The Picnic Girl for IDRF 2010

IDRF 2010

Indonesian Dramatic Reading Festival will be held for the very first time in Jogja 3-5 November 2010 and in Jakarta 24-26 November 2010. This festival is an independent effort of some performance art people slash script writer to promote Indonesian script to broader public. Just remember how the dramas of Shakespeare has now become popular stories that being told over and over again? That might be the simplest idea regarding the festival's .

Aside from that, this festival is meant to be a big meet up for Indonesian playwright to discuss and promote their latest work so there will be no gap between theater director and theater groups anymore.

So anyone who's interested in literature, script writing, and theater; don't miss this event! ;) There will be dramatic reading performance by lots of famous Indonesian theater group such as Teater Garasi, Gandrik, Gardanalla, Teater Koma, and young theater groups like Saturday Acting Club and Serkiler. It will be a blast!

♪ ♫ ♪ Dance with Me - Nouvelle Vague ♪ ♫ ♪

About the Poster

May I introduce you all to my real-life wonderland: art and literature. As you might well aware if you follow my blog's journey from city to city to find my true passion; my return to the real-life wonderland has caused quite an intrigue for some people around me. Yet, I celebrate it in the most fun way!

Just in time when I offered a help for my friend who held IDRF 2010. Turns out that our schedule doesn't match, so, out of a sudden she asked for a help in another way: borrowing my room and taking my pic for the event's poster.

(four first photos, learning to smile and changing hairstyle)

I was quite nervous, but, it's kinda fun~ really! For the photoshoot, the director of the event (who's also speak high fashion and well known as the tough director of Gardanalla) giggles in the silliest and the most contagious way and made me smile~ if not laughing! I mean.. please, who's ever gonna laugh that hard reading a drama anthology, right?! (except if you're very very visually imaginative and speak theater fluently, of course) Yet, the message of 'broadly-accessible' script should be brought out that way and I love it.

I just realized that I don't laugh nor smile so much in this blog. Turns out that no matter how I consider my face weird with those big grins on, I love the light and the blush it creates on my cheek ;) do you?

(two photos above are my favorite! It was as if I was reading for my dolls.. the two photos below are Dito's favorite)


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Miy
White Dress / a.k.k.u
Photographed by Dito Yuwono

The Girls of The Lighthouse

"What is the meaning of life?... a simple question; one that tended to close in on one with years. The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark."

-To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf-

There are days where the lighthouse gets so lonely, even under the sunlight. In days like that, some pretty spirits are ready to banish the sad feeling away. They are formed from the sun-shaped grasses, enhanced by the light, the soul are as broad and as deep as the sea, yet, they are very bubbly and fluffy as the cloud.

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Together they explore the mysterious tree maze and tree cave~ their little hideaway. Together they will climb the tree higher, laugh louder, play harder, and love better. Together, we will wait for any sad soul out there..promising a picnic together where all of us can goes deep to the tunnel, climb the trees up to the cloud, walking barefeet on the white sand to the deep blue sea.. and away we'll fly!

And no, it was not a dream.

(the end)


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Miy + Intan + Diela
All dresses by Mignon

More photos of The Picnic Pal here


Photographed by Dito Yuwono


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The Spirit of the Lighthouse

Mercusuar itu | That lighthouse

adalah kamu yang berdiri menatap laut | is you who stands gazing at the sea

setiap malam menemani ombak| every night accompanying the waves

menanti purnama | waiting for the full moon

membisikan sunyi.. | whispering silence..

(written by my friend for me, once upon a time)

Where is the boundary of what's real and what's not? Can you see the thin silver line that separates those two? How do you know that the life you're living is not a dream and one day, at one point, you'll wake up realizing that you just had a longest sleep?

Just like that.

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Because this morning, I woke up as the spirit of a lighthouse. I remember every night, I'll stand still and strong accompanying the waves that comes closer yet never close enough; waiting for the red moon to shine down on me, yet never really feel its cold silvery touch.

Every night I'll whisper silence, solitude, and trying to get the lost souls back to their home: guiding them with the light. Every night, I serves as a giant torch light standing still by the sea.

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But every morning, I'll wake up in the most cheery manner, gently stroked by the sunshine. I love to touch the breeze, to taste the gentleness of the waves tickling my skin, to feel the sands under my barefoot, to listen to the busy chattering trees, to smell the sweet grass, to be accompanied by the nature.

No more whispers of silence or solitude. The world is awake, am I alive or am I dreaming?

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..to be continued..


