, 2014
MUA: Chrisna Sujatmiko
Words Willy Wilson Photos Ricko Sandy
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cover Story
ON THE CARDS W
Starbucks Indonesia looks to give helpings of convenience with its cups of java. Words Bruce Emond Photos Meutia Ananda
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hen the first Starbucks Indonesia store opened in June 2002, general manager Anthony Cottan stated his intentions in bringing upscale coffee to these shores. “We want Starbucks to be the third place in people’s lives, after the home and office. We want people to come, stay and then come back again,” he said as the gleaming new flagship store opened for business at Plaza Indonesia. Not everybody was convinced that local licensee PT Sari Coffee Indonesia had chosen the right time to unfurl the “Starbucks Experience”, previously only glimpsed from afar in paparazzo shots of coffee-chugging celebrities bearing the mermaid logo-bearing cup. Although there was a percolating coffee store culture among Jakarta’s urbanites, the nation was
still pulling itself out of the grips of the late 1990s economic crisis. For many a cup of coffee was simply something taken in the morning, along with a smoke and the morning paper. More than 11 years later, the naysayers have been proved wrong. Let’s just say that city-dwelling Indonesians have woken up and smelled the coffee. The current166 Starbucks stores in 12 cities have succeeded in tapping into the needs of a rapidly changing society. In major cities such as Jakarta, Starbucks has become a chosen hangout and also a favored business meeting place (and a refuge from traffic). Cottan, an Englishman who has spent most of his hospitality industry career in Indonesia, identifies one of the keys to the company’s success here is its ability to change with the times and customer expectations. He points to the increasing need to provide
cover Story
convenience for customers amid the frenetic pace of life in Jakarta and other major cities. Today, there are 11 Starbucks’ drive-thrus and four outlets opened at hospitals. “People are now used to the culture of drinking on the go, which wasn’t something done years ago, it was considered quite impolite,” he says. “Today, with the way people live, it’s quite OK to do it.” Of course, while stores are known as a comfortable escape from the hubbub around us – the cushy sofas and easy listening music denoting the “home away from home” that Cottan talked about – ultimately the experience boils down to enjoying a cup of coffee. He believes Starbucks has helped shape the development of a modern coffee culture in Indonesia’s urban areas, occurring in tandem with the increasingly sophisticated tastes of the upper middle class. “I think we have been a pioneer and leader in educating people about coffee,” he says. “People not only know their lattes, which is probably our most popular selling item, but they are also becoming familiar with their macchiato. And you can see the growth of independent coffee stores that, I think, has also come along with a better understanding about drinking good coffee.” The new generation of young urban Indonesians – raised with opportunities and choices never enjoyed by their parents – are used to having their frappucino and drinking it, too. “When we opened our first store in Surabaya, people came along in shorts and sandals, complaining that it was too expensive,” he says. “The older generation never came, but young people did. They are now in their early 30s, and they are still coming back. We have 14 stores in Surabaya, and we find the crowd is very sophisticated about their coffee choices.”
Full of Beans
young urban Indonesians – raised with choices never enjoyed by their parents – are used to having their frappucino and drinking it, too. upcoming Lunar New Year and the other celebrating Valentine’s Day. Cottan is confident the colorful additions to the card portfolio will become collectibles among coffee connoisseurs. “People are looking for new ways to enjoy the experience of buying. They want to be entertained and have fun. And something like this helps to create conversation,” he says. “Ultimately we will be designing some Jakarta cards, to show that we’re not doing the same old cut and paste but we know about the local culture and there is a connection to Indonesia – we are Starbucks Indonesia after all. “Giving something back is meaningful, and in the end that’s the kind of relationship we want to have.”
