Jplus 2015 09 06 lores

Vol. 2 No. 41 I September 6 - 12, 2015

Under a blue sky Encounters at Mandapa in ubud

Ubud ABCDs

A brief guide

Bespoke perfume

Searching for your scent

shocking, shaking days JPlus on Koes Plus

Editor's note

Check List

I Wanna Be a Superstar If all goes to Plan, Jon Bon Jovi will take the stage at Bung Karno Stadium on Friday night, about a kilometer away from the JPlus newsroom.

During the last monster concert at the stadium, for One Direction in March, we could hear the music and tens of thousands of screaming fans from the office.

I’m hopeful that Jakarta’s (slightly older) rockers will represent on Friday.

Of course, no performance at Senayan will ever have the impact of Iwan Fals’ 1991 “Kantata Takwa” concert, which was also the subject of a film of the same name released in 2008 by co-directors Gotot Prakosa and Eros Djarot.

The pair, taking inspiration from films such as The Who’s Tommy, made a movie that fused Iwan’s musical critique of the Soeharto dictatorship with allegorical storytelling and incredible concert footage.

It’s one of the greatest concert films of all time. According to the story, every motion-picture camera in Jakarta was used to film the concert – and there was so much footage that the filmmakers gave up on cutting it until the development of computer-aided editing technology about

two decades later.

Another noteworthy Indonesian movie about music is Edward Sirait’s delightfully screwball musical comedy Duo Kribo, or Two Afros, from 1977. The film stars the late Ucok Harahap and Ahmad Albar sporting afros that have to be seen to be believed (see photo).

As a duo, Ucok and Ahmad released four albums in the 1970s. Their music is a rollicking and unique riff on Western album-oriented rock music, full of driving guitars, inspired drums and rich aural layering.

Through our JSnap app, I’ve linked to a YouTube video of their song “Aku Harus Jadi Superstar” (I Wanna Be a Superstar). I first came across the song on an album titled Those Shocking Shaking Days. Indonesian

Hard, Psychedelic, Progressive Rock And Funk: 1970 – 1978.

One of the people behind the album is a rocker and music producer named Alan Bishop, who, as contributing writer Deisha Tamar tells us in this issue, is also the mastermind by Koes Barat, a US-based, all-Westerner tribute band dedicated to the nation’s greatest rock-and-roll band, Koes Plus.

By the way, while neither Kantata Takwa nor Duo Kribo are available on DVD, it’s easy to catch them on screen. The Kineforum regularly screens Duo Kribo, typically during Indonesian Film Month in March; while the Jakarta Arts Institute, the alma mater of the co-directors, recently screened Kantata Takwa.

Rock on!

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Notes from a tourist town

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Covering Koes Plus

Ubud ABCDs

Tribute time

JPlus Team Chris Razukas jplus@thejakartapost.com

mark my words

Editor Christian Razukas Art Director Budhi Hartono Marketing & Advertising Sales & Marketing Director Ady P. Pamungkas

ady.pamungkas@thejakartapost.com

'give me some music' music, the moody food Of we who trade in nostalgia WORDS tessa wijaya

One of the joys of childhood, and also sometimes a source of misery, is music lessons.

When I was about six or seven, my mother bought an electronic piano and forced me into weekly lessons, which I always dreaded.

The music teacher had a massive mole on her finger, which I always ended up being fixated on, and I loathed having to play to the rhythm of the synthetic beats, which is now synonymous with the 1980s.

There was a lot of locking myself in bathrooms and sudden sore throats, headaches and bouts of nausea in those days.

Later, I was able to get my hands on a real piano – and I fell in love. Lessons were now accompanied by the beats of a metronome, instead of corny synthetic beats, and my music teacher’s fingers were, to my relief, mole free.

Unfortunately, when I had to move to Hong Kong (where space was more precious than gold) there was no room for a piano of any sort. I switched to the violin.

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While I realize I was no prodigy, I loved playing music.

I was one of those geeks who walked around carrying my violin case to and from school. I joined the orchestra and the chamber strings.

Playing music together with other people, be it squeakily with many notes out of tune, was one of the most enjoyable moments of my childhood.

I remember playing for mass in my school’s 100-year-old chapel. The space made even the simplest notes sound glorious. I remember the weekly practices and giggling away with friends over the intensity of our music teacher.

Most people slowly give up playing instruments once they get older. I did that after university. My violin is now tucked neatly away in the back of my closet.

We say we are too busy with life to pick up our musical instruments and play something.

My husband and I always joked that we should have a violin off to see who could

play worse than the other, but no one has yet volunteered to be a judge for this.

Whether or not one plays, music is a part of most people’s lives. We sing along to our guilty-pleasure songs in cars, listen to the radio at the office and hum tunes that are stuck in our heads while walking from one meeting to another.

I once had the song from Frozen stuck in my head for a week straight. No, I cannot let it go, Demi! I blame the friend who sold the movie to as one of the best-selling cartoons in the world suitable for children and adults alike.

In my old age, I find myself nostalgic for the simple pleasures of my younger years – and playing music was one of those simple pleasures.

I have vowed for the past year to pick up the violin again and take some lessons so I can beat my husband in our violin duel.

Maybe it’s time to follow up on that resolution and line up at the Yamaha store with the other kids. I wonder if they’d be up for forming a string quartet with an aunty!

Marketing Executive Deasy Rasjid

deasy@thejakartapost.com

@JPlusSunday JPlusSunday

SundayJplus jakplus.com

ON THE COVER The Welcoming Gate and Fountain at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Photo Courtesy of Mandapa

talk of the town REZA RAHADIAN GETS TRIBUTE EXHIBITION Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta

a ROYAL DRAMA at galeri indonesia kaya Grand Indonesia, Central Jakarta

Galeri Indonesia Kaya (GIK) recently collaborated with actress and personality Fitri Tropica and members of the Miss Tjitjih theater group to give local audiences in the capital a comedic play that retold the classic story of Prince Jayakarta.

The play, presented on Aug. 30, told the tale of the prince’s fight against invading Portuguese troops who were attempting to take control of Sunda Kelapa harbor.

“Our goal in holding this performance is to reintroduce and popularize the life of one of our nation’s figures to the public,” said Imas Darsih of the Miss Tjitjih theater group.

"We hope that this performance can inspire art lovers in the audience to appreciate and love our own cultural heritage."

Plaza Indonesia is paying tribute to the career of Reza Rahadian with a photo exhibition and a marathon of the acclaimed actor’s most popular movies.

The exhibition, which runs until Sept. 30 at Plaza Indonesia’s atrium, presents the photos of Mario Ardi.

The images depict Reza and some of his leading ladies, such as Adinia Wirasti and Christine Hakim, in hyperstylized images from some of their movies.

Also on display is a selection of memorabilia related to Reza’s film career, including an annotated shooting script for Hanung Bramyanto’s Perempuan Berkalung Sorban (Woman in a Turban).

