Vol. 2 No. 38 I August 16-22, 2015
Sleepless City
Insomnia in Jakarta
Moveable Feast
founders' Favorite
crisis fashion
style under fire
Yes, Minister
Anies Baswedan on rethinking the spirit of nationalism
Editor's note
Check List
'Dirgahayu Indonesia' We have some special articles for you for Independence Day. While our “Table of Friends” looks at Indonesia’s best contributions to film, food and literature; another focuses on a famous haunt favored by our founding president, Sukarno. For our cover story, we have an inspiring interview with Anies Baswedan, formerly one of the nation’s youngest university rectors and now a Cabinet minister. Anies recounts speaking with an older person critical of the current generation. Their dialog reminded me of two pictures I came across of people who fought in the Independence War. The first image, a faded photo found in the Satriamandala military museum, shows two young women. In pigtails, uniform dresses, garrison caps and bare feet, the soldiers run on a dirt road while carrying a crew-served machine gun. The looks on their
faces are deadly serious. A soldier named Moelyati was the subject of the second image. According to a poster stored in the M.H. Thamrin Museum, Moelyati was born into the household staff of the Yogyakarta sultanate in 1927. She pushed to go to school and made it to Gadjah Mada University, where she studied for two years before working in intelligence for the Defense Ministry. When she was about 19, Moelyati was captured by the Dutch while secreting documents out of Yogyakarta, was released and then joined a unit that
waged guerilla war against the Dutch across Java. She was promoted to colonel and given command of the KOWAD, or Women’s Army Corps, in 1971. Anies is right: The children of today are not that different from the children of yesteryear. While the challenges now facing Indonesia are different from those faced in 1945, the bravery and character evinced by Moelyati and the women soldiers is still part of the Indonesian spirit. Young people continue to change Indonesia, for the good, in a host of different ways. In any event, as the nation readies to celebrate Independence Day, I hope you will find the spirit of those determined women as inspiring as I do. Dirgahayu Indonesia! Chris Razukas jplus@thejakartapost.com
mark my words
Citizen of the World When nationality transcends a passport WORDS Anita Othman
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In the LAND OF NOD
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Elevated Itinerary
JPlus Team Editor Christian Razukas Art Director Budhi Hartono Marketing & Advertising Sales & Marketing Director Ady P. Pamungkas
ady.pamungkas@thejakartapost.com
Amsterdam is an enchanting city. Its architecture, museums, galleries, quirky streets and vintage shops are everything you imagine them to be – and then some. Walking along the canal-lined cobbled streets in summer was a delight, even if it meant darting away every now and then to avoid cyclists going at breakneck speeds. For the six days I was there in July, I thought nothing of the international travelers around me. But after doing some research, I was surprised by just how many foreign nationals have made Amsterdam home. According to the local government, there are people from 177 nations living in the city, making Amsterdam one the most international metropolises in the world. In my hotel alone, there were people from more than 10 nations working around the clock, making the question “Where are you from?” ubiquitous. In one of the shops in Amsterdam’s "The Nine Streets" neighborhood, I asked this question of the tall, bearded man named Joe who attended to me. He said his family was originally from India, but he was born and educated in England and had lived in the US and subsequently The Netherlands. Speaking in an attractive but neutral accent, Joe laughed when I asked where
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was home for him. “I’m a global citizen.” He guffawed. “I belong to the global community,” Reflecting on his words, I realized that there is a transformational power that comes from living, learning and working abroad. As time goes on, many like Joe see themselves above a particular nation or place. Their identity transcends geography – or political borders. Mariam, an attractive twentysomething sales assistant who I met in an upscale jeans boutique felt the same. Born in Turkey of Armenian heritage, Mariam lived in the US and then The Netherlands. She openly confessed that having moved, she had reinvented herself. After losing many of her traditions and customs, she now sees herself beyond the borders of any country, Mariam said. Closer to home, my teenage daughter can identify easily with them. Having lived abroad since she was seven, her formative years were spent outside her home country. Other than going back “home” to see her grandparents and cousins, she does not have a strong emotional and social connection with her country of birth. And having mostly like-minded friends who come from the same international
background makes it harder for her to fit in with kids back home who remained rooted to one city. As I watched the recent jubilee celebrations for Singapore’s independence day with pride and emotion, I could not help but feel a pang that my daughter did not share my elation. And with the independence days of Malaysia and Indonesia also occurring in August, it will come as no surprise if my expat friends in these neighboring countries will face the same feelings I had. This raises the issue of patriotism and allegiance to a country. Is there a trend where future generations will have little emotional attachment to the passport they carry? Is it important to belong to a country and identify with it? Many who see themselves ourselves as global citizens do not see this negatively. While they may not feel so bonded to a culture or a political belief, they are still aware of it and may pick and choose what they believe in more freely than traditionalists. In fact, global citizens argue that they have an added layer of responsibility, as they are members of a worldwide community of people who share the same global identity that we all have.
Marketing Executive Dewi Damayani
dewi.damayani@thejakartapost.com
@JPlusSunday JPlusSunday
SundayJplus jakplus.com
ON THE COVER Anies Baswedan Photo Winston Gomez Stylist and MUA Richard Theo
table of FRIENDS
Riri Riza
Ask a cosmopolitan-minded individual about Japan, Korea or China, and you're bound to get a list of their favorite traditional or contemporary cultural products from those countries. Cinephiles will gush about Japanese auteur directors such as Kurosawa or Ozu, fashionistas will keep abreast of the latest trends coming from Korea – and anyone even mildly interested in trying different foods will have spent much time in Chinese restaurants. Indonesia tends to be overlooked – even by Indonesians. You'd have to talk to cultural scholars, specialists or observers to get an idea about the best of the current scene. So for this week's Independence Day-edition of “Table of Friends”, we went straight to the source, asking Indonesian experts to enlighten us on the greatest achievements in their respective fields – and why we ought to know more about them. +Prasiddha Gustanto
Culinary arts President, Indonesian Chef Association Henry Alexie Bloem
@henryalexiebloem
@chefbloem
For me, there are two names that are the greatest. The first is Mandif M. Warokka, the chef/owner of Teatro Gastroteque in Seminyak and Blanco par Mandif in Ubud. The second is Rahung Nasution, whose nickname is "Koki Gadungan", who has a blog at kokigadungan.tumblr.com. Mandif has shown great expertise, skill and knowledge in the field of gastronomy by making Indonesian food with a modern touch. His works have won him a number of culinary competitions, locally and internationally. Rahung Nasution, who has wandered to every corner of Indonesia to study the nation's culture, has come up with traditional recipes from across Indonesia and promotes them in all of his events. Aside from writing, Rahung has come up with film documentaries about his historical, cultural and culinary travels on YouTube. His show Foodieography talks about traditional Indonesian food. Both are Indonesian culinary figures with different backgrounds, education and culinary experiences. Mandif with his modern cuisine and Rahung with his traditional cuisine. Both deserve to be praised for bringing Indonesian cuisine to a higher level and for popularizing it around the world. Too many media publications nowadays proudly feature foreign chefs on their pages. They should reduce those numbers and search out Indonesian chefs working both domestically and abroad.
