Medan Kota

I was going through old clothing …. and somehow at the back of the cupboard found hubby’s old Versace jeans, shirts etc… I was not slowly picking the pieces out one a time.. instead.. I was sweeping it all off in one go .. straight from the shelves landing directly onto the ground… and I saw this…

many of the more ridiculous ones have been donated to the 2004 Tsunami victims….

I stared at it… shouted out loud and asked him to come over and looked at what I just did to his ex-treasure… he gave me that shocking look… and I said… ‘do u really think you will still want to wear these colourful jeans!!!…’

these jeans with holes… imagine my lovely then boyfriend managed to wear it during the UK winter season and yes… it’s see through and yes… it was freezing cold… and it came in different types of holes too…

I remembered the Versace era extremely well… it was around 1995/6… I came over to Medan for a quick visit during the school break… and it was my first time here as a non-tourist… on my first Saturday here… my now in-laws decided to take us out to watch a movie… I was about 20 yo and thought … ‘wow, hubby got cool parents‘.… we changed… I was in my typical teenage outfit… capri pants and t-shirt… while his parents were in full designer gear… I remembered whispering to hubby saying.. ‘it’s Saturday afternoon.. aren’t we supposed to dress casually?’.. well, he explained and I acknowledged with ‘ooohhh’…. ‘aarrrr’ …. ‘I see’

so it was lunch then over to the Medan’s Hottest and most Happening place to hang out at that era.. ‘the cinema at Sinar Plaza’…. we arrived at about the right timimg… what I saw was a ‘Versace’ fall/winter as well as spring/summer collection all in one…

no matter which angle my head turned… many young and old..and for some, the full family troop were dressing from head to toe in Versace gear… guys were wearing shirts in loud print and coloured jeans.. while the ladies were not only in the silky shirt with matching bottoms  etc  … but belt, bangles, earring… accessorizing the body were all glittering with Merdusa Head…

from then on… I began to understand the term ‘Indonesian are extravagant’… and yes.. I was badly influenced by hubby… I remembered buying a pair of ‘knee high boots’ from their Haute Couture line  which cost about USD 1900 at the then value… and yes.. I worn it like 4-5 times… when my mum saw me wearing it… she wasn’t mad at how ridiculously I was spending her money… instead she find it amusing seeing me in one…

the boots look similar to the pic shown except that it has the Versace trademark on… and I bought coz friends were saying like… ‘Vic… if you wear.. people will know it’s Versace’…  that was about the last time I ever spent so much on a pair of shoes… it’s still around somewhere in my BKK home cupboard though…

Popularity: 4% [?]

Is this right?

I came across this wedding invitation… and couldn’t help but wonder… at the bottom of the invitation showed 3 logos.. first represents Gifts.. second represents Papan Bunga (Flower banner).. while the third said red packet (cash to be exact)..

I can accept the fact that couples prefer not to receive the second option… but declining gifts as well?  …. I find it rather  ‘…?…’ .. can’t think of a word to describe…

Popularity: 4% [?]

I have lived in 4 different countries… Bangkok, Singapore, United Kingdom and Medan, Indonesia …. each lasting about 8-9 years on average… so.. I kind of able to see the full characteristics of the local cultures, the people habits, their lifestyles…etc… as for Medan.. with 9 1/2 years….. hitting a decade soon… I think I know Medan way better than some of the locals …..

well… of all 4 nationalities, Medanese have my first place for being the hardest group of consumers to please…  let’s just stick to one area that we all know best – food… restaurants…. eating out…

back in year 2000…. eating out in restaurants were rare for the locals… restaurants were often seen packed only during  the weekends… but well.. it was all simply becoz… there weren’t proper restaurants good enough for people to enjoy anyway… the best at the time were Jumbo which is still popular till today… and next and never seem to fail is Nelayan… and of course the local Padang food at Garuda…..

and to get discounts in restaurants in the past were all about connections.. i.e you know the boss… bill arrived.. you mentioned the boss’s name.. and just like that … you will probably received a maximum of 10% discount…

as years passed… the credit cards from all the different banks came out with discount offers especially for restaurants…  as such… Medan people began to eat out more….. then it became…  the ever non-stop in applying for the next card that give the next best promotions….  I have seen friends that have like 6-7 cards in his/her wallets….

for me… well.. I love food… I can cook but can’t be bother kind of thing you know… with ingredients not being that easy and cheap to source… I have since stopped my culinary skills and simply enjoyed what’s on the market…. so.. when I craved for something… I will simply head down to the ones that will satisfy my appetite…

instead…. for some of the local Medan…. people seem to head down to the whatever gourmet outlets that offer the best promotions….!!  ….  “Arisan” a term used by the locals where they gathered on monthly basis to meet up with friends over meals…. are the main target groups for all dining places around town…. so.. yes.. for those restaurants having no offer, no discount, none promo…. unless it is cheap in its own way… else.. you will often find these ones 1/2 occupied….

and I have been over-hearing such conversations way too often…

a’Fuk: ‘what to eat today….”

a’Cai: ‘anything is okay for me …..”

a’Kong: ‘there’s no such thing as anything…. ok!… decide!!’

a’Kim: ‘where got discount?..’

a’Fuk: ‘Mega got 50% off at Taipan’

a’Long: ’say earlier mah…… ‘

a’Liang; ‘who got Mega card…?? you have..?’