Reza was also the subject of this year’s Plaza Indonesia Movie Festival, which ran from Sept. 2 to 4.

A TASTE OF CHILE

Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Jakarta, SCBD

Foodies, oenophiles, and local restaurateurs thrilled to a four-course dinner prepared by chef Francisco Araya (above center) as part of the "Flavors of Chile" dinner, given by the Chilean embassy on Sep. 1.

Araya prepared exquisite dishes, such as Chilean seabass, peas puree, shellfish sofrito with the famed Chilean condiment merken and squid-ink infused potatoes, which was paired with Chilean wines, such as Koyle Costa’ 2013 pinot noir.

The visit of chef Francisco, who has run restaurants in Japan and Argentina, was part of a roadshow touting Chilean wine, seafood and produce as quality food that meets international guarantees and that is, of course, full of natural taste.

travel tips

the intel you need for planning operation: vacation MALAYSIA GETS 1ST KEYLESS HOTEL

The Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral recently became the first hotel in Malaysia to make use of a keyless system as an entry option for its guests.

Hotel guests opting for this keyless method will first have to download an app on their phones.

Once they have downloaded the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) app, they will have to register their phones on it.

If the hotel they have booked at has the SPG Keyless option they will then be invited to use that option.

A window will pop up with your room number and you just need to hold your phone vertically over the door reader to access your room. The phone vibrates, the light on the reader turns green and your hotel room door is open.

Guests can still go old school if they chose to and get a card key when they check-in.

HONG KONG TO OPEN 'CYCLOTHON'

The special administrative region of Hong Kong is geared up to organize its first major cycling event, the 2015 Hong Kong Cyclothon, set to be held from Oct. 10-11.

The Cyclothon, organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, plans to showcase the best of Hong Kong’s scenery, incorporating several major landmarks into the racing routes and even opening up the imposing Tsing Ma suspension bridge to cyclists.

It will all kick off on the evening of Oct. 10. Cyclists will get to embark on night races through the neon-lit streets of Kowloon, including a 35-kilometer challenge ride, a 10-kilometer community ride, kid and youth rides and family fun rides.

Spectators can hang out at the cyclothon’s free weekend carnival, set to take place at the Hong Kong Cultural Center Piazza on the picturesque Tsim Sha Tsui harborfront.

PERTH AIRPORT GETS NEW BIZ LOUNGE

Qantas customers in West Australia can experience a new benchmark in business travel with the new Qantas Domestic Business Lounge opening its doors at Perth Airport.

The lounge represents an increase of almost 50 percent lounge space and has seating for more than 350 people.

Customers travelling through the lounge will be the first to enjoy two brand new dining concepts – an Italian pizza bar with a pizza chef, and a wine bar. The new lounge features menus designed by Neil Perry, a “make your own” juice station in the morning, cocktail hour from 4 to 5 p.m. on weekdays and a hot-and-cold buffet.

Customers can also enjoy a “plate of the day” from the central island dining tables on weekdays. This includes dishes such as baked eggs with chorizo and feta in the morning and gourmet cheese plates in the evening.

SINGAPORE, BANGKOK SOFITELS GET FREE BUGABOOS

Traveling around with babies is never easy. That’s why parents visiting Singapore and Bangkok with kids should find relief with the Sofitel So’s recent introduction of free stroller services at its hotels in those cities.

The strollers offered are Bugaboos, which are perfect for negotiating the busy streets of two of the world’s most dynamic cities.

They are easy to collapse, making them ideal for hopping into taxis or public transportation. This allows the hotels’ littlest guests to explore the city more comfortably.

Guests at the Sofitel So Singapore can choose from the Bugaboo + Andy Warhol collection of limited-edition seat liners, while parents at Sofitel So Bangkok can choose either the orange and black Bugaboo Cameleon3 or the red and gray Bugaboo Bee3.

Strollers are available on a first- comefirst-served basis, but guests can reserve them.

JPlus September 6, 2015

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in the SPIRIT

Sayonara,

Age-Statement Whiskies JAPANESE WHISKY IS GROWING SCARCE; HERE ARE NEW BRANDS TO STOCK UP ON WORDS Kara Newman photos Brands via Bloomberg

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t Union Square Wines & Spirits, one of the best stocked shops in New York, wine director Jesse Salazar has a problem: His customers want Japanese whisky—and he can’t get his hands on new bottles right now. In frustration, he even tweeted this photo of an invoice: “Item not available,” it reads, straight down the line.

“We tried to place an order for Japanese whisky,” he says, but it was impossible to get it filled. “Anything older than 12 years old has become something of a unicorn.”

Over the past year, demand for Japan’s luscious, silky whisky has “completely exploded” among Western drinkers, Salazar says. In particular, interest picked up after critic Jim Murray proclaimed a single malt from the Yamazaki distillery “the best in the world,” in November 2014. Of course, that bottling immediately flew off the shelves, and prices spiked.

In fact, it seems that Western drinkers have started consuming so much Japanese whisky that even the biggest producers have been forced to make adjustments to avoid running out of supply. For example, Beam Suntory and Nikka are pulling back some or all of their popular age-statement whiskies and replacing them with non-age-statement products, which can be rolled out faster to thirsty buyers.

In June, Suntory unveiled Hibiki Japanese Harmony ($65), a blend of malt and grain whiskies that tastes strikingly similar to the Hibiki 12-year-old bottling, with

a delicate mix of honey and stone fruit, but the Harmony carries no age statement. Although the popular Hibiki 12 hasn’t been officially sunsetted, don’t hold your breath trying to find it. “Hibiki Japanese Harmony will now be our central focus,” a representative from Beam Suntory confirms, alongside Hibiki 17 ($150) and Hibiki 21 ($250).

Similarly, Anchor Distilling, Nikka’s US importer, has taken an even more draconian approach, driven by “remarkable demand” and efforts “to maintain stocks and balance the needs of long maturation periods.” Nikka’s aged single malts (Yoichi 15-year-old, Miyagikyo 12-yearold, and Taketsuru 17- and 21-year-olds) are now available in the US on a limited allocation basis, while the Nikka Coffey Grain ($70) as well as a new non-age-statement whisky, Taketsuru Pure Malt ($70), will remain “readily” available. Nikka expects to release additional non-agestatement whiskies in 2016 as well.

New Bottles on the Block

The timing couldn’t be better to learn that three more Japanese whisky producers have quietly started to release bottlings. All three are smaller distilleries with relatively limited output, and many of these likely will sell out quickly. But these whiskies are spectacular, and some are destined to become cult objects, worth snapping up for holiday gift lists while you still can. A quick guide to the new kids in town.