FILM Director and producer @rizariri I think Usmar Ismail and Teguh Karya are the all-time greatest Indonesian directors. Usmar Ismail's Lewat Jam Malam [After Midnight], Pedjuang [Fighter] and Perempuan di Sarang Penyamun [Woman in a Den of Thieves] and Teguh Karya's Secangkir Kopi Pahit [A Bitter Cup of Coffee], Usia 18 [Age 18] and Ibunda [Mother] are their greatest works. They understood the nature of film as economic and cultural products. Usmar was revolutionary, in terms of using a professional production system to produce a series of works that are also highly artistic in quality. He also creates a path for young directorial talents, such as Nyak Abbas Akub, who later became the leader of the Indonesian commercial film industry in the '80s and '90s. Teguh Karya managed to produce and direct
some films that strongly told of the social realities of Indonesia. His filmd range from historical epics to family dramas that depict the nuances of life in our diverse Indonesia. Their works have the quality of literature. [People] shouldn't just think of movies for their box office value or their beautiful cast. Film-making in Indonesia also has a strong role in building the nation's identity. The films of both Teguh Karya and Usmar Ismail have gained respect at international festivals and among film critics. People should know more about those who have started independent initiatives, like film training for young filmmakers in areas far away from Jakarta – in Ambon or Makassar. People who start documentaries and experimental film festivals are also important, like the Jogjakarta Asia Film Festival or the Arkipel Festival in Jakarta. [Also noteworthy are] independent filmmakers, like Teddy Soeriaatmadja, who doesn't believe in self-censorship when directing his work; or Rudi Soedjarwo, who created his own film culture and non-mainstream way of producing films; or producers like Mira Lesmana, who has made films in Belitong or Sumba - films that gave a new visual vocabulary to Indonesian film.
Literature Author, Lelaki Harimau (Tiger Man) Eka Kurniawan
[The greatest Indonesian writer?] Pramoedya Ananta Toer, of course. While he wrote some great novels and short stories, the most obvious thing is the fact that his works shaped our generation, very much more than we are aware of. I can mention another name, Chairil Anwar the poet, in who I find no other comparison even in contemporary Indonesian literature. I think The Girl from the Coast is Pramoedya’s greatest work. If you prefer a more personal work, I recommend It’s Not an All-Night Fair. Chairil Anwar left only small number of poems. His completed works – there are some editions – is a must. For Chairil, I admire him especially on how he used Indonesian. His language feels like it was written today. For Pramoedya, it is his simple approach toward stories, as in every classic works we know of from around the world. There are some talented young writers today I admire. Gunawan Maryanto writes some grotesque short stories, especially based on Javanese folklore and myth. Intan Paramaditha did a great thing with her first book of short stories, and I am waiting for her debut novel. You have to take a look at some other names like Ugoran Prasad, Azhari and Puthut EA. As newer generation of young writers bloom, they will absolutely help Indonesian literature take a new step forward.
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talk of the town Rio Motret exhibit at GIK
Eru rocks crowd at Jeju dinner
K-Pop singer Eru (right) sang in Korean and Indonesian at the Mulia Hotel on Wednesday. The winsome superstar was on hand for his “coronation” as Jeju’s tourism ambassador, as the island’s governor, Won Hee-ryong (center), hosted a banquet to tout the island, called the “Hawaii of South Korea” to Indonesians. Jeju, which is about 2.4 times the size of Singapore, attracted more than 36,000 Indonesian tourists last year. Home to several UNESCO world heritage sites and a K-Pop museum, the island is famous for its traditional pearl-diving woman and more than 30 golf courses.
Galeri Indonesia Kaya (GIK) and Grand Indonesia are presenting a fusion of fashion and art to retell famous stories of Indonesian folklore, myth and legend in a 17-photo exhibition of the works of Rio Motret. The exhibition – involving 60 celebrities and 15 designers, stylists and make-up artists, among other – presents photos taken in various places in Indonesia between June 18 and July 29. The costumes and dresses used in the photo shoots are currently on display on the mall's Skybridge. “Alkisah by Rio Motret” will run at the Atrium East Mall of Grand Indonesia until Aug. 23, with folklore performances every weekend at the Galeri Indonesia Kaya auditorium.
Indian embassy launches book
The embassy of India in Jakarta recently launched a book titled Masala Bumbu at a reception. The words mean spice in Hindi and Indonesian, respectively. Masala Bumbu, edited by India’s ambassador to Indonesia, Gurjit Singh (above left), presents Indian and Indonesian perspectives on issues such as civil society, sustainable development, the media and the rise of the middle class. Among the contributors to the book are former trade minister Gita Wirjawan, local author Laksmi Pamuntjak, celebrity chef Farah Quinn, Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Biswajit Dhar, senior Indian journalist Inder Malhotra and The Jakarta Post’s senior editor Endy Bayuni.
travel tips
advice, secrets and new destinations for the savvy traveler A TASTE OF JAPAN via ana Niigata, Kanagawa and Shiga in Japan are known for their unique, mouthwatering cuisine, such as Shiga’s somen noodles served with grilled mackerel and Eggs Benedict served with Shonan pork sausage. Food and beverages from these lesserknown Japanese prefectures will be featured in the latest cycle of ANA Group’s Taste of JAPAN campaign, where the cuisine will be served on ANA flights and airport lounges, from September to November. Through the ongoing project, ANA Group promotes tourism using local agricultural products. Different prefectures are featured in threemonth cycles. Past highlights included Kumamoto, Hokkaido and Miyagi.
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ETIHAD’s $32K FLYING SUITE
Despite its US$32,000 price tag, people are lining up to take part in Etihad Airways PJSC’s threeroom suite on flights between Abu Dhabi and New York. The Residence, as Etihad calls its luxury offering, is composed of a living room, private bathroom and two-person bedroom separated from other passengers. A private butler comes standard “We have experienced an overwhelmingly positive response to the Residence within the US beyond our expectations, in fact,” Etihad CEO James Hogan said. This service will be available in December when the airlines puts an Airbus A380 superjumbo on its New YorkAbu Dhabi route instead of a Boeing 777.