a’Cai: ‘I have…’

a’Kong: ‘I also have…’

a’Kim: ‘I also have leh… ‘

a’Fuk: ‘why still standing… let’s go… later no space…”

I am not saying that it’s bad… but it has since become that.. people opt to eat at wherever there is promotion going on… I have a friend who wrongly sent a message to me … in the text message…. she wrote the date n time to meet up with her friends… the last sentenced was…  ‘where to eat… but Marriott has 50% off tomorrow with Mandiri card…”

for me personally…. I am ashamed to admit that I have fallen into being a victim as well…. I am addicted to the Citicard Rp 100.000 free dining promo… ever since the promo started… we can be found at Sushi Tei every weekends… but that is also becoz my boys just love the food there…. it’s healthy and not oily …. as for us… well.. you know.. happy kids plus…  happy to daddy’s wallet kind of thing …. ^0^

the current most popular are 50% off with Mega at Taipan ….. and 50% off at JW Marriott hotel Medan on certain dates… I heard from friends that at Marriott cafe, Jade resto (min spent is Rp 2jt) as well as Prime Steakhouse (min Rp 700.000) were so fully packed that ….. they had to turn away guests…. informing them that the waiting time could be at least 1 hour… well… some guests replied were….  ‘it’s ok.. we can wait…’

well… with the Mandiri promo going on for the next serveral months… initially… it’s real tempted to apply for the card… but having heard how it’s always fully packed… well I rather go on regular day with the standard 20% off for citicard… although with 30% less discount…. but I can see that I will definitely enjoy my food in a proper and better way… not in queues… not seeing the ones that I want to eat and it’s not there… or the long waiting time ….  but well.. that’s just me though… BUT.. we are definitely getting the card for the offer they have over at Hagaan Daz…

like how Medan people are well know among the Indonesian… ‘Medanese are calculative group of people….’

Popularity: 6% [?]

ABG is a term used by the Indonesian locals that stand for Anak Baru Gede or simply put, just grown up kid… actually its term used for describing teenager.

I have passed the age like 20 years ago… and I know that the times have changed and that a lot of stuff are different from my early years, but I was really not expecting what teenagers these day are doing..

Last night, I stumbled into a blog written by a 14 y.o girl, a local Medan girl.. I was really in for a panic… I was sweating with worries… worried that my boys will start yelling at me that ‘I hate you mama’ kind of things….

1, she was describing how she needed more love from her parents,
2, complaining that her parents are expecting too much of her, at times stating how she hates her mum..
3, how she does not want a cosmetic surgery suggested by her mum,
4, she hated school,
5, shopping with mum every week and buy like 4-5 new items of clothing each trip at sun plaza,
6, not going to school becoz driver did not come,
7, late for school and once saw how teachers are standing at the school gate simply ask her driver to turn back the car back to home,
8, school teachers are using discouraging words on kids and she was voicing out in confusion aren’t the teacher supposed to encourage them if they are not doing well in school…
9, Sushi Tei and Starbuck are the standard hang out place
10, Birthday party at Marriott hotel, Sushi tei, all the fancy restaurants….
11, designer handbags and blackberry are the basic items….

But having said all that, she may not be doing well in school, but its obvious that she has talent in other areas like photography and graphic design… there are stuff she did that I don’t even know how to myself.. I was even thinking if I should hire her for freelance jobs..

As I read, I can’t believe and simply wordless… I don’t remember my times were that… and then I clicked onto other blogs of her friends …

and this time, I went into one that described how much love she got from her mum and described how her mum is LIMITED… i.e only the few in this world… as a mum… I was going awwww… and my hubby was teasing that I can now stop worrying… hahahaaa..

I ended spending 2 hours, reading some 20+ blogs of all these teenage kids in Medan… and they have the same thing in common… shopping at Sun Plaza, birthday party at Sushi Tei and daily hang out at Starbucks… all very expensive stuff.. and not to forget, top of the range DSLR, laptop and mobile phone…  but looking on the bright side, I so love how these kids are able to blog, set up website with very very impressive designs that many adults that I know are not even able to do the simplest stuff.. they have the brain for the new millennium, and just simply amazing what’s on their mind at this young age…

However, one thing that trigger me is how by comparing both kids and I can see that the first one, who is rebellious, she will be the one that will fit into the real world better… and its just sad to know that the talent she has in her is not being recognized by her parents since many of them still believe in AAA and more As for the education…

I am not saying that the good girl is bad but in reality, she will probably be the standard normal adults whom will ended being the normal individual and obey what she is told to do… i.e a good employee…

Popularity: 12% [?]

My boys had taken a long nap in the afternoon so we took them along to Sun Plaza to get some stuff.. and treat them to the fun car rides…  It was Tuesday night at about 7.30pm.. the mall was quiet and the play zones seem noiseless for the first time..  As we were buying the tickets, the boys were laughing.. and this is what they saw…

my 5.5yo and 4y.o were laughing and asking what the big uncles were doing… all I can replied was that, they want to have some fun too..

the ride was about to begin but my boys ran toward the counter, the operator decided to wait for us as well… and they were busy joking around with a lady operator asking ” ada polisi di sini ???   ok.. so I was laughing… and as they were busy taking photos of themselves, I took my camera out to snap some for the blog… and with several flash  pointing at them.. the crazy laughter began to die down.. realising that someone am not just pretending to take photos of the two small boys…

safety first… seat belt is put on too!!!.. hahahah

Popularity: 45% [?]