Chichibu Distillery

This tiny distillery was left in disrepair after Japan’s whisky market collapsed in the 1990s. Owner Ichiro Akuto rescued the crumbling operation, along with 400 casks of old stock that had languished for decades (Akuto calls them “my children”), and reopened Chichibu in 2008. Look for

Ichiro’s Malt “On The Way” ($200), a sweet-and-spicy blend of three- to five-yearold whiskies (a five-yearold single malt is “on the way,” get it?), as well as Ichiro’s Malt “The Peated” ($250), a deliberately smoky beast that Akuto likens to Scotland’s super-peated Ardbeg and Laphroaig.

Mars Shinshu Distillery

Named for Kichiro Iwai, “the silent pioneer of Japan whisky,” the Iwai ($37) and Iwai Tradition ($65) bottlings are fruity and complex. Note: A previous release, Mars Maltage, won “World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky” at the 2013 World Whiskies Awards, so these will attract some attention for sure.

White Oak Distillery

One of the smallest distilleries in Japan, located near Kobe, makes its mark with unusual finishes, letting the whisky rest in former bourbon, sherry, wine, and even shochu barrels. The end results are bold, luxe, and bourbon-y whiskies. Look for two releases: Akashi ($47), a blended, lightly peated whisky; and Akashi single malt ($70), a stellar sipper with a whiff of campfire smoke.

These are the bottles to grab right now, along with the vanishing agestatement whiskies from Nikka and Suntory.

Apéritifs France’s famous Burgundy region has two reasons to celebrate. Its rare vintage Richebourg Grand Cru has emerged as the world’s most expensive wine at US$15,195 a bottle, according to Wine-Searcher. Meanwhile, in July, UNESCO recognized the vineyards of Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune south of Dijon, which produce some of the finest red wines in the world.

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Brewed illicitly by generations of villagers in ex-Soviet Belarus, a legal version of the country’s notoriously fiery samogon bootleg alcohol is now in mass production. The distiller insists it comes without the risk of blindness or even death. “We have old traditions of this drink. The way people used to make it in rural areas, it had a soft, harmonious taste. It didn’t give you a headache,” said Mikhail Akulik, the head Slonimsky distillery.

A cargo ship loaded with Japanese whisky docked at the International Space Station last week. Drinks giant Suntory sent the booze to space so it could test how time in a zerogravity environment affects its flavor. Researchers want to know if storing the beverage in an environment with only slight temperature changes and limited liquid movement could lead to a mellower flavor.

– Compiled from AFP

good living

THE Scent of

blooming jasmine Exploring the art of perfume making

WORDS DIAN ARTHEN Photos Courtesy of Darwyn Tse, rebuild.ee

H

ave you ever wondered why people smell different even though they are wearing the same perfume? The answer, according to Jakarta-based perfume maker Darwyn Tse, begins with each person’s distinct body chemistry and body temperature.

These factors contribute to a person’s signature scent – and to how they react to certain chemicals on the skin, Darwin, who runs a bespoke perfume brand called Making Scents by Dtse, said.

“Perfume, aroma or scent for me is a very spiritual affair,” Darwyn says in an interview with JPlus. “It’s very private, because it transports you into memories or experience. Sometimes it’s a romantic experience. Other times it’s poignant or a cheerful one.”

He continues. “When I was young, my grandma used to pick blooming

jasmine and kantil [white magnolia] flowers and put them on the side of her bed. That memory lingers in me […] My mom also liked taking me to temples when I was young, so the smell of burning incense, kemenyan [Styrax resin] and amber have a very distinct effect on me.”

Eventually, the 38-year-old started collecting essential oils before mixing a few aromas in a diffuser. An initial trial went well, so Darwyn said he decided to try the fragrance himself.

One day he was in a cab when the driver asked him what cologne was he wearing. Darwyn said that he replied that he made it himself.

“So I sprayed it [the cologne] on his hand and he said to me ‘Sir, I think you can sell this perfume to people’. From then on, I kind of took it as a sign from the universe that perhaps this could go somewhere. So I started collecting more oils, doing research, calling my friends and making prototypes for them.

“Some worked, some didn’t,” he says.

Darwyn, who is also a makeup artist and painter, said that he loves the complexity of making a signature scent for someone and how the aroma can affect someone’s psychology.

The process of making a scent is complex.

“First step is sending a questionnaire to a customer. From the answers provided, I get to profile the person: age, favorite music, favorite scents,” Darwyn says. “It’s like an actor playing a role. You need to understand who are you playing to make it

real. I have to make myself the client, even though I’ve never met them.”

Next in the process is creating what Darwyn calls heart notes.

“Let’s say this person likes white flowers. I’ll probably use jasmine, gardenia or any of the white flowers and then compose the top and base notes. To lift the notes up, I’ll add a bit of citrus for the top and maybe lock everything together with musk or a sandalwood base to complete the whole formula.”

While Darwyn said that his first choice is to use natural fragrances, he’ll also use aroma compounds if necessary.

Ingredients such as jasmine, rose, tuberose or patchouli are typically available in Indonesia, while base notes like musk are still hard to find and have to be imported.

“When the concoction is done, I’ll store it for a week or so to make the compounds blend together. When a week has passed, I’ll shake the mix and do a final test by spraying it on me. I will imagine myself as the person ordering it. If the outcome is good and I love the smell, then I’ll sign, seal and deliver it.”

And just like wine, perfume gets better with age.

Darwyn suggests that his fragrances be stored in a dark and cool place for a month before use to help the aging process – and to avoid oxidation due to direct exposure to the sunlight.

He says that an open mind is most important when appreciating a good perfume. “You need to not have judgment or expectations, Let it surprise you […]

If you go to a perfume counter and try out a new fragrance, give it time because

first impression will always change due to the fact that a perfume has three different notes.”

In the end, what makes a perfume perfect is an individual decision, according to Darwyn.

“Does this smell make you happy?

Does it invoke the original intention of you wanting to buy this perfume?" he said. “Even perfume sold at Tanah Abang has its own market, so who’s to say that this is a good or bad one? It’s a very personal affair between you and the smell of that perfume.”

For more information, visit makingscentsbydtse.net.

PERFUME 101 Top Notes

Molecules that are light, small and evaporate easily. Examples: Citrus, fruits and herbs.

Heart Notes

The center of the fragrance, lasting longer than top notes and with a strong influence on base notes. Examples: Rose, jasmine, fragrant flowers.

Base Notes

The final fragrance that shows up after the top and heart notes have evaporated. Examples: Ambergris, sandalwood, cedarwood, oakmoss and musk.

JPlus September 6, 2015

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wanderLUST

visiting Mandapa A NEW RESORT OFFERS AN AUTHENTIC BALINESE VILLAGE EXPERIENCE Words I Wayan Juniartha Photos Courtesy of Mandapa

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T

he winding driveway opened up to a breathtaking view: a majestic traditional Balinese split gate. The towering terracotta structure of earth-colored brick stood stoically against the blue sky that graced Ubud that afternoon. It instantly brought to mind images of royal Balinese palaces from the ancient past – and the Majapahit Empire’s architectural style that inspired them.