FLY ‘ROUND THE globe
Star Alliance’s newly-launched booking tool allows passengers the chance to enjoy round-the-world travel in premium economy class on some of its 28 partner airlines on both sides of the Atlantic - and the Pacific. The booking tool for these flights is currently live on Star Alliance’s website. According to a spokesperson, a possible itinerary under this program runs from Chicago, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Tokyo, San Francisco and back to Chicago, at a fare of around $7,000. Fare rules include a minimum of 29,000 miles and a maximum of 39,000. Star Alliance members offering premium economy include Lufthansa, Singapore, Air Canada, SAS Thai and Turkish Airlines.
Emirates plans world’s longest flight Emirates says it will launch daily Boeing 777-200LR service from Dubai to Panama City in 2016. The flight, at 17 hours 35 minutes, will be the world’s longest, and Emirates' first to Central America. Emirates – which plans to start serving Mashhad, Iran and Orlando in September; Bamako, Mali in October; and Bologna in November – has also launched its Americas Pass. With a combined ticket, travelers flying to any of Emirates’ 10 US destinations can connect to over 90 cities across the US, Canada and Latin America through partner airlines Jet Blue, Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, WestJet Airlines and Porter Airlines.
Sleep & the city
wellbeing
Beating the midnight blues WORDS Deisha Tamar PHOTOS AFP
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good night’s sleep is a luxury that no money can buy – especially in Jakarta, where residents are stressed by monstrous commutes, high-pressure jobs and a daily fight against the thousand natural shocks that comprise life in the city. Take the example of Nuy Darmadjaja, a public relations practitioner who splits her time between Jakarta and Bali. Nuy admits that she has trouble sleeping when in the capital. “The stress level in Jakarta is so high – not only from the work, but also the crazy traffic, which leads to me drinking more coffee than usual to keep awake and energetic,” the 29-year-old says. “When I get home, although I am exhausted, I just can’t seem to sleep well,” she continues. “It’s so different in Bali. Yes, there is still some traffic and stress from work, but it’s just not as horrible as Jakarta,” she adds. Insomniacs try anything to seek relief. Mimi Yemima, for example, has a whole routine to manage her sleep disorder. “I never take any sleeping medications,” the 26-year-old attorney says. “I will turn my mobile phone to airplane mode, read today’s newspaper until my vision is blurry, drink chamomile tea or rub myself with minyak telon [herbal baby oil ].” The problem is huge: 28 million people in Indonesia, or about 10 percent of the population, suffer from insomnia, according to Tempo daily. Dani Sadatun, a psychologist who practices at Puri Cinere Hospital and the University of Indonesia’ Integrated Clinic, says that insomnia is when a person has trouble falling and staying asleep on more than three nights a week for at least three months. “From the cases I’ve seen, most Jakartans have trouble sleeping because of
their lifestyles and their mismanagement of stress reliefs, such as drinking alcohol or taking sleeping pills, which won’t result in quality sleep,” Dani says. “Or if they can’t sleep, they turn to their gadgets instead, which actually keeps you up instead of putting you to rest.” One new way to beat the late-night blues comes in the form of a podcast titled Sleep with Me, offering surprisingly effective bedtime stories for adults. Created by Drew Ackerman, who goes by the name Dearest Scooter on the Internet, Sleep with Me features Ackerman telling random, boredominducing stories in a dull voice. The California-based Ackerman records three episodes a week for the podcast, which features themes such as Game of Drones, offering rambling episode reviews of the series Game of Thrones; and Real Time Recipes, a lulling and boring version of a cooking show, with recipes delivered in Scooter’s monotone voice. While episodes can run up to twoand-a-half hours, most listeners posting reviews of the podcast to the online forum Reddit or Apple’s iTunes music store report falling asleep long before that. Ackerman started the project in November 2013, curious to see if he could bore people to sleep. Currently, the podcast has been downloaded in nations across the globe, including Indonesia, New Zealand, Sweden, the UAE and the US. “I’m the oldest of six kids and I shared the room with my brother, Carl. When we
had sleepless nights, I had this game when we took turns telling boring and silly stories until we fell asleep,” Ackerman said when asked in an interview on the podcast’s origins. He says that he hopes Sleep with Me will help people feel safe and connected. Ackerman said that he knows from personal experience how alone insomniacs can feel late at night, which can lead to more stress and less sleep. Isolation stemming from contemporary urban life does indeed drive insomnia. Take for example Luh Nyta, a single mother who works freelance in Jakarta. The 56-year-old lives alone after her adult children moved out. When she’s not busy working, she can't sleep. “I usually take some sleeping pills or even cough medicine that will make me drowsy, because it’s really hard for me to fall asleep with so many things running in my head and that loneliness,” Luh says. When asked about Sleep with Me, psychologist Dani agreed that it would be a great way to help people with insomnia, although she emphasized that it might not work for everyone. “The Sleep with Me podcast is a way to accompany the listener to help them fall asleep, just like a lullaby for little kids. But the key thing to the podcast is
Courting the Sandman • Use your bedroom only for sleeping. After turning off the light, give yourself about 20 minutes to fall asleep. If you’re still awake and not drowsy, get out of bed. When you feel sleepy, go back to bed. • Follow a regular sleep schedule. Go to sleep and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Avoid napping, as it may keep you awake at night. • Avoid using gadgets in bed that emit blue light that is strong like daylight. Try downloading free software such as Fl.ux, which will automatically dim your screen after sunset. Sources: Reddit, US NIH
that it keeps the listener’s mind off their stress and helps them relax through the imagination of the podcaster.” If podcasts, hot tea or other self-help remedies do not work for you, Dani suggests seeking help from psychologist or therapist, saying that it’s important to try to find the root problem behind a person’s sleepless nights.
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I gained a better knowledge of Indonesia. I felt as though I had been asked to go out of my house, allowing me to see its shape clearly – which I could not do when I was inside.
