I have been in Bandung for 2 days and it feels so good just to have a break! It’s been a year since my last trip to Bandung, Indonesia. I loved my holiday so much that I wanted to go back. This trip, I am traveling with Joe and Eugene. It’s been heaps of fun! We are currently staying at the Banana Inn Hotel and we’ve been hanging out a lot at Lou Belle Shop (56 Jl. Setiabudi), shopping at Rumah Mode factory outlet, eating Dutch-Indonesian fusion food (Bloemen, Braga Permai, Maja House etc.)
I also met up with my mates Rara, Marin, Fitrah and Rinta! So happy to see them again!
There’re loads of places here with free wifi and Joe has been compulsively seeking the wifi password wherever we rest. I check-in to Foursquare, blog, tweet and check emails as I go. It’s awesome leeching off wifi instead of paying for data roaming!
I bought a total of 4 necklaces, 2 asymmetrical hem tops and 2 bloody awesome cloak/cape-like throw overs. I’m sure you’ll like them as much as I do!
The Birds necklace from Ami The VintagistLily the Sprout Rope Necklace - Ami The VintagistT-Rex necklace from Mannequin Plastic My Toys Like SeriesThe Green Cat necklace from Mannequin PlasticTeal asymmetrical hem top from Mannequin PlasticPeppermint green lighting bolt hanky hem top from Ànti ßeautyDramatic gold cape/cloak thing from UNLABEL clothingCrazy pink cape/cloak thing from UNKL347
Here are the links to these fabulous indie labels/designers:
24 to 28 July 2011. This was a holiday about 6 months in the planning. I bought my air-ticket sometime in February when Air Asia had a good price on a direct flight. It was to be my first proper trip into Indonesia (apparently Batam doesn’t count). Work has been a little mad and I was craving that little bit of space. This trip out was a respite much needed. Joe who initiated the trip had to reschedule so it was just lil Nat, her colleague Noi and I. We didn’t plan to do much but got more than we bargained for at the end of the trip. My main thing was to meet up with some friends and I wound up making more new ones.
Natalie, Noi and I upon touch down at the Bandung airport!We stayed in a serviced apartment called Aston BragaMarin - owner of Lou Belle and FFWD RecordsLoubelle - the shop interiorBought this dramatic yellow jacket/cape from Lou Belle Shop
I spent most of the time hanging out and reconnecting with friends. (Mostly musicians I’ve met through work from the last few years.) It was so obvious that our love for pop culture, music and our life philosophy speak greater volume than language. Whilst we sometimes worried about being misunderstood, words used in approximation do just as well when you are feeling the same vibe. I like that all over the world, I have friends who’re just like me even though we are of different cultures. We listen to the same music, we love life the same way.
Marin, I and Fitrah endorsing FRESTEA (Teh Botol's competitor)Beat & Bite - a music cafe my friend Riko ownsHanging out outside Beat & Bite chattingYoung Rara who has great music taste
Despite the fact that Bandung has 100000 factory outlets and the supposed “best one” we went to (i.e. Rumah Mode) wasn’t as attractive as the little local indie designer shoppes. I ended up spending money in Lou Belle and shops like UNKL347 and Badger in Trunojoyo. Special thanks to Fitrah for driving us to Trunojoyo, our friend Riko’s Beat & Bite indie music+snack shack, Lisung and a very interesting food festival. It was great meeting Marin outside of my work environment and being able to see his instead! Meeting the young designers and indie crafters he works with and supports, is so rejuvenating and refreshing. I also managed to bump into Arina whom I haven’t seen in 2 years AND who is leaving Asia because she’s relocating to the USA after her wedding! (Sadly, Mocca has played their last show and I missed it by a few days.)
Primping before we go out to meet our friendsMeeting Arina before she marries off to the US of AMust get me one of these huge full length mirrors... heh
I bought a necklace made by MANNEQUIN PLASTIC from Lou Belle Shop and when I said I so loved THIS on the Mannequin Plastic site, they made me one! AND gave it to me for free! Now I own 2 of their creations! One green plastic cat and a pink/white T-Rex!
Young & energetic young artists who gave me an awesome necklace!
Bandung – so young, so creative! I’ll be back again!
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 