The resemblance did not end there. The welcome courtyard and pavilion were all constructed in traditional Balinese style, a bold architectural decision amid the rising popularity of modernism with the island’s hotel proprietors.

Constructed in the style of a Balinese wantilan—an open hall where kings hold court and the community congregates—the pavilion is bedecked with solid wooden pillars and tranquil pools. Mandapa itself is the Sanskrit word for a pillared outdoor hall.

It was this pavilion that revealed the unique vision behind the Mandapa in Ubud. From this vantage point, explorers can enjoy an unhindered view of the sprawling Mandapa compound and find that the 5.5-hectare resort has only 35 suites and 25 villas, leaving plenty of space for well-manicured lawns, verdant groves and neat rows of the island’s signature frangipanis.

Presented as a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Mandapa is a deliberate departure from the international brand’s image as the proprietor of major hotels, each with hundreds of rooms.

“A few years ago, the president of the company decided to open a new brand. Let’s call it a brand within a brand,” Mandapa general manager Ana Gorjao Henriques, said. “Ritz-Carlton is very much about city hotels and big hotels and we didn’t have small boutique hotels. The president wanted to add that into our collection and, because it is small and very intimate, he wanted to call it something different. He decided to call it ‘reserve’, like for wines.”

A Portuguese lady with an infectious smile and vibrant personality, Henriques has been dubbed the "Reserve guru" by her peers, due to her extensive experience at Phulay Bay, the Ritz-Carlton’s first Reserve, in Krabi, Thailand. Mandapa is the third Reserve to open, following Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico.

The centerpiece of the Mandapa landscape is a vast expanse of rice fields in the middle of the compound. Maintained by the staff and local farmers, the fields are managed in accordance with the island’s famous subak system, including the use of traditional hoes and cows to plough the soil.

A long stretch of the Ayung River runs alongside the fields before hugging the southern part of Mandapa, adding more rural charm to the upscale establishment. The soothing sound of its stream is perpetual music that can be enjoyed from any corner of Mandapa.

The rice fields and the adjacent Pengiasan temple, where regular offerings and rituals are organized by its Balinese custodians, were vital to Mandapa’s vision of providing an authentic experience to its guests.

“It’s all about the experience,” Henriques said. “We want to give a very unique and authentic experience with respect to the local culture. We want to recreate a Balinese village

wanderLUST

It’s all about the experience.

We want to give a very unique and authentic experience with respect to the local culture.

JPlus September 6, 2015

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wanderLUST

in Mandapa through the rice fields, the temple and its festivals, the architectural features of the buildings, the paintings and traditional textiles in each room, so the guests can stay here and feel that they are staying in a Balinese village.”

Mandapa has recreated this village experience without sacrificing the luxuries and amenities a contemporary traveler expects from a resort.

Its suites offer spacious sleeping quarters adorned with Balinese paintings and songket-embroidered duvet covers, as well as opulent bathrooms with a gorgeous view toward the lush hills that surround Mandapa and the rice fields.

Mandapa’s villas bring that luxury to another level with private pools; separate, fully equipped living quarters and gorgeous sleeping quarters meticulously adorned with beautiful artwork and custom-made ceramics.

A host of butlers – at Mandapa they are addressed as patih, the Balinese term for a king’s trusted aide – are always ready to provide personalized assistance.

Mandapa Spa allows guests to discover peace of mind and body through holistic, comprehensive wellness and lifestyle programs based on Balinese spa treatments, detox and nutrition, alternative therapy, body therapy and healing. It also features a state-of-the-art fitness center, sauna, river-front yoga studio, a vitality

pool and relaxation areas.

The Kubu restaurant, set along the Ayung River, is a gorgeous construction of bamboo poles and glass lamps that will spoil you with its Mediterranean cuisine.

It also has nine bamboo cocoons for those who choose to enjoy a more intimate dining experience.

“Explorers with children will find Mandapa a very interesting place to stay, as we have a very extensive program especially tailored for kids,” Mandapa PR manager Wiwin Hakim said.

He was referring to Green Camp, the fruit of Mandapa’s collaboration with the renowned Green School, which runs a program that sees children learn about the local culture and nature in exciting ways, from tending plants in the organic garden, to feeding cows, watching puppet shows or strolling through the rice fields at night while trying to identify the star constellations in the sky.

Staying at Mandapa is not only a tranquil experience that relaxes the body and soothes the mind but also a culturally enriching one.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Jl. Kedewatan in Ubud, Bali 80571 Tel: 03614792777 mandapareserve.com

Mandapa has recreated this village experience without sacrificing the luxuries and amenities a contemporary traveler expects from a resort.

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wanderLUST

Ubud ABCDs Welcome to Ubud, home to the Mandapa UBUD Ritz-Carlton Reserve Words & PHOTOS I Wayan Juniartha

Ubud is where pristine rice fields embrace modern villas and open-minded local rub shoulders with curious travelers. Be patient with the regular traffic jams and Ubud will reveal its many charms – and heere some of those charms, listed in alphabetical order.

arts

cool

A

As the cultural mecca of Bali, Ubud has more museums than all the island’s other regencies combined.

The Neka Museum in Sanggingan boasts one of the country’s largest collections of keris daggers, some of which are plated in gold, as well as the works of Balinese master painters. Meanehile, the Agung Rai Museum of Arts (ARMA) in Pengosekan has a gorgeous garden fit for a memorable picnic, as well as stunning artworks of Indonesian maestros.

Traditional dance performances are a regular evening feature at community halls all across the town and in the courtyard of Ubud Palace. Opt for the latter. Who knows? You might bump into one of the island’s charming tjokordas, or princes and princesses.

books

C

Visit Ketut Liyer, of Eat, Pray, Love fame, in Pengosekan and look into your future. You can get bragging right of having consulted Julia Roberts’ palm reader.

Those with chronophobia might choose a more sedate but equally amazing activity, like learning how to paint batik. Nirvana Pension on Jl. Gotama offers a daily course on the wax-resist dyeing technique.

Proprietor Nyoman Suradnya is a charming painter and a walking encyclopedia on anything about Ubud.

If physical fitness is your thing, Ubud has Radiantly Alive on Jl. Jembawan and Yoga Barn on Jl. Pengosekan. Both offer daily classes and workshops in various yoga styles.

A trek along the 2-kilometer Campuhan ridge is a must for the selfie-addicted.

The view during sunset is simply amazing and you will pass the Campuhan Temple, Ubud’s most revered site.

B

Marketing guru Hermawan Kartajaya’s Ubud: The Spirit of Bali is a good start to understand Ubud and its allures.

However, to get a deeper and more intimate account of the town and its inhabitants Fragrant Rice: My Continuing Love Affair with Bali is an endearing read.

Penned by Janet DeNeefe, Ubud’s adopted daughter and the founder of the annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, the memoir/cookbook will make you want to relocate.

Don’t forget to visit Ganesha, near the post office at the corner of Jl. Jembawan.

The bookshop is known for its extensive collections of used and rare books on Indonesia. It also runs a book donation program for local schools.