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ROOM to TRY ANIES BASWEDAN wants us to LOOK AT youth WITH A DIFFERENT MIND-SET WORDS Sudibyo M. Wiradji
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nies Baswedan says that he had to ride his bicycle about 8 kilometers to reach the library when he was growing up in Yogyakarta. It was the only time that his parents let him ride a bike. The memory, as Anies describes it, seems to be a pleasant one. However, the experience of the boy has a deeper significance when you realize that man he became is the incumbent Culture and Primary & Secondary Education Minister. As Anies recounts the story, his parents were instilling in him educational values that he continues to cherish. “My parents gave me room to try,” Anies says. “By allowing me to ride a bike to the library, they also motivated me to love books.” Anies, the former rector of Jakarta-based Paramadina University, was a well-known public expert on education before he was tapped by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo for his Cabinet. The 46-year-old adds that tenacity and autonomy were more of the moral values that his parents cultivated in him to build character when he was in school. In 1987, Anies joined a student exchange program when he was in the second year of senior high school. He told Jplus in a recent interview that he realized that his parents wanted him to join the program and live away from home to give him more room to try, once again. Anies wound up in the American Midwest, living in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and making the rounds of church and community centers to speak about life in Indonesia. The experience of living abroad deepened his love of his homeland. “When I was there, I gained a better knowledge of Indonesia,” Anies said. “I felt as though I had been asked to go out of my house, allowing me to see its shape clearly – which I could not do when I was inside. It drove me to love Indonesia more than ever,” says Anies, whose rose to national prominence when moderating a presidential debate in 2009. He relates how his mother and father's view of education remains relevant for him. “In the minds of my parents, the holistic development of one’s potential was more important than high scores on a report card. Academic achievement should be
PHOTOS Winston Gomez
balanced with social achievement. On reflection, the right orientation toward education should be like that.” Anies was born in Kuningan, West Java, on May 7, 1969, and was raised in Yogyakarta, where he studied at Gadjah Mada University, graduating with a degree in economics in 1995. A year later, he was awarded a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in international security and economic policy at the University of Maryland at College Park in the US and then became a Gerald Maryanov Fellow at Northern Illinois University. Part of the solution When named rector of Paramadina University in 2007, Anies was 38, making him one of the youngest university leaders in the nation. People wanted to know how such a young man could buck tradition to achieve such a prestigious position – and if he could do the job. “A replacement process was in progress, which led to the formation of two opposing camps, but both could not be further processed,” Anies says, when asked about the job, which he held for years. “The university’s board decided to appoint a more senior candidate after nominating several names. But the newly installed rector decided to resign.” He said that he never had a plan to become a rector until the board approached him. “I said to the board, ‘I will do it if I am considered a solution’. Finally I received the mandate as the rector.” While the university remains a Muslim institution, Paramadina hires non-Muslims as instructors, since justice is the main principle of Islam, according to Anies. “Values of justice are universal in nature.” He continues. “Indonesia must be able to transcend identity boundaries to enable us to be engaged in a talk or a discussion, because we agree that we love Indonesia equally. We all think about Indonesia equally, which allows us to connect to each other […] those are the values that we constantly strive to cultivate in people,” says Anies, who was named one of the world’s top-100 public intellectuals by US-based Foreign Policy magazine in 2008.
the country’s most famous freedom fighters, remembered for putting the nation first and living modestly. Both of Anies’ parents were teachers and prioritized education for their children. Anies constantly keeps current with educational issues, expressing disagreement with those who say young and educated Indonesians who work overseas are deficient in nationalism. “They are parked there on a temporary basis,” Anies says of the expatriates. “I even advise young people to pursue their education overseas and work there upon graduation, instead of directly returning home with their diplomas. If they work there and return several years later, not only do they have a diploma, but they also have experience, knowledge, capital and a network,” he says. “We lack Indonesian people who can play a role in their respective areas of expertise internationally. Don’t be just superior in your homeland. Congratulate them for promoting the name of Indonesia abroad and we should jointly take pride in them.” Anies says that young people have their own way of expressing nationalism, which members of the old generation might miss, because they rely on antiquated criteria as a basis of judgment. He cites two organizations, Indonesia Berkebun and Nasi Bungkus for the Community, as exemplary social movements that have engaged with young people. “We never label them as 'nationalist' or followers of [the national political philosophy] Pancasila, but this does not necessarily mean that they lack a sense of nationalism and do not live based on the principles of Pancasila.” He likens it to a generation gap. “I am worried that some ‘detect’ younger people, especially when it comes to nationalism and Pancasila, through ‘old radar’; whereas the young generation has created a new wave that old radar might not catch. “Someone from the 1945 [generation] once said, today’s Indonesian people are not willing to die for the country. They said so because they refered to the old days, when Indonesia fought for independence,” Anies said. “They judge nationalism through the old symbols. Do not pass judgment on the young generation with an old framework.”
Rethinking “Indonesia” Nationalism and public service are engrained in Anies. His grandfather, AR Baswedan, is one of
Working together Improving education is Anies’s primary concern. In 2010, Anies initiated the Indonesia Mengajar (Teaching Indonesia) initiative, which is based on a
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Indonesia must be able to transcend identity boundaries to enable us to be engaged in a talk or a discussion, because we agree that we love Indonesia equally. 1952 program that enlisted university graduates to teach in rural areas in the young republic. Indonesia Mengajar, which also runs the book-donation program Indonesia Menyala (Enlightening Indonesia), has received an overwhelmingly positive response from young university graduates. It prompted Anies to initiate Kelas Inspirasi (Inspiring Class) in 2012 as an educational movement involving volunteers from diverse professional backgrounds. “All of the movements are works to improve education and advance the nation. We call it ‘Inspiring Class’, because we believe that the biggest assets are the people,” he says. Although education is a state task under the Constitution; Anies says that morally, education is the responsibility of every educated citizen. “That’s why Inspiring Class invites the educated to pay back to the nation.” Thousands of people, both young and old, have joined the program, he adds. “That’s why I call it a ‘movement’ instead of a ‘program’. Movement means asking all parties to participate in solving the problem, while program aims to solve the problem.” ‘Movement’ in Indonesian means gotong royong, according to Anies. "As Sukarno says, 'If Pancasila is squeezed, then the core is gotong royong.'" Every movement contains a program, so the two concepts are linked, he says. “This republic will stay unchanged if it relies only on the state to solve problems,” he says. Seeing himself through a helicopter view in his capacity as a minister, he says, “Now I can realize the ideas that I could not in the past.” I hope this will be good,” he says. “This is an amanah [mandate] and an honor that I have to retain.”
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Striking a balance a GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT Is iNSPIRING PEOPLE TO DEVELOP SUSTAINaBLY WORDS Banyubening Prieta Photos Paul Daley, Nathan Pflaum
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he Balinese philosophy of tri hita karana, or the three reasons for prosperity, teaches us to develop harmony among people, the environment and the Gods. It’s also reflected in a Western practice taking root in Bali called permaculture. Meaning “permanent agriculture” or “permanent culture”, permaculture aims to create arrangements that mimic the patterns and features observed in nature. When correctly designed, the results can be ecologically diverse – and selfsustaining. While typically applied to agricultural systems; permaculture has tenets that can reach beyond farming into ecology, appropriate technology, education and economics. As a lifestyle, it has an ethical approach that emphasizes developing reciprocal relationships between people and nature. John Champagne, who frequently holds permaculture teacher training sessions in Ubud, says that the technique can help motivate young people to be farmers – solving a problem that develops in advanced capitalist societies. “What permaculture offers young kids [is the idea that] growing food is that is sexy,” he says. Champagne, who has spent most of the last 20 years teaching people about the practice, says that while permaculture systems initially need large amounts of energy; the systems mature, stabilize and look after themselves over the longer term – while the yields will increase.