A young marketing staff, smiling through a little stage fright, is giving a presentation at Starbucks Indonesia’s office in Jakarta. It is part of the regular morning schedule for employees to gather to swig some of the dark stuff and brush up their knowledge of all things coffee related. “We never stop learning, and it never gets boring,” Cottan says. “The biggest satisfaction is seeing people grow, and how we can change with the times and reinvent ourselves. Those things are really valuable.” Starbucks Indonesia will continue to educate people in what he calls their “coffee journey” in 2014. Although China and South Korea still lead for Starbucks’ growth in Asia, Indonesia is the fastest expanding market in Southeast Asia. The company plans to open up to 40 new branches this year, including at Kota Railway Station, following the successful opening at Gambir station (“many of my team doubted that decision, but we’ve built a fantastic store, and other companies have followed suit in setting up businesses at Gambir”). The venerable Plaza Indonesia store underwent a major face-lift, emerging with a design for younger, hipper times, as did the branch at the Central Jakarta Skyline building, with Starbucks’ founder Howard Schultz coming to town for the reopening. The Grand Indonesia branch will also soon undergo a six-week reservation to become a premiere “reserve store”, boasting a “Clover Machine” famed for producing exceptionally good brews. “We are not intending to slow down at all. We are very optimistic. We’re always thinking ahead about what will happen,” Cottan says. The Starbucks Card will also be developed into a mobile app by mid2014 for more convenience for today’s cyber-connected generation. So, it’s really all about having convenience with your coffee? “Make that coffee and convenience,” Cottan says. “We want the two to go together.” For more information on Starbucks Indonesia, visit www.starbucks.co.id.
Giving Back
Cottan says Starbucks realized after a decade in business that it also needed to give back to its loyal customers, as well as attract new ones. “We wanted to give back to customers, and this is a tried and tested way to put smiles on their faces,” he says, holding up the Starbucks Card. The card is a convenient way to make payments, he says, and allows regulars to keep track of their spending. The giving back part is through benefits, such as a free beverage after 10 beverage purchases, and a free package of coffee beans following the purchase of eight packages, as well as other monthly specials. Cardholders can also use it to treat their friends. With a minimum payment of Rp 100,000, customers are entitled to receive the card, but they must go online to register and activate it. The card debuted in mid2013, and currently there are about 150,000 cardholders. On Jan. 7, Starbucks Indonesia will unveil two new cards, one in honor of the
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wanderlust
S O M E T HING ’ S B RE W ING
IN SAIGON Finding good coffee tucked away in one of Vietnam’s most famous cities. Words John Gardner
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s general manager of a famously historic hotel, I meet numerous guests grappling with the Vietnam they read about and the Vietnam outside our lobby doors. After rowing sampans in the Delta, snacking on spring rolls and ticking off the landmark attractions, they ask, “Is there anywhere to go to see the ‘real’ Saigon?” My advice to dedicated culture-seekers is to explore Vietnam through the doors of its coffee houses. Vietnam is a coffee powerhouse and its cafes are often conceptual, intriguing spaces offering a window onto the city’s best views, art and architecture and occasionally, into its colorful past. The role of coffee is so deeply embedded in Vietnam’s social landscape that it’s hard to imagine this country without its ca phe sua da, its tin drip filters, its plastic lawn chairs facing the ever-changing spectacle of the street. Every morning, sheltered by a leafy branch or tucked into a quiet alley, Saigon’s elders, office workers, neighbors, taxi drivers and friends converge on the sidewalks for a leisurely chat over the day’s first cup. Visitors to Vietnam cannot fail to note this vaguely European tradition, played out wherever there are a few empty square meters and a little shade. In fact, we have the French to thank for the fertile plantations along the Annam Plateau that last year yielded enough beans to propel Vietnam to first place among the world’s largest coffee exporters. Six varieties of coffee are grown in the complex climates and microclimates of the Central Highlands, and the intense, broad palette of Vietnamese coffee is credited to careful blending of these different bean species, and long, slow roasting in butter oil. Of course, I may be accused of being biased, but perhaps the best place to get your first taste of high quality Vietnamese beans, and a five-star view to boot, is in the Caravelle’s own Lobby Lounge. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows let in the tropical sunlight looking out over leafy Lam Son Square, the historic and cinematic heart of the city. Enjoy the patient drip-drip-drip of Vietnamese-style filter coffee, is a finely ground dark roast, individually brewed in a metal drip filter or phin. Across the square is the “Continental Shelf” – as it was fondly nicknamed by war correspondents – of the Continental Hotel. On the sidewalks, fresh milk is replaced with easy-tostore condensed milk for a kind of sweet flat white; and the higher the mercury climbs the more the icy ca phe da is ordered, especially in the South. A cold green tea “chaser” is the accepted way to rinse any lingering bitterness from your tongue afterwards.