D Dining Whether Japanese or Mexican, traditional fare or hip raw food, or street dishes to Michelin-worthy offerings, Ubud has it all.

First things first: Do not leave Ubud without dining at Babi Guling Bu Oka, across from the Ubud Palace. Its suckling pig achieved its legendary status among locals and foreigners for a solid reason: It is heavenly delicious.

Indus at Sanggingan and Batan Waru on Jl. Dewi Sita also offer mouth-watering versions o Balinese dishes.

Recently, the local culinary landscape has witnessed the rise of fine dining establishments, such as Locavore on Jl. Dewi Sita and Hujan Locale on Jl. Sri Wedari. Locally-sourced produce and topnotch presentations made them immensely popular in no time at all. Alchemy in Penestanan is still the top choice for raw, vegan and organic foods.

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firm FAVORITES

Koes

H ow o n e b a is keeping thnd spirit of Koe e Plus alive s

K

oes Plus hit the scene in the 1960s and has been influencing Indonesian music ever since, just see JPlus’ Top-5 list of the band’s albums opposite.

Fast forward 50 years and meet the American who launched Koes Barat, an all-Westerner tribute band, covering the songs of Indonesia’s favorite rockand-roll act.

Alan Bishop, also known for his rock band Sun City Girls, said that Koes Barat stemmed out a fascination he has had with the songs of the Koeswoyo brothers – John, Tonny, Yon and Yok – since 1989.

“It comes out of my admiration for the Koes Plus and listening to their music for many years.

I also studied their catalogue of songs, collecting their

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JPlus September 6, 2015

From the West records and then met them,” Bishop said in an email interview. “I just wanted to do some recordings of some of my favorite Koes Plus songs, until we had enough for a whole album.”

However Bishop, who has recording projects in Cairo, Egypt, with bands named The Invisible Hands and The Dwarfs of East Agouza, said that he recorded the songs in tribute to Koes Plus as a hobby.

“The first song that I heard from Koes Plus was 'Hidup Yang Sepi' [The Quiet Life], and I believe it was around 1989 on the radio, although I didn’t know [what it was] until later. It was my first experience with Koes Plus, but I loved them from the beginning. The first album I got was either in the US or Europe. It was one of their pop melayu records,” says Bishop.

Jakartabeat.net Music critic Taufiq Rahman, who also runs Elevation Records, said that he has been following Bishop’s work for years. “Bishop founded Sublime Frequencies, a label that he founded at first just so he could remaster Koes Plus’ political albums from the 60s. So it was a no-brainer [to buy it] when he actually decided to release a tribute album,” Taufiq says.

Sublime Frequencies, launched by Bishop, his brother and Hisham Mayet in 2003, produced and released records covering obscure

and underappreciated music from nations in north Africa, the Middle East, south Asia and southeast Asia, mostly dating from the 1960s and 1970s.

The label also reissued several albums from Koes Plus’ earlier incarnation as Koes Bersaudara.

Bishop said the re-releases were no easy job.

“Dick Tamimi, who released Koes Plus’ albums, got very angry in the 1970s and burnt all of the master tapes. So there are no master tapes; the masters now are actually the vinyl LPs,” Bishop says. “We did the best we could to preserve the sound.”

Taufiq said that Koes Barat has done a great job in keeping with the original vibe of Koes Plus. “Although I have to say that Koes Barat presents the album in a more rock-and-roll way – less raw and garage-like than Koes Plus.

Take the example of “Mister Time”, which is

presented as more modern and clean, not lo-fi, as in the original sound.”.

Choosing a label to produce the Koes Barat was spontaneous, coming about after Bishop presented the idea and sounds to Dean Whitmore of Sub Pop – the Seattle-based label behind Nirvana – over a year ago, Bishop said.

Bishop admits that Koes Barat’s other members (Milky Burgess on guitar, Don McGreevy on drums, Jim Davis on bass with Randall Dunn as studio engineer), hadn’t heard of the Indonesian band before the project; although their enthusiasm was later evident.

“All of them are great musicians, they all have their own style and sound,” Bishop said. “I know that they would be able to create the music to make it sound real and to pay respect to the original sound – and they did.

Without them, I don’t think I could make the record to sound as good as it did.”

Loyal fans and follower of Bishop know that he swims against the mainstream music business, so it is no surprise that he’s not expecting to cash in on Koes Barat.

“We do this because we love it. We try to get it out to as many people as we can, but we’re not going to be ‘prostitutes’ and trying to sell it,” Bishop says.

“This is our side project and this is a project of love, but it will also be a great thing if our cover will bring attention to the original Koes Plus songs.”

firm FAVORITES

R

ock band Koes Bersaudara, which later reinvented itself as Koes Plus in 1969 following the inclusion of non-family member Kasmuri as drummer, is probably the nation’s first rock-and-roll band, responsible for laying the foundation for what was later known as Indonesian rock-androll.

As pioneers, though, Koes Plus paid a price. At a time when rock, and any other genre of Western music, was banned by supreme leader Sukarno; Koes Bersaudara defiantly played and recorded music steeped in the style of The Beatles, the Everly Brothers and the Rolling Stones.

As a result, the Koeswoyo brothers – John, Tonny, Yon and Yok – were sent to prison for making what Sukarno deemed deviant music that corrupted the souls of Indonesian youth.

The demise of Sukarno’s Guided Democracy put an end to their predicament and Gen. Soeharto’s proWestern government turned out to be a boon for Koes Plus’ creative process.

Newfound freedom allowed the band to explore uncharted territories in the local music scene, yielding some of the best music ever committed to wax.

Throughout the 1970s, Koes Plus recorded dozens of records that covered multiple genres, such as garage rock, straight-on rock-and-roll, dangdut, qasidah and Javanese pop.

Koes Plus, which quickly became one of the country’s biggest and bestselling musical acts, is the only band in Indonesia that can unite the masses and music snobs alike.

For every 10 bus drivers who like Koes Plus’ bubble-gum pop hits such as “Dara Manisku” (My Sweet Girl); there’s one rock geek who worships the band’s guitar-driving garage-rock gold, such as “Apa Saja” (Whatever).

This is the reason that used vinyl copies of their early records go for top dollar on eBay. Koes Plus continued making music up through the late 1980s, but their best music could be found in their output from the late 1960s until the mid-1970s.

Here are five Koes Plus records that you ought to listen to – or, if you have a turntable, should collect on vinyl.

as a “poor clown.” Behind him was Tonny’s barking monochromatic guitar that channels “My Generation”era The Who. Pete Townsend would have been proud.

'Dheg-Dheg Plas'

This record has more Koes Plus classics than any other. “Kelelawar Malam” (Bats) is a garage-rock gem leftover from The Guilty era – and a composition that would not be out of place in a Lenny-Kaye-curated Nuggets garage rock compilation. Meanwhile, “Cintamu Telah Berlalu” (Your Love Has Gone) is a sophisticated pop ballad where even the drums were set to give a maximum rock-and-roll effect. It was also the first record to showcase Koes Plus’ new secret weapon, Murry, who many consider the nation’s best rock drummer ever.