“It’s the opposite of agriculture, which needs more input to produce food over time,” he adds. The Australian’s introduction to permaculture was in 1977, when his father bought the tome-like book Permaculture One. “What I got from reading that [book] was the idea of looking at nature, seeing how it works, acknowledging the understandings of that – and then applying it in my life,” Champagne says. While developing a permaculture system depends on location, climate and resources; more important is how people’s mindsets change, from those of a dependent consumers to responsible producers. Champagne said that people in Ubud lived in harmony with their surroundings, something that he described as “fundamental” in Indonesia, and noted how residents have developed eco-home stays, edible gardens and relationships with local farmers. Ubud’s integrated farms, which weave Balinese philosophy and agriculture, foster traditions that should be passed on, he adds. “Fortunately, in Indonesia, [traditional agriculture] is only a generation back; whereas in my country, this traditional philosophy is difficult to trace.” Under permaculture, living systems, such as gardens, households or businesses, are organized around energy flows that are analyzed and adjusted to foster better relationships between individual elements, such as, for example, animals, fruit trees, buildings or ponds. “People who embrace this lifestyle have
a minimalist approach, with the use of resources and maximise integration within the elements,” he says. Champagne recently visited local farmers from the coast and the mountains in Pupuan regency and said he was amazed by the richness of the land and microenterprises such as the Pupuan Organic Farm and Bakery and the Bali Asli soap and jam factory, whose owners have been longstanding permaculture practitioners. The farm and bakery were established more than twenty years ago, although their owner has since moved to Yogyakarta, where he opened the Bumi Langit permaculture institute. “Enterprise and local economy are all parts of the permaculture story,” Champagne says. “Particularly in the case of Pupuan, they’re also employing local village people. These are great examples.” Voicing a similar sentiment is organic farmer Brandon Bodhi Denton, who studied under Champagne and runs permaculture trainings in Indonesia and overseas. “Drawing upon local traditions and benefiting the local economy is the only way to develop a permaculture project in a site-appropriate manner.” Brandon founded the PermaculTourism Initative, which operates a permaculture service and learning adventure firm in Nepal and has been using permaculture techniques to build homes of victims of the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that devastated that nation in May. Permaculture techniques can be used to designing anything, Brandon says, whether
on the ground Learn IDEP Foundation in Ubud Br. Dauh Uma, Desa Batuan Kaler in Sukawati, Gianyar idepfoundation.org
See Bali Asli factory 0361483994 bali-asli.com
Stay Farmer’s Yard eco-home stay Jl. Pantai Berawa, Gang Jepun No 7C, Canggu farmersyardbali.com
a sustainable farm, a cooperative business or even an apartment in the city. “It is not difficult or complicated. It just takes observation, a little bit of creativity, and slow, steady movement towards achieving the goals you set.” Champagne agrees, saying that although it is trickier in the city, the key is to have a good time management to attain a work/ life balance. “You can say a third [of your time] for yourself, a third for your family and a third for the community,” he says. “It’s a nice balance approach that resonances with permaculture.” He continues. “Young people are looking for positive answers and solutions, and permaculture sits there as a real potential for making a livelihood with the planet – and to do farming in a fun way.”
JPlus August 16, 2015
9
wanderlust
After summiting Everest (with no oxygen, twice), 71-year-old Reinhold Messner has a new legacy: reclaimed castles and a mountaintop masterpiece by Zaha Hadid WORDS James Tarmy photos Bloomberg
Extreme
Museums
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wanderlust people called it the first true ascent of Everest,” says Isserman, “because he wasn’t relying on artificial aid.”
Consummate Adventurer
Messner continued to climb mountains in the Himalayas and dabbled in other extreme pursuits (he trekked across Antarctica without a sled team, for instance). As he did so, he figured out how to monetize his exploits, writing “over 50” books, by his own estimation. “Through speaking tours, books, documentaries and whatnot, he supported himself from a very early age as a mountaineer,” says Isserman. “He’s both a mountaineering pioneer, but
I
f you’re American, you’ve probably never heard of Reinhold Messner, the first mountaineer to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter mountain peaks (26,247 feet above sea level). Designed by Zaha Hadid, the Corones museum is the sixth and final building in Messner’s series of museums If you have, there’s a good chance you learned of him in the past few weeks, when photographs of a spaceship-like aerie designed by Zaha Hadid, the sixth and final outpost of the official Messner Mountain Museum, circulated the Internet. It was the final stage of a 15-year-long project by Messner to chronicle what he calls “the great history of mountaineering.” Messner, now 71, conceived of the museums—sprinkled throughout peaks, valleys, and small towns across South Tyrol, a region in northern Italy that borders Switzerland and Austria—as a way “to tell the next generation about what happens when mountains and men meet,” he says in an interview.
Into Thin Air
It might be more instructive, however, for the next generation to know what happens when mountains and Messner met. For starters, he and the climber Peter Habeler were the first to reach the top of Mt. Everest without the aid
of oxygen. “No one knew what would happen when he got to the top,” says Maurice Isserman, a professor of history at Hamilton College and co-author of the book Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering From the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes. “A lot of people theorized that he would just die from lack of oxygen.” Messner didn’t die, of course, and subsequently climbed Everest again by himself (again without oxygen). “Some
he’s also a commercial pioneer, and his museums are an extension of that.” The buildings of the Messner Mountain Museum each focus on different aspects of the mountain experience. There’s one devoted to hiking paraphernalia (pickaxes, journals from historical climbs, and many photographs); another is themed around mystic mountain statues. One showcases ethnological exhibits on the people of the
mountains, and one—the museum concentrating on mountain rock—presents a step-by-step narrative of how the Dolomites were formed.
Extraordinary Buildings
The real draw of the Messner Mountain Museum, though, might be its extraordinary buildings. “One is in my castle,” Messner says, referring to Juval Castle, a mountaintop retreat dating back to the 13th century that doubles as Messner’s summer residence. Here, he says, it’s about “the holiness of mountains.” Another, he continues, “I built myself, to be like a glacier crevasse.” That one is unsurprisingly devoted to ice. Built into the ground, 1,900 meters above sea level, the building is low, bunker-like, and, when covered with snow, almost totally invisible. Another—the largest museum of the series—is located in the restored Sigmundskron Castle, which dates to the 10th century and sits on yet another hilltop. One of the castles was once the summer residence of the prince bishops (also, if you can believe it, on a hill) that goes back to the 13th century, and the last historic building is a mountaintop fort from 1912 built on a peak in the Dolomites and reclaimed by Messner in 2002. And then there’s Hadid’s Corones museum, a concrete structure perched on the summit plateau of Kronplatz. Regardless of the ownership of each building—a few are owned by municipalities and foundations, he says, and two are owned by him privately— the collection is Messner’s alone, and he doesn’t derive an income from his management of the museums. The Hadid building “is paid for by a high-class tourism company,” he says. (It told him the building cost US$3 million to build, but he agrees that that number sounds very low.) Now that the final building for his museum is complete, Messner says he’ll return to filmmaking, writing, and climbing. “I still climb, but at a lower level,” he says. “Next week I’ll be climbing again—but only up to 5,000 meters.”