Bean There
If you’re ready to embark on your own coffee tour of Saigon, grab a map and prepare to be impressed. Just outside the Caravelle Hotel’s entrance on Dong Khoi, are the chic and contemporary spaces of L’usine. But you won’t find your way by looking on the sidewalk. I sometimes tell visitors that every good thing in Saigon
wanderlust
Bloomberg
“enjoy the patient dripdrip-drip of Vietnamesestyle filter coffee. This is a finely ground dark roast, individually brewed in a metal drip filter”
is down an alley and up a flight of stairs. While that may not always be true (Saigon Saigon Bar for example, is up an elevator and up stairs), it certainly applies to L’usine, where one must enter through the art arcade at 151 Dong Khoi and turn right at the parking lot before seeing any signage for the cafe. L’usine is a perfect example of how the Saigon cafe has evolved to suit its youthful, creative crowd. To see how it’s managed to preserve its French colonial past, walk a few blocks down on Dong Khoi, turn right and cross Nguyen Hue to Kita Coffee. Located in an old French villa, Kita’s second floor terrace retains its beautiful tiled floors and wrought iron railing. Customers have a pleasant, breezy perch overlooking the Saigon River and one of the city’s most important boulevards. From Kita Coffee, Pasteur St. is just a block away, and on Pasteur you will encounter La Fenetre Soleil, another French-inspired, corner cafe that is also a favorite choice for cozy after-dinner drinks. You will, of course, have to locate the blink-and-you-miss-it entrance and ascend an ancient stairway before you can set eyes on this charming, airy alcove. Down the street are the wide pavements surrounding the park and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Aside from the lawn chair setups along the Bach Dang pier and the Saigon River, this is perhaps the best place in town to pull up a plastic stool and just enjoy the view. Ready to go local? Head toward District 3, where Cafe 42 has long occupied a prime spot on the Turtle Circle traffic circle. If you’re feeling wired already, relax with a pot of fragrant Vietnamese tea. Near the Turtle Circle you’ll also spot Cafe Napoli on Pham Ngoc Thach. An endlessly popular hangout, Napoli has cushy indoor and outdoor seating and sports a baffling but endearing mishmash of decor. When it all gets to be a little much, retreat to Hideaway Cafe further down Pham Ngoc Thach. This lovingly preserved villa has been converted into a calming caferestaurant catering to locals and expats alike. Whatever you’re looking for in a cafe, it’s likely you’ll find it in Saigon. This city turns cafes upside down (literally, check out Up Cafe in District 3), makes fairy tale scenes a reality (Princess and the Pea in District 1) and builds space for friendship and fun around the remains of its conflicted past (Airplane Cafe in Tan Binh). With its thriving coffee production, multicultural influences and pool of creative entrepreneurs, Vietnam holds the recipe to one of the world’s most fascinating coffee cultures. The only step left? Just add hot water. The writer, general manager of the Caravelle Hotel, has been a resident of Saigon since 2007.
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January 5, 2014
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well BEING
THE HEART
PUSHING BACK A HEART ATTACK
OF THE MATTER WOMEN EVERYWHERE worry more about cancer than heart disease and, as a result, they may dismiss the likelihood of having a heart attack, thus putting them at a greater risk of having one. Dr. Lim Ing Haan, an Interventional Cardiologist at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, shares surprising heart attack facts concerning women. More women than men die of heart attacks each year. Heart disease is generally thought of as a man’s problem. Many women are blindsided into thinking they are safe from heart attacks. Busy caring for their loved ones, women neglect themselves and their symptoms, leaving them at greater risk.
After menopause, women are at the same risk of getting heart attacks as men. The female hormone estrogen has cardio-protective benefits that keep bad cholesterol down and good cholesterol up, thus keeping blood vessels healthy. However, with menopause, estrogen decreases, while other risk factors (slowing metabolism, weight) increase. The young and physically fit can have heart attacks too. While the risk is greater for people in their 50s, there have been sudden cardiac deaths in athletes and fit young people. This may be due to congenital heart abnormalities aggravated by rigorous physical training. Smoking and extreme stress also raise risks.