'Koes Ploes Vol. 2'

In heavy rotation CHOOSING THE BEST THAT KOES PLUS HAS TO OFFER WORDS M. Taufiqurrahman

Every great rock band has their “drug” record. The Beatles had Revolver, The Velvet Underground had White Heat/ White Light, and Koes Plus had Vol. 2. The album’s front cover was full of drug references, with three members photographed looking dazed while Murry held a hand-rolled cigarette. The theme becomes more obvious when we learn that the overarching theme for the album is sadness. The lyrics and music were crafted to create a hallucinogenic effects. All through the record, Tonny’s weeping guitars and droning keyboards are a textbook presentation of psychedelic music.

'Hard Beat Vol. 2'

Koes Plus’ last hurrah! This is the last time that Koes Plus as a collective came together and made music that was fully live in the moment. This is also songwriter Tonny at his most existential. Faced with dread from bearing witness to the nuclear arms race between the US and the USSR, he penned “Damai di Bumi” (Peace on Earth), asking question about the future of humanity. Recorded while Koes Plus was at the peak of their popularity, the song “Issue” was addressed to the media.

'Koes Plus Vol. 5'

'To The So-Called The Guilties'

It’s always a toss-up whether this album or Dheg-Dheg Plas, that should come on top of any list of Koes Plus’ best. However, for its ferocity and defiant political messages; this is the band at its absolute finest.

Written while the four brothers were locked up in Salemba Prison and recorded

for Mesra Records soon after their release, the album gives pulls no punches when talking about The Man. “Poor Clown”, a track with lyrics addressed to Sukarno, is the most incendiary protest song written in the rock genre. Yon practically shreds his vocal chords, channeling his anger over his imprisonment and belittling Sukarno

This record is memorable for “Nusantara”, the most well-known Koes Plus song, which can stoke the fire of nationalism even among even the most skeptical, simply by the virtue of its simple lyrics, which reminded listeners about how rich Indonesia is in natural beauty. For the rock fan, the album’s cover art was a big draw. Vol. 5 was released in 1971, the same year The Who unleashed Who’s Next, with its iconic urinating-on-the-monolith photo. Tony may have seen the cover and decided to recreate the scene.

JPlus September 6, 2015 11

at your leisure

Off the menu

ALLERGIES, VEGETARIAN? LUXURY RESTAURANTS NO LONGER OFF LIMITS WORDS Rémy ZAKA PHOTOS VIA AFP

“We have one or two clients like this every day with a whole range of problems.”

Most called the Mediterranean diet “a good ally” in concocting menus to accommodate gluten-free, sugarfree, lactose-intolerant, meatless or other restricted diets.

“There is less milk and butter,

W

hen French superchef Alain Ducasse stunned the world of haute cuisine last year by dropping meat, boosting veggies and lightening up his menus, he was less bucking convention than joining a trend of accommodating vegetarians and people with food allergies.

Fine dining at top-class restaurants run by uncompromising chefs might once have been unthinkable for such clients.

But no more.

“Twenty years ago we were lost when a client told us they had an allergy. We’d bring out an artichoke and a salad,” said Piet Huysentruyt, owner of the Likoke in the southern town of Les Vans, a one-star restaurant in the fabled Michelin Guide.

“Now it’s no longer a problem. It’s second nature,” he said.

Once again, the much-touted Mediterranean diet – low in meat and high in fish, vegetables, herbs and healthy fats like olive oil – has come to the rescue.

A recent gathering in the southern city of Montpellier of 58 chefs from 10 Mediterranean countries -- the sort of Michelin-starred elite who scrutinise every dish that leaves their kitchens – confirmed the trend. All conceded they have had to “adapt”, including Ducasse and his famous co-host Joel Robuchon.

“It’s more and more frequent. For every table of five or six people, there is inevitably one who has allergies,” said Laurent Pourcel, who runs the one-star Jardin des Sens in Montpellier with his brother Jacques.

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fewer potatoes, and you use more olive oil, fish and vegetables,” said Hermance Joplet who runs Le Castellaras, newly awarded a Michelin star, with her husband Quentin in Fayence near the southern resort of Cannes.

Olive oil is definitely “more digestible and generally more acceptable,” said nutritionist Christian Recchia.

Ducasse led the trend when he boldly dropped meat at his renowned twoMichelin-starred Plaza Athenee on Paris’ exclusive Avenue Montaigne, just up from Dior, Prada, Saint Laurent and other luxury shops.

Less radical at his three-starred Louis XV restaurant in Monaco, he has nonetheless cut down on meat dishes and uses less salt, sugar and fat.

As for a hallowed basic in French cooking, the butter, cream and egg-packed sauces, chefs said they now alter them on demand – something that, in the past, might have been dismissed as catering to fickle, indulgent or foreign clients.

Likewise, most chefs today keep a supply of gluten-free ingredients, notably frozen bread dough ready to pop into the oven at a moment’s notice.

“For Saint Valentine’s Day, one client never imagined we could offer a glutenfree menu,” said Joplet who served up a nutty risotto of locally grown spelt with sauteed baby vegetables.

Vegetarians, too, are no longer shunned.

At the Pourcel brothers restaurant, dishes like “new asparagus in a cream sauce of morel mushrooms and crumbled egg yolks” sit on the main entry list as proudly as the classic meat and fish dishes.

The hardest problem is diners who are lactose intolerant, said Fabien Lefebvre of the Octopus restaurant, in the southern city of Beziers that was recently

awarded a Michelin star.

Olive oil can replace butter, he said, but “the other solution is to cook without fat,” as in his steamed sea bass with seaweed.

“You’ve got to adapt case by

case,” he said.

Quality, however, needs lead time. “You can prepare a three-star meal if you’ve got advance notice. But at the last minute, it’s difficult,” said Huysentruyt, who was a TV celebrity chef in Belgium and has written best-selling cookbooks.

Himself a diabetic, he keeps his eye out for inventive ways to cope with this restriction.

His hearty entry of “bass with bacon, veal brains and ‘cochonnailles’” – a selection of fine pates and sausage meats – can be transformed for a diabetic into “bass with cauliflower mousse and baby vegetables”, he said.

One headache for the chefs, however, is a new European Union rule concerning potential “allergens”.

The measure, which took effect in December 2014, requires professionals in the food business to notify clients of any presence of the 14 most common allergic foods, including peanuts, gluten, soy beans, molluscs, walnuts, almonds, eggs and milk.

Few of the top chefs have heeded the order.

“The idea is to make people happy. The client just asks for one thing, that we don’t betray them,” said Marc de Passorio of another Michelin one star restaurant, L’Esprit de la Violette in the southern city of Aix-enProvence.

a la mode

How to Make the Perfect Leather Bag THE LOTUFF BROTHERS ARE TAKING LONGTIME LEATHER-WORKING TRADITIONS AND PRODUCING SOMETHING PERFECTLY MODERN.