JPlus August 16, 2015 11
at your LEISURE
Founding Fathers’ delight IF YOU’RE AN AVID FOODIE, OR AT LEAST A NATIVE JAKARTAN, THE NAME CAHAYA KOTA (CITY LIGHTS) IS FAMILIAR TO YOUR EAR – NOT TO MENTION YOUR PALATE. WORDS Kevindra Soemantri
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t some point in 1943 – the date is unclear - a plot on Jl. Menteng Raya was legally handed over to an great merchant and avid cook of ChineseIndonesian descent. Within a few decades, the humble restaurant he opened there would become one of the most storied – and most historic – eateries in the capital. The restaurant, initially called Tung Kong, changed its name to Cahaya Kota in the 1960s, after a push for establishments with Chinese names to find replacement monikers that were more “Indonesian”. Cahaya Kota serves as a silent witness to the nation’s journey toward freedom, as a measure of Jakarta’s development as a capital city – and as the benchmark by which all Chinese restaurants throughout the city are judged. Imagine what Jakarta, then known as Batavia, was like when the restaurant opened on its original site 72 years ago. Menteng was packed with Dutch colonial gentility, strolling the boulevards with graceful parasols and suits tailored by Roger Freres from Harmonie. It was a time where our young founding fathers breakfasted on both European havermout (toasted oats) and nasi goreng (fried rice) as their minds pondered the concept of independence and how to build a nation. Indonesia’s founding president, Sukarno, favored eating dishes such as
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nasi goreng, mie goreng (fried noodles) and ayam goreng (fried chicken) at Cahaya Kota, as documented in Mangil Martowidjojo’s biography of Sukarno, which details his time as the president’s personal assistant. Among the restaurant’s loyal clientele are also said to be Sutan Sjahrir, the nation’s first prime minister; the nation’s second president, Soeharto; and the writer Des Alwi. The restaurant’s original location on Menteng Raya is now the site of the Tugu Tani statue, which commemorates the heroism of farmers in the fight against Japanese occupiers and Dutch colonialists – as well as their role in nurturing the rice that feeds the nation. In 1961, Cahaya Kota moved to the thenleafy neighborhood of Asam Lama (now Jl. Wahid Hasyim), on a road canopied by Tamarind trees. On my first visit, I tremulously emerged from a bajai and could not believe that I was standing before a restaurant said to be the birthplace of such dishes as ayam kuluyuk as well as deep fried grouper in sweet and sour sauce.
photos Skyscraper City
As I took my first step inside, I was amazed by how spacious the dining room was – a style typical of grand Chinese restaurants overseas. Vintage lamps dangled from the high ceiling over large round tables that could seat 10. On the left wall were awards and recognitions from the Presidential Palace, bearing testament to how beloved the restaurant is by its official guests. Cahaya Kota is a culinary institution that has catered to the nation’s leaders – as well as a place where you can enjoy a full plate of freshly cooked and crunchy morning glory in garlic and oyster sauce. As the waiter escorted me to my table, I saw five private dining rooms, which Cahaya Kota general manager Lina said were still favored lunchtime spots for government officials to enjoy Sichuan chicken or gorengan Cahaya Kota, the resturant’s signature dish of crispy-pillowy calamari, sweet tiger prawns, small crabs, soft-as-butter and slightly fried grouper and Chinese five-spice pigeon. Some prominent families have frequented the restaurant’s private rooms for decades, Lina said, citing Meutia Hatta, a descendant of the nation’s first vice president; as well as the families of the business tycoon Sudwikatmono and former president B.J. Habibie. I started with one of the restaurant’s legendary dishes, gurame asam manis (sweet-and-sour deep-fried fish), which I found spectacular. The entire fish was deep fried in local palm oil at high heat to give a texture of
crispiness on the outside while the inside was soft and moist and then bathed in a sauce that contained fresh pineapple, capsicum and lengthily sliced spring onions. The result was a feast for the eye and the palate. It was a faultless combination of sweetness, freshness and crispiness. Cahaya Kota’s deep fried oatmeal prawns were also dangerously delicious. Imagine a large tiger prawn, with its natural sweetness from the sea, fried for seconds to turn it a sexy red, and then coated with oatmeal batter. Sichuan (or Sezchuan) cuisine is famous for its spicy flavor, which comes from two kinds of pepper: dried chillies and Sezchuan pepper, and Cahaya Kota, has one of the most celebrated Sichuan chicken dishes in the city. The chicken is first marinated with in Chinese five spice for a long time and then coated with oyster sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, white pepper, salt and then finally, cornstarch. It is then deep fried until golden and cooked with slices of garlics and onion, oyster sauce, honey, ginger and dried chillies. The oyster sauce and honey caramelize, leaving a sheen on the golden nuggets that’s a pleasure to taste. As you eat, look for the letter that Des Alwi once wrote to the restaurant’s owner. Overflowing with words of satisfaction for Tung Kong (or Cahaya Kota), the letter is a sacred ornament that the restaurant management with pride has hung above the main wooden bar. See for yourself how Cahaya Kota has remained a gem over the decades until today. Cahaya Kota Restaurant Jl. K.H. Wahid Hasyim, No.9 Menteng, South Jakarta Tel. 62213143077
at your LEISURE
Turn it down Decibel meter in hand, one restaurant critic has some choice words for top chefs –if only you could hear them
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ason Atherton, whose Social Restaurant Group is circling the globe, once told me that he was inspired by the Stanton Social in New York. The chef said he loved the conviviality, the hospitality, the buzz. Ah yes, the buzz. I visited New York and made my way to that inspirational Lower East Side restaurant, with its ground-floor dining room and a bar up a flight of stairs. What Atherton, 43, experienced as a buzz was, for me, a ringing in the ears. It was loud—so loud that I had no interest in staying, even for a drink.
solution to maintaining the aesthetics of the restaurant, while “restoring acoustic clarity,” involved printing bespoke designs on Class-A acoustic panels, making sound absorbers into art features. Restaurants in the capital could take note. I made a quick tour of establishments in Covent Garden, Soho, and Mayfair to measure decibel levels. STK was the noisiest, at close to 90dB—levels at which “sustained exposure” may result in hearing loss. Two restaurants I think of as noisy— JinJuu and Jason Atherton’s Social Eating House—were quieter then I remembered them, at about 85dB. Mishkin’s was slightly louder, while the outdoor terrace at Aqua was close to STK’s volume, thanks to the presence of a DJ. Atherton’s Little Social was below 85 decibels, like city traffic heard from inside a car. Restaurateurs are aware that noise can be an irritant for diners who are too old for alcopops. “Acoustics are always of paramount importance in a restaurant,” says Jeremy King, who owns several of London’s most fashionable restaurants.