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Miy
White Dress / Mignon
Bandana / Strawberry
Bow (worn as a belt) / Miy's

Photographed by Dito Yuwono


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I Think I'm in Love

I just spent few days in Bandung and I think I'm in love with this city. Really.. I mean, a city where you can see a happy squirrel running around happily gathering food from bags hanging up on the tree in front of somebody's old house~ right by a busy traffic. The food, the trees, little shops, old houses, romantic vibe, nice people, and out of sudden I saw a man riding a horse lining up in the traffic light? Oh.. come on! What not to love.

♪ ♫ ♪ I'm in Love with The City - God Help the Girl ♪ ♫ ♪



Day 1

After getting very excited about seeing the happy squirrel in the middle of the city, I drag my little sister for an afternoon tea at Walini Tea Gallery. Dainty little place with all white and floral detail. Too bad as a tea gallery; the selection of the tea is very limited, the tea quality is bad, and we can't buy the premium tea selection that is nicely displayed on the shelf. Disappointing as a tea destination, yet really comfortable and nice as a resto.

After that, we head to my sister's university (ITB) to buy Lumpia Basah and getting very very stuffed, so, we soon go back to my sister's place and have a nice sleep~ ready for surprises the city offers the next day.

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Day 2

On the second day, my friend come over and accompany my mini trip. He just back from his journey around the world (literally) and I kinda miss him, so, it's really nice to have him around. We had lots of trip back then, and he even took some of my pictures here and here.

The day before I was wondering about a crossing bridge that looks very very dangerous (I mean, look at the picture above! It's sooo tall and has no fence! It looks even more dangerous than crossing the street straight through, seriously!) but, this day is the day of adventure! So I cross the bridge, heart sink into my stomach, and survived! Oh my!

Then me and Aria (whom I dearly call 'Kampski' or 'Campina') spend the day exploring the city walking the longest distance ever! From Dago area to Tobucil at jalan Aceh, back to the busy shopping district of jalan Riau to ITB and all the way back to jalan Riau again.

Really, if I had a trainer he must be really proud of me walking such a long distance until I sadly ruin my shoes. Guess what, I care less about my ruined shoes because I just love walking in this city! You don't know what you might find around the corner (in my case, the roads bends beautifully and has the sweetest garden vibe.. very romantic I can't stop myself from thinking about my dearest back home)

Meeting mbak Tarlen, my friend who owns Tobucil, brings me back to three years ago when I study her little bookstore for my thesis. My dreams stroke back like a warm wave that shelter me comfortably, happily. Then, I know I'll finally make my dream bookstore come true, very soon. Have you heard that when you start pursuing your dream, life wakes up and everything has meaning? Yes, just like now :)

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Day 3

The next day, my destination is very precise: Selasar Sunaryo. I don't know why but I feel a huge urge to visit this art space. Maybe it was because the day before I made my 'escapade' to Bandung, I was just quitting my job as a lifestyle writer in Jakarta and going back to pursue my passion of art and literature in my hometown: my wonderland.

Yet, this day I'm all about 'ready for surprises'. So, when me and Kampski took the wrong turn and found the sign on the picture above showing the way to the Juanda forest; we are completely ready for any surprise of that forest. Untill, at the second hike we start running out of breath (oh my imaginary trainer must be very very proud- not!) and decide to climb back down (not that I'm proud of it.. ha-ha)

That's when we meet the friendly oldman who just recovered from a heart attact and his dog that just given birth; they are heading home after taking their daily hike to the forest that's surprisingly very close to the point that we decided to quit, and as he described "has the best forest-y smell, clean environment, and you might sometime meet wild animals" *drool* Surprising alright! Then I have a promise: I'll visit Juanda forest next time I visit Bandung.

Anyway, that oldman and his dog acoompany us untill we got the car to Selasar Sunaryo safe and sound. Too bad we forgot to ask his name, yet, it's very nice to know that sometime your life simply touch some other people's in a slightest simple way.

Turns out that Selasar Sunaryo offers me more surprises than I could ever asked! I feel like going back home. The vibe of that place feels so much alike with my old working place and the cold sweet smell of the trees remind me of Kaligriya, my secret garden.

Then, the rains pour down. Just like that! The place feels more and more romantic. A cup of hot chocolate and the raindrops on the glass partition beside my seat brings me far away to Ubud~ a city I fell in love even more..and I, once again, find it really easy to fall in love with Bandung.

