Having completed her undergraduate work in media and cultural studies at Macquarie University Sydney, Monica is currently completing another BA in guidance and counseling program.
She has a variety of interests that span accross culture and technology, posthuman, and abjection.
She splurges on quality coffee and take the time to really enjoy her morning cup.
She loves travelling to distant places to be one with nature, to be out there exploring, experiencing, discovering and documenting with a camera.
A few weeks ago, on one lousy Sunday in Jakarta, I decided to pay Ibeth (my BFF - Best Friend Forever) a visit in Bandung - West Java. I took 2-ish Argo Gede train from Gambir in the arvo. The train arrived 30 minutes late - like always *hmpp. So I rushed to catch a cab to Ibeth's, as we wanted to attend 6.30p Mass at Gereja Pandu on 4 Pandu Street - Pajajaran Street area. Gereja Pandu reminds me not only of a nice quite leafy area, with 20s-50s like ducth colonial bungalow, but it will also and always remind me of some real tasty food selling around the area. The one that I love the most is Nasi Kuning (Yellow Coconut Rice), sold just exactly at Pandu Street entry, if you come from Pajajaran Street. What makes this Nasi Kuning very appetizing is its super hot Sambel Oncom (Oncom Chili Sauce). You might as well want to mix it with Sambel Terasi (Dried Shrimp Chili Sauce), if you love everything and anything spicy. Hmm.. tasty!! Bet you can't help yourself to imagine how scrumptious Nasi Kuning Pandu is. You gotta come early, but. Say around 6-ish in the morning, because if you come at 10... I'm pretty sure, no more Nasi Kuning Pandu left for you. [caption id="attachment_153636" align="aligncenter" width="448" caption="The Seller"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_153638" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Nasi Kuning Pandu"]
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[/caption] Of coz i didn't get my Nasi Kuning after the 6.30p Mass. But I still get a chance to have a fine delectable dinner and a quick handy evening shopping at PVJ Mall - Paris Van Java Mall. Oh boy!! It was one of my finest and coolest shopping nights since I am back to Indo. Me and Ibeth took a Lembang - St.Hall "angkot" (one of the most popular public transportations in Bandung (and in some provinces in Indonesia). It's sort of like small van or family car). It sure cheaper than taxi. It costed us Rp. 1000,- per person from Istana Plaza to PVJ Mall. Some say angkot is not safety and is incovenience for tourist, but if you're into adventure and looking for exciting experience, then by all means you should try angkot! The official Angkot Routes are listed here: www.bandung.go.id. Paris Van Java Mall is on 137 - 139 Sukajadi Street. Offers you the quite attractive atmosphere, a mix and match setting between outdoor and indoor mall. First stop was Sagoo Kitchen. An old-fashioned chinese-betawi style of design theme restaurant. The restaurant is decorated with replicating goods and food from 50s - early 80s or "the-hard-to-find stuff" and those that sold only at the traditional market e.g. rattan and bamboo storage baskets, krupuk (flavored crackers), coklat ayam (ayam brand chocolate milk), alba patilles candy, and other retro and old time candies, snacks and drinks. [caption id="attachment_153640" align="aligncenter" width="448" caption="Decoration -- the-hard-to-find stuff --"]
[/caption] The furnitures and tablewares are also designed with the old timey style. Even the menus are written with the old indonesian spelling, e.g. nasi goreng roewet (ruwet/complicated fried rice, rodjak malaysia (malaysian fruit and vegetable salad dish), mee & bee hon (noodle and rice vermicelli), mee djawa (javanese noodle), hot plate mee krioek (hot plate crispy noodle), es/jus katjang ijo (mung bean juice), es kelapa djeroek (coconut and lemon ice), and teh djahe (ginger tea). [caption id="attachment_153643" align="aligncenter" width="336" caption="The Menu"]
[/caption] We had mee djawa and jus katjang ijo, we also had anchovies fried rice take-away, which was really good. After dinner, we walked around the mall and found a bamboo handbags stall not far from MNG boutique. I bought a small bamboo satchel bag with yellow plait leather handles for my sister. We hung out and shopped a bit at Sogo and Rumah Bagus stall before heading home. [caption id="attachment_153654" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mee Djawa (Java Noodle)"]
[/caption] The next day, we came back and had lunch at QUA-LI, UG floor A-39. The food was great but a bit pricey plus the portion was a bit too small. I had nasi goreng sapi lada hitam (black pepper beef fried rice) and Ibeth had kwetiaw goreng (fried kwetiaw), said as one of the most favorite dishes of QUA-LI. We chilled out at Starbucks for an hour. I had soy caramel mocca, she had mocca frappuccino on skim. Smart choice!! I took 4.15 Argo Gede back to Jakarta. My Bandung weekend trip was awesome and fun!! Will be back again in a couple of weeks for sure. Hmmm really had a blast that weekend (^;