WORDS Richard Vines photoS Bloomberg
Then I found that other New York restaurants and bars were noisy, too. Babbo, DBGB, Employees Only, Fatty Crab: All were too loud for me, and I realized this was the soundtrack to getting old. It helps to know I am not alone. “Bad acoustics are a deal breaker,” says Mick Hucknall, 55, a singer and songwriter who achieved international fame with his band Simply Red. “If I can’t hear my friends speak, I’ll avoid going back.” See? There’s no holding back the years. Actor Stanley Tucci, 54, known for movies such as The Hunger Games, also finds some venues too loud. “It’s a very delicate balance,” he says. “I do like to have music sometimes, but I don’t like loud music. I don’t get it. I find it distracting. I want to hear the people around me. The perfect sound in a restaurant is like a French bistro, buzzy.” It’s a thin line between noisy and buzzy. Part of it is down to a little thing called the Lombard effect. “First described by Etienne Lombard in 1911, the Lombard effect is a phenomenon in which speakers alter their
vocal production in noisy environments, such as loud parties or restaurants,” explains Priscilla Lau of University of California-Berkeley in 2008 phonology lab report. In other words, diners speak loudly in loud restaurants and then the people at neighboring tables turn up the volume of their own speech in order to be heard. Did you catch that? Don’t even get me started on music loud enough to rattle teeth. One of the main reasons restaurants are becoming louder in the first place is that once-fashionable soft furnishings are being abandoned in favor of sleek, modern designs. To put that more simply, carpets and tablecloths are going out of fashion. “Industrial designs with concrete finishes and hard surfaces mean noise is propelled around the room,” says Jeremy Luscombe of Resonics, a company that helps restaurants reduce noise levels with acoustic panels for walls and ceilings. Acoustic panels turned into art can help dampen the roar in noisy restaurants. Acoustic panels turned into art can help dampen the roar in noisy restaurants. Source: Resonics via Bloomberg Open kitchens are another factor. “Kitchens can be quite noisy places, closed off from the dining room,” Luscombe says. “Restaurants now try to integrate the kitchen, which can lead to a lot of noise spillover.” His company has compiled a case study about reducing noise at a restaurant in the Scottish Highlands. The Resonics
“They determine the balance between the attractive buzz of a desirable ambience and the clattering cacophony of sound that soon alienates anyone over 30." This isn’t only a matter of aural aesthetics. Loud restaurants are an unwelcoming environment for people who can’t hear so well, which often means the elderly, according to Laura Matthews, a researcher for the UK charity Action on Hearing Loss. “Noise interferes in communication,” she says. “A lot of people, when they get older, find it more difficult to distinguish speech from background noise, so it can become really difficult in restaurants and cafes. We are planning a campaign to raise awareness.” I head off to a steak restaurant and bar where young men and women are having a whale of a time. The music is loud but it can’t drown the sounds of their enjoyment, including shouted jokes and shrieks of laughter. I watch my decibel counter nudging 90. That’s equivalent to a noisy office, an oboe, or a diesel truck, depending on whose scale you use. It’s tiresome. Other forms of age discrimination are illegal. It’s time chefs stopped acoustic discrimination against older diners. Turn down the volume.
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a la mode
Fashion Emergency FASHIONISTAS ACROSS ASIA ARE REVISITING THEIR BUDGETs – AND THEIR CLOSETS. Words Willy Wilson
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he global economic slowdown has not stopped Riccardo Tisci from charging US$1,600 for a Givenchy sweatshirt. A cotton garment hailed as a key piece of Tisci’s street-inspired Fall/Winter 2015 collection, the black sweatshirt is a deliberately battered and artfully deconstructed sweatshirt. Meanwhile, Italian fashion house Moschino’s Jeremy Scott, known for his tongue-in-cheek and whacky street-style aesthetics, wants you to pay $778 for a purple, for a purple knitted wool sweatshirt. Go ahead and spend, and perhaps get a $600 Manish Arora track pants – with digitally printed spaceship patterns, no less – to complete your look. Now don’t get us wrong; JPlus is all for fun, experimental fashion. But if you have been following the news recently - China’s currency devaluation, Indonesia’s stunted GDP growth rate - you might want to rethink your fashion budget. Sonya Long of Alter, a respected multi-label concept store in Shanghai, finds it necessary to scale back given the tough times. Her boutique has made a conscious decision to sell labels with a more forgiving price point, curating pieces from up-and-coming designers such as Opening Ceremony from the US and Injury from Australia. You know it isn’t a good time to shop when even China is showing signs of cutting back. We spoke to three fashionistas around Asia to find out how they’re coping with the tough economy.
Elevate the Classics
For Kiky Rory, the managing editor of Elle Indonesia, a limited shopping budget means wiser fashion choices. Her mantra to affordable and stylish look? Elevating the classics. “Long -lasting and versatile items in terms of shape,” says Kiky, when asked about her go-to pieces. The classics in her style dictionary include white shirts, palazzo pants, culottes in camel hues, a black leather belt, a pencil denim skirt, striped blouses and blazers in black and white. The shoes? “A pair of pointy shoes with at least 7-centimeter heels and a slingback pair in nude,” adds Kiky, who favors a pared down, uncomplicated look. Kiky says that one should avoid the at-themoment look from head to toe. You want to keep it chic by pulling it back a little with something personal. In her case, it is a “boyfriend blazer” she inherited from her stepgrandmother. Kiky Rory/Chris Bunjamin
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Razzaq Sulaiman
Enhanced street cred
the piles we store in the closet? A recovering fashion addict, Razzaq said that he made a conscious decision to cut back on shopping, which he attributes to the economic downturn and his age. “I’m glad that at 32, my obsession [for fashion] has greatly diminished,” says Razzaq, adding that “I don’t buy pricy clothes for daily use, although I still splurge a little on items for [formal] functions.” For his everyday look, Razzaq trusts high street retailers like Zara and H&M. He mixes and matches the old and the new, and finishes his look with designer shoes or bags he’s bought in the past.