Another cause for concern: According to a Journal of American Medical Association article, when a heart attack Heart attack symptoms are less obvious in women. strikes young women, mortality rates are much higher than Women can have a heart attack without knowing it. For when it strikes men of all ages. Dr. Lim reiterates the diffiexample, a commonly known symptom – crushing chest culty of spotting a woman’s heart problems, such that by the pain – is actually not common in women. Symptoms time she is diagnosed, it has already advanced. for women can seem unrelated to the heart: fatigue, Dr. Lim added that while obesity raises the risk for heart atbreathlessness, dizziness, a pain in the jaw or neck. She may tacks, it is not all about weight either. While at Duke Univerdismiss these discomforts, thinking they will just go away. sity in North Carolina – where the average weight of a female patient is 260 lbs. – she noted that the prevalence of heart Women’s heart problems are diagnosed much later. disease in women was the same as in Singapore. Because a woman’s symptoms are not easy to spot, her heart condition is often diagnosed only when it has already Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore advanced. What’s more, women tend to see a cardiologist Patient Assistance Centre (Jakarta) when they are older, in their 60s or later, so they are likely Suite 908 Tamara Centre to have developed diabetes, high blood pressure or other Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 24 Jakarta 12920 problems that can aggravate their condition. 24-Hour Helpline (62)811-942-720 Email: enquiry@parkway.co.id
D Days
The so-called “sunshine vitamin” is not only good for building strong bones.
Getting enough vitamin D3 may help your heart, several studies find. The Journal of American Heart Association reported that researchers found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D were more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, angina or heart failure than those who started with higher vitamin D levels. In a randomized controlled trial consisting of 77 overweight and obese women carried out in Tehran, Iran, vitamin D supplementation has shown potential in regards to improving blood lipid profiles. Based on a study focusing on the effects of vitamin D on heart health, conducted at the Intermountain Medical Center based in Salt Lake City in the US, involving 27,686 patients, those with the lowest vitamin D levels were 77 percent more likely to die during the follow-up, 78 percent more likely to have a stroke and 45 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease than those with normal levels. They were twice as likely to develop heart failure compared to those with normal levels. And even those who had moderate deficiencies were at higher risk, the researchers said. People who were vitamin D deficient were also twice
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as likely to have diabetes and tended to have high blood pressure. But being vitamin D deficient was an independent risk factor for poor outcomes, regardless of other risk factors like diabetes, said Dr. Joseph B. Muhlestein, cardiologist and researcher with Intermountain Medical Center and one of the authors of the study. “What we were taught in medical school about vitamin D is that it’s associated with rickets and calcium metabolism,” he says. That, however, is changing. “What’s been discovered in the last few years is a significantly greater role for vitamin D,” Dr Muhlestein said. “There are perhaps 200 different important metabolic processes that use vitamin D as a co-factor.”
Getting your vitamin D
Living in tropical Indonesia does not mean we are getting enough of the sunshine nutrient – vitamin D3. Factors affecting vitamin D production from sunlight range from the angle of the sun’s rays, the time of the day, skin type, etc.
Even if you are in the pink of health, it is best to stay informed and take steps against the possibility of a heart attack. • As with most diseases, lower your risk factors by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and keeping a positive outlook. • Quit smoking. • Share the facts you have learned with your mom, your sisters and your girlfriends. • Staying informed can help save lives. • Keep an eye out for friends and family who may be at risk. Urge them to see a cardiologist if you suspect something is wrong. • Learn CPR. A heart attack victim’s chances of survival are significantly higher if he receives effective CPR immediately. Every second counts. • Have a cardiac screening. This may consist of a treadmill test, an electrocardiograph (ECG) and an electrocardiogram. Your cardiologist will decide what is best for you.
WHEN TO GET A CARDIAC SCREENING At age 45: If you’re undergoing or have undergone menopause, and/or if you have a highly stressful job (work in different time zones and/or travel frequently). At age 40: If you have a family history of heart disease or if you smoke. Earlier: If you suspect you have heart abnormalities; and/or if you participate in rigorous physical activities.
