Jakarta Timur

Tujuan pertama adalah bekasi (baca : Jakarta Timur Coret) buat ngejemput salah satu sepupu gue, Laras. Alesannya karena hari itu gue berniat buat nuker hape ke salah satu toko langganannya di ITC cempaka mas. Di kompleknya laras, ada sebuah landmark yang terkenal (di jamannya) : Patung Tidur atau kalo diterjemahkan ke bahasa inggris : sleeping statue *english ngawur mode = ON*. Dan entah mengapa terpikir oleh icha buat ngambil photonya tuh sleeping status-which is not possible karena jalanan sekitarnya yg rame. Selesai jemput laras, dan menikmati softdrink plus pisang ala pontianaknya, kita langsung lanjut ke ITC Cempaka Mas.

Jakarta Utara

Sebenernya susah juga mengkategorikan lokasi ITC cempaka mas ada di daerah mana, karena lokasinya terletak diperbatasan antara Jakarta Pusat, Jakarta Timur, dan Jakarta Utara. But, who cares ....

Perjalanan kesana ditempuh selama 45 menit, karena kondisi lalu lintas yang lancar. Dan begitu sampai disana, ternyata harus nunggu lagi si empunya *cieee si empunya ...* 30 menit dengan alesan masih di lantai dasar dan lagi otw ke lt.5. Akhirnya setelah urusan tukar tambah selesai, gue harus menyisakan sejam lagi buat nungguin laras yg lagi ganti casing N70-nya sama yang OC *baca : Original Chinoa* punya. Begitu selesai, ternyata icha udah keburu laper duluan .... so begitu selesai ngedrop laras di depan kampusnya di bilangan cempaka putih, kita langsung meluncur ke suatu tempat di Jakarta Pusat.

Jakarta Pusat

Nah, rencananya sih kita mau meluncur ke es krim italia Ragusa di Jl. Veteran 1 : Yup, kita berdua tersesat muter-muter senen-pasar baru-lapangan banteng-gambir-senen (dan trus muter2) karena petunjuk dari Laras yang betul-betul nggak jelas !!! :( Sebelum akhirnya kita sadar kalo waktu udah jam 14.30. Yo wis, akhirnya disepakati buat sholat dulu di istiqlal (plus hunting beberapa photo disana). Nggak lupa, sebelum kita lanjut, tanya dulu ke satpam istiqlal jalan ke Ragusa paling cepet lewat mana.

Akhirnya sampailah kita di ragusa, dan kalo kata icha gue udah laper mata ngeliat makanan disana.... :D. Hmm, pesenan pertama kita waktu itu desert *kl ga mau dibilang main course* : Ice Cream Spaghetti khas Ragusa. Rasanya yummy banget, rasa susu vanillanya kerasa banget. plus topping coklat leleh dan taburan sokade yang bikin rasanya jadi sedikit asem-asem, plus kacang goreng yang bikin kraus-kraus *slurrrp* .... menurut gue sih, rasanya yo'i do'i to'i banget deh .... khas banget dan susah buat diduplikasi (mungkin karena home made dan pake resep yg orisinal). Nah sambil makan ice cream, kita berdua disambut sama iringan lagu-lagu oldies yang dibawain enak banget sama local musician disana. Jadi keingetan sama musisi rock 'n roll-nya batagor kingsley di bandung ... di gue sempetin juga buat mesen sate ayam yang isinya daging semua dan berukuran imut-imut :) rasanya sih biasa aja, tapi cukup bikin kenyang. Oh ya, bicara soal harga .... satu porsi Ice Cream Spaghetti dihargain Rp. 27.000 (sudah termasuk PPN), dan kalo satenya gue kurang tau .... karena ibu iccha yang ngebayarin sih :D

Sebelum melanjutkan perjalanan, gue masih nyempatin buat ngebungkus satu porsi otak-otak yang bener-bener yo'i do'i to'i ... another best otak-otak i've ever eat !!! (satu lagi otak-otak yang enak itu otak-otak 161) Ukurannya sih sedeng, tapi rasa ikan tenggirinya kerasa banget .... sayang bumbu kacangnya kurang nendang, karena cenderung manis even udah dicampur sama banyak sambel. Hampir lupa, harga satu porsinya Rp. 15.000 (isi sepuluh dan ga pake PPN 10%).

Ps. Sayang banget gue gak sempet ngerasain asinan di depan Ragusa yang terkenal itu karena icha dan gue udah kenyang banget. Maybe next time yeee ...

to be continue ...

The Alaskan bar is a charming bar despite the mysterious and possibly cancerous hangings from the ceiling. It may have been said before in a near serious tone that the Alaskan hosts a bluegrass band 364 nights a year, and the other night is blues, but sometimes the Alaskan does mix it up a bit. Pun half-heartedly intended. Juneau's own DJ Astronomar may not look like a superstar in the making, but his choice in music and his skills on the turntable were shockingly good. Proof that passion is a large percentage of what is necessary for success. DJ Astronomar had the dance floor of the Alaskan resembling that of the Imperial or the Viking but with fewer lechers lurking along the sidelines.

The Imperial had, as it tends to have, a decent crowd that night. The top 5 things to do at the Imperial during "Christmas Break" seem to be the following: (1) Binge drink, (2) grind on significant others, friends, strangers, or inanimate objects, (3) play pool, (4) look for love, drugs, or lost belongings from the night before, and (5) reunite with schoolmates from any level of education to stir up those feelings of inadequacy that one thought had vanished with the acne.

(DJ AstronoMAR had some excellent taste in music, if I may judge. He played some Santogold! I've featured a song by the artist here).

Dear Local Musician,

Its clear now, from that email you sent to my best friend, that you view me as an adversary. It is also clear that your bass player told you most of what I said, and it upset you. I am sure that it was not said in the context, but really who cares. Your going to get upset unless I tell you that your great. So, I cant win, because your band is not great. Your band is not even good.

I think the thing is this...you think that I am not paying attention, but in fact I am paying close attention to everything that your doing. I know your songs, I paid retail for your records. All of them, even the crappy ones. But I have been to your shows, listened to your cds.

Its not that I do not like what it is, but rather I want to know what it could be. With just the slightest work on something other than the logo, or the image or whatever.

I just want you to write songs. And make me clap. But I am the enemy I suppose.