Old Clothes, New Ideas
“My go-to is androgyny, but I also love to be feminine and flirty, boho, and even minimalist. I think the important thing is to be true to who you are and what you feel on any given day. People have so many facets to them, and fashion should be an extension of that. I think to pinpoint and identify yourself as something and not another is to really limit yourself,” she says. And for that reason, digging into her closet is exciting, giving her inspirations to update her look. “I have some stuff that goes way back to when I was 17 – and I still find new ways to wear them,” she says, adding “although the growing waistline doesn’t help sometimes. But that’s when I know I should run a bit more or cut down on carbs.” On economic hardship, Alia says she doesn’t splurge on unnecessary buys. Instead, she focuses on what’s missing from her closet. Asked about the pieces that never go out of style, she mentions her Chanel Boy bag (in red), black leggings, a backless sequin dress, nude pumps and a good pair of jeans. Perhaps the upside of economic downturn is that people are wiser in their spending decision. As Kiky, Razzaq and Alia point out, digging into your own closet and being open to the possibilities can be fun, freeing, and downright thrifty. So do you still want that Givenchy sweatshirt now?
Not everybody is into hand-me-downs. There’s something irresistible about the latest and newest fashions, and Razzaq Sulaiman knows a thing or two about that. “I was looking for something to wear last night, and came across items that still had tags on them. The best part is that I don’t even remember buying them,” says the 32-year-old Kuala Lumpur-based entrepreneur. You’re forgiven if you think that sounds outrageous – Razzaq himself thinks it does. But let’s be frank: how many of us are guilty of saying “I don’t have anything to wear”, despite
Nobody understands personal style better than Alia Soraya Gontier, an editor and professional equestrian who lives in Busan, South Korea. Alia is one of those girls who makes premature grey hair, blue aviators and an orange dress look divine. But it isn’t what she wears or how she wears her clothes that make them stand out; it’s her attitude and confidence. Alia defines her style as “classic with an edge”, but is quick to add that she doesn’t subscribe to only one type of style.
Alia Soraya Gontier
tasteBUD
Piri-piri chicken Words & Photos Theodora Hurustiati
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f you love fiery food, I think you’ll be making this often! Piri-piri are African bird’s eye chilies, very much similar to Indonesian cabe. It’s said that the recipe was developed in Mozambique after the Portuguese settlers introduced them to the chilies brought from the Americas. Nowadays Frango piripiri, or piri-piri chicken, is still a popular in both countries, albeit with slight differences in the herbs and spices used in the marinade. I personally prefer the kick that the African version has, so here it is!
Serves 4
Piri-piri Chicken 1 whole chicken (about 1 kg) 5-10 bird’s eye red chilies 30 g ginger 2 cloves of garlic ½ small red onion 2 teaspoons paprika or chili powder 1 lemon, grated zest and juice 10 g fresh coriander 100 g softened butter Pepper Salt
• Cut along the backbone of the chicken with a scissor. Flip and press it on the cutting board to flatten and open like a book. Ask your butcher to do it, or opt for already-portioned chicken for easier way out. • Prick chicken with fork to allow the marinade to sink into the meat. Rub with salt, lemon zest and juice. • Prepare the piri-piri condiment. Slice chilies. Peel and cut ginger, garlic and onion. Cut into small chunks. Chop fresh coriander, including the stems. Transfer into a
spice grinder along with the softened butter, pepper and paprika. Pulse into a smooth “spreadable” paste. • Rub chicken with half of the spiced butter and leave to marinate in the refrigerator, possibly overnight. • Transform the remaining spiced butter into a sauce by cooking it over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes. • Grill chicken over charcoal or on the griddle pan, skin-side down first. Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes before flipping and grilling the other side for a further 20-25 minutes. Brush chicken with the some of the sauce several times during the process. It’s cooked when it’s firm to the touch and not “bouncy” and the flesh is white with no pink hues. • For extra caution, if you have a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the upper thigh. Chicken is safe to eat when the internal temperature reaches 75°C. • Serve hot with corn salad and extra sauce on the side.
• Lightly brush corn with olive oil and slightly char on a griddle pan over medium heat. • Dice cucumber, tomatoes and red onion into pieces roughly the size of corn kernels. • Shave corn and place in a bowl along with the vegetables, coriander and chilies. • Season with lemon juice, sugar and olive oil. Toss to combine.
Corn salad 2 ears of boiled corn 1 cucumber 250 g mixed tomatoes ½ red onion 5 g fresh coriander, chopped ½ lemon, juiced 1 teaspoon of sugar 2 red chilies, diced 3 tablespoons of olive oil Salt
Jakarta-born chef Theodora Hurustiati, a 12-year resident of Udine, Italy, was the runner-up in the TV cooking program La Scuola – Cucina di Classe (The School: Classy Cooking) in 2011.
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trendDIAL
NikeLab Free Inneva 2
Nike takes things one step further to present its timeless women’s-only NikeLab Free Inneva 2. As an updated version of the popular sneaker, the pair features an upper that is mostly woven. Coming in sleek tonal whites and blacks, the series displays a lightweight nylon webbing and uses premium leather for an added textural pop. Breathability is emphasized through asymmetrical cutouts along the upper that is suitable for hours of activity, with cotton laces as an auxiliary finishing touch.
TROVE Fall/Winter 2015
Japanese label TROVE continues its forward-looking tradition with its Fall/Winter 2015 lookbook. The contemporary brand is offering a classic menswear series that encompasses East and West. Featuring subtlety and contrasts, the pieces range from oversized shorts, robes and scarves to Nylon coach jackets, draped at the shoulder knitwear, fleece hoodies and mandarin collar shirts. Off-beat elements, most notably their A-line shorts, are balanced with a masculine color palette of browns, creams and navys that convey an understated approach. It’s an eccentric approach for men’s daily casuals.
Avant-go style in motion Mondaine’s Helvetica 1
After unveiling its Helvetica line last year, the Swiss watchmaker finally released its smartwatch, the Mondaine’s Helvetica 1. It is a horological smartwatch, meaning that it offers a Bluetooth-connected wrist-watch platform with features typically found on activity trackers and devices, yet still preserves an analog look. The timepiece’s face emphasizes numbers emblazoned in the Helvetica font. Set fitness goals, track your physical activity, calories burned and even your sleep cycle and remember - the smartwatch is compatible with iOS and Android apps. Don’t worry about battery life, as you only have to charge it every two years! But Mondaine is making only 1,957 pieces, after the year the font Helvetica was designed. +Banyubening Prieta
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WANT Les Essentiels de la vie
Embrace the utility of the plush pieces offered by WANT Les Essentiels de la vie for your days on the go. The French label just released its Fall/ Winter 2015 collection, featuring leather goods filled with rich texture fabrics. With a vast collection of bags and clean-look footwear, the brand comes with spacious interiors that correspond well with your business essentials. WANT maintained its signature O’Hare shopper tote, Peretola foldable tote and Kastrup backpack, which has a weave to remind you of bird feathers from a distant land. The combination of smart casual looks and earthy leathers in navy, khaki and black give the label a more urbane air.