There are only two ways to receive vitamin D in the amounts necessary for proper health: ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure and vitamin D supplementation. Diet should not be considered a satisfactory source of vitamin D. The few foods that do contain vitamin D, contain too little to have any noticeable benefit. The safety limit for vitamin D is much higher than commonly believed. Published cases of toxicity, for which serum levels and doses are known, all involve intake of over 40,000 IU (1,000 mcg) per day. Many health experts recommend 1,000 I.U. to 2,000 I.U. of vitamin D3 supplements a day for the prevention of many heartrelated conditions. When taking a vitamin D supplement, try to choose a supplement made with natural vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). The Star/ANN/Kuala Lumpur
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Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the type of vitamin D the body naturally produces in the skin in response to sun exposure. Vitamin D2 is produced naturally when fungi (yeast or mushrooms) are exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun, or to artificial UV light. Evidence shows the body has a preference for D3 over D2 when it has both forms in the body, and that D3 is more potent than D2 for producing 25(OH)D.
taste bud
THE C L A S S I C
TIRAMISU Words & photos Theodora Hurustiati
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cannot think of another country that takes coffee more seriously than Italy (it’s probably why Italian coffee terms like espresso, cappuccino, and macchiato are now known all across the globe). Here, coffee is the daily ritual of taking a few minutes to stop and relax. It’s how you start your day at home or at your favorite bar around the corner, for your 11 a.m. break and how you end your meals. So little wonder that Tiramisù, Italy’s favorite and most famous dessert, involves coffee as one of the ingredients! It’s name comes from the phrase “Tira mi sù!”, which means “lift me up!”. There’s no clear reason for the name, but I like to think it’s because a spoonful of this dessert just lifts up your spirit and makes you happier!
Serve 5-6 2 egg yolks 4-5 tablespoons caster sugar 250 g mascarpone cheese 250 ml fresh double cream 12-15 Savoiardi (ladyfingers) biscuits 150-200 ml espresso coffee, preferably Arabica Cocoa powder, to taste • •
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Prepare espresso coffee and let cool. Filtered Indonesian kopi tubruk is also fine if you don’t have an espresso maker at home. Put egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl. You could whisk them directly, but I’d suggest using the double boiler method that should pasteurize the eggs, especially in a hot climate like Jakarta’s. Place bowl over a pan with simmering (not boiling!) water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water or you’ll have scrambled eggs. Whisk until pale, creamy and foamy. Remove from the heat and fold in mascarpone. Beat for about a minute until the mixture thickens. Whisk cream until stiff. Fold in gently into the mascarpone, one spoonful at a time. By now the mixture should become soft, pale and airy. Transfer to a piping bag with a round 1-cm tip. This should make the layering step easier and cleaner. Otherwise, simply use a spoon. Dip biscuits briefly in coffee, 2-3 seconds, or it will be too mushy. Break into smaller pieces to fit the glasses if necessary. Arrange a layer of biscuits on the bottom of the glass, top with one of cream and dust with cocoa powder. Repeat 2-3 times depending on how tall your glass is. Pipe the last layer of cream decoratively to your liking. Finish with generous amount of cocoa. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving to allow the biscuits to soften. The dessert should keep up to 2-3 days, but I would not recommend any longer.
Handy Hint Usually Tiramisù is served on a rectangular ceramic dish and then portion into smaller squares. I think it’s more practical and prettier to serve it in individual portions in transparent glasses.
Jakarta-born chef Theodora Hurustiati, an 11-year resident of Udine, Italy, was the runnerup in the TV cooking program La Scuola – Cucina di Classe (The School: Classy Cooking) in 2011.
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culture VULTURE
Master of Illusion K Inventor of 3D street art Kurt Wenner takes a road less traveled in bringing artistic exploration to the people, including creating a stir among Jakartans now. Words Kindra Cooper Photos Ricky Yudhistira
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urt Wenner is famed for rendering optical illusions of mythical creatures, literary characters and even Spiderman emerging from chasms in the pavement using homemade pastels. A yawning abyss in the floor reveals the Bosphorus Bridge, bird’s-eye-view, seagulls wheeling a few feet above it. Another chalk drawing, The Money Pit, depicts a giant circular safe slightly ajar from which bank notes spew onto the ground, a piece commissioned by an insurance company to advertise the dangers of online credit card fraud. Street pedestrians not only stop to gawk but assimilate themselves into the artwork, sitting, standing and lying on it, snapping photographs, all the while marveling at its believability. Brands love the engagement: a laundry list of multinationals from Lexus to Dunkin’ Donuts counts themselves among the American’s satisfied clients. On the streets, gone are the preconceptions of art as non-utilitarian, elitist and look-but-don’t-touch. “The artist needs to be inserted into society, have a
productive partnership and be able to change society,” he said at “Artphoria 2013”, an exhibition running until Jan. 26 at Lotte Shopping Avenue, where Wenner is exhibiting 11 of his artworks. “So pavement art is actually [where] you can combine your vision with where you are. And the price you pay is that you don’t express yourself; you express your relationship with reality, which you have in common with other people.” In other words, the artist defers to the viewer. Spectators easily forget that Wenner’s art is inspired by the classical Renaissance murals of Rome’s churches andmuseums; he believes the only way to pique modern audiences’ interest is to make classicism larger-thanlife using anamorphic perspective, technical-speak for geometric 3D rendering. The arches, concrete balustrades and Corinthian pillars of Italian architecture feature prevalently, while Wenner’s stylized storytelling speaks to Mannerism.
