Weekend

SATURDAY

Awesome. Finally the day has come. I have always wanted to visit the new bookstore at Lippo Karawaci, Times (oh yes I admit it is quite cliched). But before that, I, along with my Mom and Dad, had dinner at our favourite joint, fresh from renovation, "S.... Burger and Grill". The dots represent something that has yet to exist. The restaurant was called Sizzling, but they decided to rename it. Apparently, they haven't thought of a name yet.

Now this is my favourite dish, Cheese and Chili Fries:

Is that glorious or what? Basically french fries topped with melted cheese, grinded meat and red bean sauce. I ate one whole plate by myself :p

And this is my main course. I don't recall for sure but the name is somewhere along the lines of "Old Fashion Hot Dog"... or the like. It was ENORMOUS.

What I like about the decoration is the catchy collection of pop art hanging on the walls. Coincidentally, it is the topic for my group project with Kevin. Here is one pic I took on Campbell's Tomato Soup:

We explored the little marketplace after that, and we came across this man...

Wow okay. Need I mention that every inch of his skin is covered in glitter, his expression impossibly solid, and he walked reaaaaly stiffly. It was like he came out of the TV. With Star Trek playing.

Oh, I also recommend Lippo Karawaci as a dating (or gathering, whatever you like) spot. Nice cool breeze at night with people just talking, dining, relaxing. Streets of lights and rows of inviting restaurants. Must visit. It is rare to have a place like this in Jakarta.

So on to our destination, here it is, Times:

A very nice building wouldn't you say? With black and white exterior, walls of glass and a touch of gold and pasture green for the interior design. This is what you see once you set foot in:

Rows of recommended books on all genres. Here, is one cute factor, the children's play area:



Why this place is necessary, I don't really know. As far as I was concerned, I was disturbed by the high-pitched squeals of ecstatic children as I skimmed through pages of books. It is a cute place, though, I admit. On the second floor, there is a cafe, decorated just as contemporary.

Overall, I was satisfied with the night's hunt. Though I only had a few hours and unfortunately managed to skim through just a couple of books. There were a lot of books on design. So when the bookstore closed down, I was already inspired by new ideas. I still wish I had a few more hours to spend though. Along with a book on Art projects, I bought this:

SUNDAY

It took me a mere few hours to finish the 158-pages of "Wrong About Japan". Humour I enjoyed very much. Humour on the writer, Carey's experience with culture shock. (The scene when his son Charley told him that the waiter at the small restaurant was a yakuza, and also when Carey wondered if Takashi, Charley's harajuku punk friend, was gay.)

I admit I did not put down the book once, and I was all the while expecting something entertaining to pop out throughout the father's adventure with his teenage son. I also genuinely enjoyed reading the conversation Carey had with Mr.Yazaki, who recollected his childhood memories during the firebombing in Japan.

What I was disappointed about, was the very compressed description of Studo Ghibli and Carey's meeting with Hayao Miyazaki (yes, THE Hayao Miyazaki, the greatest anime-creator of all times, the man who created Spirited Away and other notable work).

To conclude, I'd say it's a pretty okay book. You may choose to buy it, you may not. If you want an easy, entertaining read, buy it.

Next!

Book-reading session is over, after months without completing a single volume.

After "Wrong About Japan", I proceeded to the movie, "The Martian Child".

Bobby Coleman is a wonderful child actor. Somewhat inconsistent at some parts, but great nonetheless. I enjoyed the plot of this movie. It tells, indirectly, of how a child is insecure about growing up, and he finds it difficult to find the place where he belongs. The main character (John Cusack), also asks several questions that has been in my mind recently, so I can relate to the movie pretty well.

The Martian Child is adorable, and touching. Hmmm... I give three stars and a half. :)

Labels: Bobby Coleman, John Cusack, Lippo Karawaci, The Martian Child, Times Bookstore, Wrong About Japan