WORDS Kurt Soller PHOTOS Bloomberg

Lotuff Leather, founded in 2012 by brothers Joe and Rick Lotuff, employs specialized craftsmen to make its bags at a factory in Norwalk, Conn.

The high-quality, durable accessories look great with a suit or jeans, and a mere 4,500 pieces are produced each year. Here, creative director Lindy McDonough explains how the company makes its best-selling English briefcase.

3. Laminating

For the first construction step, parts are sandwiched together with glue. The handle has six interior layers of leather sheathed with a seventh prior to being sewn up. “A lot of briefcases have handles with plastic in them, but not ours,” she says.

Lotuff’s should mold to your hand within a year. 1 hour

2. Splitting

1. Cutting

In some corners, three pieces of leather come together; in others, it’s four. To ensure a consistent look, each piece is passed along a skiving wheel that whittles it to a precise thickness. When the leather isn’t split like this, “some parts tend to look glued on,” she says. 1 hour

The leather comes from a century-old tannery. Each component for a single bag is made from the same halfcow; in this case, 33 pieces are blocked, then sliced out.

“Special care is taken so the front flap matches what’s beneath it,” McDonough says. 75 minutes

4. Painting and Polishing

Lotuff polishes each of its leather pieces with three or four passes along a buffing wheel. This is the most difficult part for a new employee to get a feel for, McDonough says, especially if the leather comes from an older, more brittle hide. 2 hours

5. Assembly and Stitching

6. Adding Hardware

All the metal is solid brass, and the rivets attaching it should last 30 to 40 years. “If a piece gets damaged, they’re all made so we can replace that one part in the shop,” she says. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single buckle or the entire front leather flap. “Sometimes a Labrador will eat your handle,” co-founder Joe adds. 30 minutes

Using polyester thread, craftsmen employ a traditional process that involves knotting the string at each end, burning it off, then tucking it back through the hole so it disappears. There are 51 knots in each bag. Even if some unravel, the briefcase will retain its structure. 2 hours

Finished Product Indigo English leather briefcase, $1,065; lotuffleather.com

SAVILE ROW’S WOMAN WUNDERKIND British tailor Kathryn Sargent makes dapper suits from scratch

WORDS & PHOTOS Bloomberg

“My father would take me to his suit fittings on Savile Row as a child, and I fell in love with the idea that a perfectly made overcoat could transform you. I studied fashion design at the University of Creative Arts in London and got an apprenticeship with Gieves & Hawkes at No. 1 Savile Row. In 2009, I became the first female head cutter on Savile Row. I went out on my own in 2012. When I first meet with a client, we talk about lifestyle. Is the customer active? Does he plan to wear the item every day? These questions dictate fabric, stitching, and even color. The customer gets a say in every element, from the horn buttons to the thread in the lining. My goal is to create something timeless that you’ll own for the rest of your life.”

Two-piece suits start at $5,540, overcoats at $4,720; kathrynsargent.com

From left: A ladies’ bespoke dinner suit jacket created for client Birgit Neu; a ladies’ red tweed jacket inspired by a design created for Lady Courtenay. Both were featured in the exhibition “Savile Row and America: A Sartorial Special Relationship” at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. in May.

JPlus September 6, 2015 13

life STYLEs

Getting rich,

getting

burned PLAYING WITH OUR HERITAGE

WORDS & PHOTOS Duncan Graham

A

t first glance they look like models of the fearsome Viking longships, though minus the sails and oarsmen.

Or maybe a Maori waka the huge war canoes that carried skilled navigators across the South Pacific to make a new home in Aotearoa – which is now New Zealand But what have Norse raiders who invaded and plundered Northern Europe 1,100 years ago, and Polynesians of about the same era got to do with the world’s largest archipelago? Step closer to the sideboard and be rewarded.

Dakon boards are impressive artefacts and works of art, much loved by modern home designers keen to add a touch of local culture to their minimalist décor. They are not boats but ancient games that many Indonesians raised before smart phones knew well.

A dakon board is usually a long and substantial hunk of carved hardwood with two parallel sets of holes or cups gouged along the top. These hold small cowrie shells or seeds, often tamarind, though anything small and smooth will do.

The finest are made by backyard craftsmen, though smaller mass-produced portable fold-up versions are now being sold in gift shops.

The idea of playing the game by ‘sowing’ the seeds and acquiring storehouses suggests links with agriculture, maybe a diversion when it was too hot to work the fields.

The game is not exclusive to Indonesia and may have come from North Africa where archaeological evidence goes back to the sixth century AD. There are records of similar games in Europe but it seems they were not as popular as chess, which probably originated in India about the same time.

Other names are sungka (Philippines) and congkak (Malaysia). Scientists, who like to classify everything, have labelled dakon as a mancala game after the Arabic word naqala, meaning "to move". The easiest definition is

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that dakon is a ‘count-and-capture’ game.

Some dakon boards are plain and functional, but many have been elaborately carved and painted to show off their splendid lines and Janus-like heads of birds or dragons. In some versions, like those from Madura, the heads can be removed and turned around.

Jan Thomassen à Thuessink van der Hoop, an authority on Indonesian design, suggested some figures represent the Panakawan, the comic characters in Javanese wayang shadow puppetry.

Because of their weight and dimensions dakon boards fit just fine on the top of a buffet where they’ll become the talking point to impress guests. They are not associated with black magic or religious rites so there’s no chance of causing offence.

“There’s a long and complex provenance here that’s firmly rooted in Southeast Asia and Indonesia in particular,” said cultural analyst Ismail Lutfi, a senior lecturer in history at Malang State University.

“I learned to play dakon as a very small child when I grew up in the small village of Klaten in Central Java, not far from the kraton [royal palaces] of Yogyakarta and Solo.

“My strong assumption is that the game was played by the nobles’ children and then passed on to the ordinary people. If they didn’t have a dakon board they improvised by using floor tiles or just scratched out a pattern in the dirt. There are references to the game in Sir Stamford Raffles’ The History of Java.

“The game was also played by diplomats; because many knew a version they had something in common with their foreign counterparts. This helped establish relationships.

“It was a common pastime which provided a wealth of learning. Dakon which is also known in Java as dhakon and congkak [or congklak] teaches mathematics, the logic of strategy, morality and self-control. It’s also about the consequences of cheating.”

Lutfi said that in the past parents and other adults in the family used dakon to train children to manage their lives so they could enjoy prosperity. It could also be seen as a war game with the opponent as an enemy who had to be overcome.

“Anyone who thinks this is a kids’ game, or just something for the girls, is sadly mistaken.

This is part of our intangible heritage.”

How to play Normally two people play, usually facing each other either side of the board which may have up to nine holes, or cups on either side. These are often called anak (child) with a larger one at either end known as Ibu (mother). These are the storehouses.

