on a Profile

Amir Sidharta (from Twitter) sends this list for me to answer and i promise to respond in full so here they are:

• What is Harmoko's most famous phrase?
Really not sure, i wasn't a big fan though I recall a lot of "mempertimbangkan" and "mengharapkan".

• Where did Sate Nyonya Cirebon used to be?
An educated answer would suggest most probably, Cirebon? That's West Java, right?


• Which Indonesian singer had a fling with which Indonesian Minister?
No idea though I once wrote with the DPR member with a small penis, now i can't remember their names.


• On the site of Plz Indonesia now, used to stand what hotel?
The Hyatt? Isn't it still there?

• What was the most popular foreign brand of shoes among upper middle class kids of the late 1970s in Indonesia?
I was barely learning to walk then - didn't get to mind much about shoes then. I was not even five years old then.

• What was the TVRI program that aired only advertisements? What year was this?
They had such a program? That is totally radical. I need to know more? What is it? When is that?

• What was the name of the famous disco/club in Plz Indonesia? What year was this?
Fire? Can't remember when was that but i wasn't legal.

• Who was Bu Kasur?
The nice old lady.


• Where was the original location of Chef Dauphine's restaurant? What year was this?
No idea. What is it?

• There used to be a strange club in Ratu Plaza. What was the name of it? What year was this?
Can't remember any clubs but there was a Dairy Queen in there somewhere and I was later busted by the security for trashing a baby 180 with a Tony Hawk board in the basement while listening to Anthrax and Suicidal Tendencies. I've avoided Ratu Plaza basement since.

• There was a famous Javanese spiritual leader who had disciples from around the world. Who is he? What year was this? Where was his "center"?
No idea. My Indonesian knowledge, particularly in history is notoriously dubious.

• In the second half of the 1990s, there was a gold mine allegedly found in Indonesia. This caused what scandal? What happened to the main person heading it?
This is the Busang - whatever thingy in Kalimantan? Actually I've always been curious. What happened then? I was rather preoccupied with some pressing matters (eg. divorce and nurturing the resulting hangover) to concern myself much but i was - and am - interested.

• Whats the name of the famous disco on Tanah Abang Timur? What happened to the owner?
Tanamur/JJ? Didn't he pass away a while ago? I thought he was a great and nice guy though i wouldn't claim to have known him well - he was old enough to be my grandfather really and i was happy enough with the occasional mindful eyes and free drinks. If you know anybody who used to be around that part of the world then you should know i know none of the people you listed in the last question. I been to Raden Poeas and kinda liked it but i don't go there much, mostly because it's too out of the way and i can't afford expensive drinks these days - if that's where you're heading. I wrote about the theatrical and the interior art once on the blog, too.

• A model was killed in a scandal involving a number of high level officials. What was her name? Who was allegedly involved? What year was this?
No idea. Generally, i tried to avoid stories where people got killed.

• Before marrying his former wife, Tommy Suharto was involved with which famous celebrity?
No idea, but i was once personally warned not to flirt with any of his girls, many long years ago so I also tried to stay away from that neighborhood.

• Who was the Indonesian man that killed his brother, his fling and his business partner in the United States? What did he do with the corpses? What year was this?
This is the whole Dallas and dead bodies in the garage story? I know some of the individuals pretty well back then and I care a lot for their well being, I'd rather not talk about it anymore.

• What is the name of an orange drink that was quite famous during the first half of the New Order?
I wasn't born then and hardly paying attention to drinks of any colours.

• What is the name of a famous tailor in Jakarta?
LOL, my mother tailored clothes for people sometimes but she sent me only as far as Mayestik for doing stuff. She wasn't much but being a reporter probably didn't pay much either. I wore hand me down clothes back then and i still do. I now wear Boss or Armani, if i could but i usually can't bothered. I developed fashion sense from Camden Lock market and dead poets.

• Who do you know of better: Rose Pandanwangi, Noor Bersaudara, Titik Sandora, Tetty Kadi, Chicha Koeswoyo, Betharia Sonata, Vina Panduwinata, Sherina Munaf, Gita Gutawa? Pls provide a description of who you know best.
None, seriously. I recognized the last three but all the others draw blanks.


And here are some general questions:
• What is your favorite Indonesian band?
None of the current ones - Dewa i liked a lot in earlier days, Slank and Iwan Fals but i don't listen much to the newer music. Most recently I wrote about Kangen Band and I like the quirky music of Efek Rumah Kaca.