Hitting the Streets
Street painting was dwindling when Wenner hightailed to Rome in 1981, resigning from his job at NASA as an advanced scientific illustrator. “Original street painting was just copies of masterpieces, so the artists weren’t considered capable of doing original work.” But he envisioned transforming it into a “virtuoso performance”.
“So I sat down in the Corso Italia and just created consistently more complicated pictures. So I could paint infinitely longer in that one corner,” he explains, adding that street artists had to roam constantly to keep onlookers interested and because of the cat-and-mouse relationship with law enforcement. Grazie di Curtatone in Mantua, where Wenner shared living quarters with other street painters, already held a yearly festival, but the turn-out was modest. Wenner expanded the art by taking it home. “I went to California and I taught probably 100,000 schoolchildren and 1,000 artists or so and we created festivals in California from scratch – a little bit based on the look and feel of the Grazie festival, but more impressive.” US artists began to visit Italy in hopes of earning the hard-won title of “Master” in the festival – which Wenner was conferred after three first-prize wins. His response when asked of any plans to paint on the streets of Jakarta: “You have to fix [the pavements] first.” The 3D pavement artist’s recent visit may seem a trifle baffling, given the city’s scant sidewalks, but Wenner believes that familiarizing the public with 3D art paves the way to the artist-viewer-society engagement he dreams of manifesting. “What if a young artist was able to do a beautiful job of that?” Wenner says, pointing at a sign in front of the shop across from the restaurant where we’re talking. “What if those graphics were replaced by a beautiful
“The artist needs to be inserted into society, have a productive partnership and be able to change society” mural? What if all the graphics in this mall were works of art that served as graphics? We’d have a completely different society.” Its organic lure makes pavement art an effective social soundboard: Wenner’s largest oeuvre, a mural for Greenpeace appended with one million signatures to petition against GMOs, presented to EU representatives in 2010. This is the kind art Wenner most identifies with: his proudest pieces are a trilogy he refers to as the “modern hells”: Gluttony, Ghetto and Office Stress. “So it’s the outward projection of the imagination rather than the passive reception of the information,” Wenner says of his concept.
Masterpieces in the House Renowned auctioneer Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery is kick-starting the year with two major exhibitions. ART CONNOISSEURS are in for a treat over the next two weeks as rare European masterpieces make their way to Hong Kong from Jan. 6-16. The two selling exhibitions, namely “Modern Masters: From Rembrandt to Picasso – Representation of the Figure in Western Art” and “Age of Elegance: European Paintings, Furniture and Works of Art from the 19th Century”, follow on the success of previous showings on the themes. While the 2010 and 2012 editions of Modern Masters focused on Impressionist and Modern art from the 1890s to the 1960s, the 2014 Modern Masters will showcase 18 works from a broader art historical context. Depictions of the figure are a central theme to the 18 pieces, representing one of the most significant genre in Western art. Among the standouts is a rare Rembrandt piece titled
Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo. It features soft brushstrokes and more atmospheric, painterly qualities which were revolutionary at the time. It is believed to be one of only three known works signed and dated 1658 by the Dutch artist. Pablo Picasso’s Le Peintre, a Rembrandt-inspired painting (picture at right), depicts a musketeer and is dated 1967. Another highlight is an expressive bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin, dated 1908. Meanwhile, Age of Elegance will feature paintings, furniture and works of art representative of the pinnacle of the era’s European achievements. A selection of the 45 pieces from this collection was previously exhibited at Sotheby’s Beijing Art Week. Featured in the latest edition of Age of Elegance are paintings by Adrien Moreau and Federico Del Campo, a
sculpture titled Nymph at the Fountain from circa 1850 by Giuseppe Croff and an early 20th century gilt and patinated bronze mounted Burr Amboyna center table from Zwiener Jansen Successor. Highlights from the London February Evening Sale of Modern and Impressionist Art, which include works by Vincent Van Gogh, Marc Chagall and Léonard Foujita, will also be on display from Jan. 6-9. The gallery is located at One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway.