We pick my sister up after spending five hours in Selasar Sunaryo, bringing home the most beautiful hand-painted tie for my dear uncles and poetry book of my favorite poet: Sapardi Djoko Damono. After that, we visit another bookstore my friend own: Omuniuum, a place where treasures burried down in piles; and also Reading Light, the booksore that somehow never appeal to me in a way that I simply don't like their collection..somehow.. (and all these bookstore parade minus Rubuku reminds me of my thesis research three years ago! how fast time flies..)

Then, we head straight to The Windchimes for a french fine dining by chef Felix (who also the favorite chef of Bruce Willis himself!). Delicious and very very buttery. Butter-swimming escargot, steaks, panfriend fish, chocolate cakes, homemade premium ice cream.. oh la la!

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Day 4

The last day in Bandung. Together, three of us spend it in full strength. Enjoying delicious yoghurt ice cream in Columbia, brunch at the cutest cafe called Sunny and Green (photo above- with an extra: photo of my sister Mirna..yeay!), then we travel all the way to jalan Setiabudhi because Kampski is going to do a little shopping.

Out of the blue, a heavy heavy rain pours down and we simply can't stop at Setiabudhi so we continue our journey up and away to Lembang (which is far on top of the city) We decide to have lunch at Rumah Sosis before heading back down.

My sister and I were going to Jakarta for a hardcore book-shopping time at Kinokuniya and Aksara, spend two days there having as much fun we can before she has to be back to university days in Bandung and me to Jogja for my dream (I will miss her very very much.. she's like my second self who shares same dreams with me and shares the world of wonder together). Kampski stayed in Bandung for several more days before later heading to Jogja for more and more trip.

Really.. despite the fact that the city stole my sister away, I think I'm in love with this city.. (and Jogja.. and Ubud.. ahh..)

*****

Miy
Day 2
Bag and Shirt - some boutique in Jogja
Pearl Necklace - Miy's
Skirt - Little Garage
Tight - Centro
Headband - somewhere in Jakarta
Shoes - The Little Things That She Needs

Day 3
Bag - Thrifted
Necklace - Soie by Sondy Garcia
LBD - Centro
Legging - Centro
Boots - Garage Store

Day 4
Dress - a.k.k.u.
Wedge - Friday to Sunday
Bag- Thrifted
Cardigan - Kors
Necklace - Soie by Sondy Garcia

Photographed by Miy and Aria Dewangga

Time Slips Away

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Time has slipped away between my fingers. I entered a new dimension where time has a different sense. Uncontrollable. Fluid and solid at the very same time. It slips away when I try to hold it.

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Its three months already. Three months has passed without warning, without a sound, and bring changes along the way. It feels like a dream turns a nightmare and just like that: things changed.

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Miy

Shoes / Hers
Dress / Obi-Obi
Headband / Popperca
Tight / Little Garage
Necklace / Cheaper-Cheaper

Photographed by Dito Yuwono

The Girl in Teacup Ring who Gather Flowers and Herbs for Tisane

"Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things."
(Okakura Kakuzo in The Book of Tea)

One of self description people says about me that I love the most was "gadis penjual teh bunga-bunga" (the girl who sells floral tisane). Somehow it feels best described in a storybook rather than in the real-life, but, that exactly who I was.

I used to gather fresh flowers, hunting for the perfect herbs, and mixing them into tisane~ later I'd sell them in Cups with whimsy names. The young customers of my ex-little cafe usually opt for milkshakes instead, but, the grown up customers usually prefer my tisane. Some of them even become very fanatic and I love it!

♪ ♫ ♪ Francoise Hardy & Iggy Pop- I'll be Seeing You ♪ ♫ ♪

It always gives me thrill to create a new tisane mix and serve them to my friends the way they need it (relaxing, nourishing, calming digestion, and so on). Instead of feeling more like a tea-snob that I actually am; I feel more like performing a witchcraft and stirring magical potion whenever I gather flowers, tea leaves, herbs, and mix them into a cup of tea.

I miss that feeling so much, so, I think I'll soon be serving again my gourmet tea mix and tisane *ehm* anytime soon. ;)

And a little update:

*I'm back in my hometown now, turns out that I'm still a bluebird and not quite ready to be a blackbird just yet.

*My old reading glasses got an accident, hit by a car and remain a history. After three days of blurry vision, here let me introduce you to my new glasses: Tamini!

*I'm in love with this teacup ring, like, seriously! I think I overworn it these days and I'll soon be known as 'the girl in teacup ring who loves to gather flower and herbs for tisane' ~ pretty mouthful, no?

Miy
Ring / Forever 21
Glasses / Tamini
Grey Top / Thrifted

Photographed by Dito Yuwono

Love,