• What are your favorite clubs or bars or nighlife places in 2008-9?
D'Place in Sarinah was one of the most fun - there was a party with the entire crew of the Rainbow Warrior when they docked here a few years back and we had a major blast. Slank also played a night and there were some really good music then. BBs was also a lot of fun but generally speaking I don't go out as much and i don't really know where to find good music these days. For good night out these days, I'll be at De Hooi in Pondok Indah cause it's close to home and Cazbar in Kuningan cause it's close to work, my two last visit to both places was particularly fun.
I was probably in Dragonfly/Loewy/Potatohead rather much too but less and less so these days.

• Where do you usually have your lunch? dinner?
I almost always order in. The maids feed me Beng Beng and my PA at work usually just get me some Padang food.

• Which schools kicked you out?
All of them, nine in all in six cities, four countries and three continents. That would be a list whole new by its own.

• Which restaurant did you got to, most recently?
Cazbar, Friday afternoon. I had vindaloo lunch and someone asked me what I saw in my ex - except for the fact that she was hot and rude. I sad she was hot. The vindaloo, too.

• Do you work for a company? or are you a consultant? or do you own your own company?
I'm a prostitute and I work for the highest bidder. I publishes smut on these pages, twit nonsense in my own free time but sometimes I work for companies and abide by strict rules where i can't write of what i actually do - lawyers have terms for these and my disdain for lawyerly stuff is extensively documented in these pages, too. Yes, I do own some business interests and sometimes it gives me fancy business cards but mostly, I do what I do when they needed doing.


• How do you get to work?
I usually drive though less and less these days (only weekends with the dog i'll be taking a car). Most days i'll get a cab, if i leave early enough i take the bus and often enough i ask my friends for a ride here and there.

• What is your favorite Indonesian movie? what is your favorite movie?
I haven't seen any Indonesian movie for too long to make an educated judgement. I kinda like Arisan and Ada Apa Dengan Cinta but haven't seen any good ones since. My favourite movies are harder to pick but it'll be most Stanley Kubricks, early Oliver Stone, David Lynch, Terry Gilliam and Quentin Tarantino.
I also love everything with robots, mutants or Megan Fox in it.

• Where do you buy the books that you read?
Mostly i steal books cause i can't afford them. When i could, i shop in Singapore or Hong Kong cause i love buying books, big, fat, thick and heavy in my hands. They also look good in my living room. Many of my friends gave me books. Most recently I stole a very nice coffee table book of The Centhini Story from a Master Jedi, Sam sent me a signed copy of Bruce Sterling's Caryatids from Amsterdam and I'd really want a copy of Anathem. I wrote an entire post last week about these books.

• where would you find antique furniture in Jakarta?
No idea. I went shopping in Ikea everytime i went to Singapore

• what size shoes do you wear?
42

• What does Hias Rias mean to you?
Nothing. Should it mean anything?

• What is your favorite building in Jakarta?
The Nikko Hotel? I don't really like large buildings though.

• Who was your favorite minister in the current cabinet (incl. ministers who resigned). who is your favorite Indonesian minister?
Sri Mulyani. I've always a thing for female economists - they're more interesting than the male kind.

• What does Pelbak mean to you? tell me all possible meanings pls.
That's just where we stopped for bus transit. I once got beat pretty shit on the pavement by machete bearing mob in school fights (i think Boedoet/70 flashpoints were popular then, i was out of school so i couldn't really care less. there was a library not too far away there).

• in which part of Bintaro do you live? Do you own the house you live in?
I don't like specific names or locations - i have been receiving public threats on my puppy's well being. Yes, i do own the house i currently live in.

• do you read any Indonesian books? which ones have you read most recently?
Not as much as i should tho I usually write about books i read pretty regularly on the blog. I'm planning to read Radityadika's and Deelestari next cause they're both on Twitter.

• what is your favorite food?
Anything Thai. I used to work out of Thailand for a bit and love Thai food. Also Italian but i haven't been back to Europe for too long and the food here is just too different.


• where do you go grocery shopping?
The maids do grocery but all the offices i worked out of in Jakarta have Ranch Market within walking distance.

• Who is the funniest MTV VJ (who is from Indonesia)
No idea. Daniel? I don't watch MTV enough but i thought he's a riot.


• What does the set of words: "warung kopi" mean to you? tell me all possible meanings pls.
Where we order coffee. I ordered some last week from the one across Ruang Rupa. Do you know where that is?

• What is the best place for ice cream in Jakarta?
No idea. Mine come in boxes and usually only whatever available nearest.

• Where would you go to find a roll of film in Jakarta?
No idea. The maids fetch em for me. I don't do visual stuff though i'd like to learn more.

• Where do people shop for material (textile) in Jakarta?
No idea, Mayestik again?

• What does Phoenam mean to you? tell me all possible meanings pls.
No idea, sounds Vietnamese but i was never much for Vietnamese thing.



Thanks for the Qs, hope the answer helps! Happy Sunday!