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“I’M QUITE OPEN, NOTHING IS TOO
SURPRISING ABOUT ME” And cried … When my best friend passed away.
they can’t just escape because someone yells “cut!”
Two dream dinner guests … Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
My best teacher … Experience.
Three things that make me happy … When I give something and it’s appreciated by people; being among my family and also hanging out with friends.
To me, family is … The closest people in your life.
My ultimate goal … I want to be someone who can always give, whether it be my work, time or attention. Greatest achievement … When I could forge my own path as an entertainer, as my whole family is in the corporate world. Olga Lydia went from modeling in the late 1990s and early 2000s to using her smarts to emcee and also hosting TV shows (she has also acted, including a role in Garin Nugroho’s Soegija last year). An admitted finicky eater as a child, she recently opened Japanese restaurant Poke Grill on Jl. Tentara Pelajar in South Jakarta. My best trait … Easy going. And my worst … Stubborn. It’s quite a contrast, isn’t it? Favorite indulgence … Good food. The last time I really, really laughed … Hmm … I think the movie Hangover 3.
A movie I wish I starred in … Any of Tim Burton’s movies; it’s hard to choose which one. If I could have lived in another era … It would be in 1960s America, a lot of changes were occurring back then. My wish for Indonesia … I hope we can get a better leader for the nation. Looks or brains … Brains. Looks can get boring. My scariest experience … When we were on the set of Soegija, the recreation of the war scenes was so realistic and scary. I remember thinking that at that precise moment real women and their families in war-torn countries were experiencing the real thing, but
Best food find(s) in Jakarta … Besides my restaurant? (laughs) French restaurants Cassis and Emilie. And overseas … There’s this great hidden gem my friend tipped me off about in Shanghai called Jesse Restaurant. One of their amazing dishes is steamed fish covered with a large pile of spring onion leaves. The place is tiny and humble, but the food is to die for. People would be surprised to know I … I think I’m quite open, so there’s nothing too surprising about me. My bad habit … Daydreaming! I always think about the “what ifs” and “how abouts”. I like to collect … Right now, false eyelashes. I used to collect funny things, like phone cards, back in the day when we used them. Since I went to university in Bandung, phone cards were crucial. I even collected ones from overseas. The most attractive qualities in a person … Their kindness.
My key to success … Persistence and patience. I recently came across this quote that made me laugh, but it’s so true: “No matter how great the talent or efforts, some things just take time. You can’t produce a baby in one month by making nine women pregnant.” If I had the power to change one thing in the world … I would want to stop war. Talent I wish I had … Drawing. Don’t ever call me … Hmm … I don’t really care what people call me, but don’t get angry if I ignore you. My life motto … It’s a saying from Mother Teresa that is something along the lines of: If you are kind to others, people might suspect you of an ulterior motive, but be kind anyway, and if you work hard to become successful there would always be enemies, but do your best to succeed anyway. In the end, it’s between us and God. + Words & Illustration Felicita Goentoro
talk of the town VERTU CONSTELLATION LAUNCH
GM Elizabeth Sutherland
HYATT REGENCY BANDUNG RECOGNITION NIGHT 2013 THE HYATT Regency Bandung extended its gratitude for the support of its business and media partners, witnessed by over 250 representatives at the hotel’s Swarga Loka Restaurant. During the event, themed “Taste of Regency”, the guests were pampered with culinary delights of the hotel and a series of music and dance performances.
LUXURY CELL phone brand Vertu dazzled guests with the unveiling of its new Android phone, the Constellation, on Nov. 27 at Cloud Lounge & Living Room @ The Plaza, Central Jakarta. The handset is encased in soft calf leather and boasts a 4.3inch sapphire crystal display. Vertu UK’s Nick Holt with guests.
Doreen Pang, Maria Subekti, Richard Yong, Karin Lohardjo and guests
Rahma Umaya
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Edo Soetan Moeis & Fuddy Syarief