The plan is to fill your storehouse with more seeds than your rival.

Seven seeds or shells are placed in each anak, though five may be used on smaller boards. One gamer starts by scooping up the contents from an anak and dropping them one-byone in each cup and the player’s own storehouse.

The distribution includes the opponent’s anak though not their storehouse. The players work their way clockwise around the board.

The idea is to get the last seed to drop into your storehouse. This entitles you to keep going by recharging your hand from another one of your anak.

However if the last seed drops into an empty anak the player is entitled to seize his or her opponents’ seeds from the cup opposite and drop them into their own storehouse. Then it’s the other person’s turn to play.

A seedless anak gets ‘burned’, or as some say in East Java, ‘shot’ and is out of play.

Winners have good memories, can calculate the number of seeds accumulated in any anak and know where they’ll be dropped.

Modern economists call this ‘forward planning’ and ‘resource conservation’.

There are You Tube clips on the Internet of children explaining the game. Some are more confusing than others.

A video game developer in South Kalimantan has a dakon app which can be used on android devices.

There’s a free version and another which costs Rp 12,600 [US$ 1.0].

Reviews have been mixed.

tasteBUD

Orange and Chocolate Palacinke WORDS & PHOTOS Theodora Hurustiati

U

p until 1918, the city of Trieste, the capital of the Italy’s most northeastern region, was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was governed from Vienna and Budapest.

At its peak, the empire included parts of present-day Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

The city, which sits on the Adriatic coast just a few kilometers from Slovenia, boasts an architecture, culture and, most importantly for our purposes, a cuisine, that merges influences from Italy, the Balkans and Slavic traditions.

Italian staples such as pizza, pasta and tomatoes weren’t popular in Trieste until the 1960s, when migrants from the southern regions of Italy started to arrive. What could be found on the menu were dishes such as goulash, sauerkraut, knödeln (bread dumplings) and apfelstrüdel. There’s also this palacinke that my mother in law often prepares.

The paper-thin crêpes are mainly eaten for breakfast or dessert in the region. More common fillings are apricot and plum jams, although chocolate spread, apples and walnuts are also popular. I tried to make do with what I had in the fridge, so here are the marmalade (from a Slovenian shop) and (Italian) chocolate versions.

Makes 10-12 pieces 150 g flour 300 ml milk 1 egg A pinch of salt 30 g butter + 10 g for cooking 200-240 g orange marmalade 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar 100 g fresh cream 100 g milk chocolate

Place flour and salt in a bowl. Create a well in the middle to place the cracked egg.

Beat and incorporate into the flour while gradually adding the milk.

Melt 30 grams of butter over really low heat. Combine into the batter by whisking energetically to achieve a smooth and slightly runny mixture.

Heat a 20-cm crepe pan over a low heat.

Brush with a small knob of the remaining butter. You’ll need to repeat this step between one palacinke and another.

Once the pan is hot, pour half a ladle of the batter (about 40-50 ml) and quickly tilt and swirl to cover the surface evenly.

Cook for about two minutes until the

color becomes opaque and the crêpe is firm. Flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Continue with until the batter is finished.

Meanwhile, also prepare the chocolate sauce. Boil cream just to warm it through.

Remove from heat and insert chocolate, previously broken into small pieces. Rest for 5 minutes until chocolate starts to melt.

Stir with a spoon to create a smooth sauce and cool at room temperature to thicken.

Spread a tablespoon of marmalade onto each crêpe. Roll like a cigar and lightly dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of the milk chocolate sauce.

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.

JPlus September 6, 2015 15

trendDIAL Breitling Emergency II

LG Rolly Keyboard

For mobile tech enthusiasts, check out this super-compact wireless LG Rolly Keyboard. More than an add-on device, the keyboard can be safely rolled into a pen-like shape and stored in your pocket.

Unlike ultra-flexible foldable keyboards, the Rolly is made of solid plastic, giving a tactile feel for users while also boasting a 17mm-key pitch, which is almost as good as the 18mm pitch of desktop keyboards.

You can connect the board via Bluetooth and get three months of use on a single AAA battery. Finally, the Rolly can also support for your tablet or smartphone, with two tiny arms that fold out from the end of the keyboard. Catch the Rolly’s debut this month.

Get ready for the second generation of Breitling Emergency, the Breitling Emergency II. Twenty years after its first iteration, the Emergency II boasts life-saving microtechnology and is the first wristwatch equipped with a built-in personal locator beacon (PLB), which can issue alerts and to guide search-and-rescue missions.

The Emergency II collection comes in three bold color choices: “Volcano” black, “Cobra” yellow and “Intrepid” orange. Other survival functions include a multifunction electronic chronograph, wrapped in a case made of lightweight titanium and instructions on how to use the watch in a rescue situation. The watch weighs only 140 grams and is water resistant to 50 meters. It’s glare-proof and comes with a luminescent analog hours and minute hands. Get a city look with a Breitling Professional steel bracelet or choose the rubber Diver Pro strap for outdoor enthusiasts.

On the

road Adventure in motion

TUMI x Public School Snow Peak FoodGrade Silicone Cups

Camp in style with Snow Peak’s latest foodgrade silicone cups. The Portland-based outdoor lifestyle provider just released their latest drinkwear collection using signature materials that a feature thickrubber like material that goes well with any kind of drink. The silicone cups are available in three types: A highball glass, a stemless wine tumbler and and a liquor glass. Using food-grade silicone, the cups are perfect for hot/cold drinks with temperature resistance from -20 C to 200 C. They’re unbreakable, flexible, easy to clean and finally, you can have a proper whiskey on-the-rocks while camping!

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Premium luggage brand TUMI and the award-winning designers behind Public School™ have teamed up for a limited-edition luggage collection. This collaboration resulted in an ideal series for work and weekend outings, including medium trip and carry-on hardshell suitcases, backpacks, travel satchels, tote bags and a multifunctional travel kit. Taking black as its main theme, the products boast rich and sleek design details that feature premium leather accents and tech-friendly interior organization. The medium-trip case is made of lightweight yet durable material with superb details, such as a detachable laundry bag, tie-down straps and a hanger bracket; while the carry-on suitcase is equipped with dual-spinning wheels for effortless maneuverability, resulting a sleek and classy-looking style. +Banyubening Prieta

Tacit by Aesop

Melbourne-based skincare brand Aesop has just launched its second fragrance, Tacit. A concoction of citrusy and grassy eau de parfum with notes of vetiver heart, basil grand vert and clove produces a fresh and exotic signature scent. Southern France-born and Holland-trained perfumer Céline Barel cooked up this earthy perfume, while Australian artist Jonathan McCabe designed the unique packaging. The surreal swirl inside and color palette of the package is a visual expression of Tacit’s olfactory notes. For a final touch, the perfume is encased in Aesop’s signature amber glass, which gleams in alluring gold when rested under light.