Mall Taman Anggrek: My Indonesian Comfort Zone*

This piece was originally posted on October 1, 2008. It is being re-posted as part of our CHICKS ROCK! Summer Retrospective, during which we will post a combination of new content and posts from the past. Enjoy!

Mall culture takes on a life of its own in most Southeast Asian cities, like Jakarta. You cannot get away from them; they are everywhere. Mall Taman Anggrek is currently the largest mall in Jakarta. The obnoxiously large building houses more than 500 stores on seven floors. Taman Anggrek is translated to mean “orchid garden” in English, which evokes images of serene beauty and calm. I never understood the name, until I found out there used to be a real orchid garden in that location.

Early in the morning during the week is the best time to enjoy the mall’s interiors. It is a marvel of space, light and marble...a truly impressive sight. Even though I dislike malls in general, I cannot deny that the architects who designed Mall Taman Anggrek are true artists.

It is also a less stressful place to shop, especially for women. We can walk around the mall without being harassed, unlike the congested street fairs that dominate many city neighborhoods. I couldn’t avoid Taman Anggrek, or any mall for that matter. It is where I had to go to find Western sizes of shoes and clothes, and anything else that is familiar from home. I am almost ashamed to admit that these malls are also havens for foreigners like me. I don’t have to worry about getting ripped off like I do in other local establishments. Taman Anggrek is my Third World reminder of home…sort of.

Are malls like Taman Anggrek the best that Jakarta has to offer? Well, yes…and no. The few city museums and monuments I visited are intellectually superior to anything that can be found at the mall. Still, the air conditioning, window shopping, and gourmet fast food trumps culture and history for many locals and foreigners in Indonesia’s polluted and over-populated capital city. When expats like me need to escape from the heat, noise and smells of the Jakarta streets, retreating to the mall is the easiest thing to do.

What is your idea of comfort when you're far away from home?

Retail Therapy

It seems that every few months or so, I remember how much I love stores like Old Navy (well... mostly just Old Navy, though I've been known to buy a few things at a good Urban Outfitters sale). Suddenly all the money I've been saving by not shopping is gone in a couple of trips to ON.

This happened to me recently when I found myself feeling a little stressed and a couple of friends suggested we hit the stores for some retail therapy. I'm not sure that it was the best solution to the problem, but I did end up with a couple of flats, several tops, a skirt, and even some accessories. And then a few days later, I went back for more. Oops! I fell off the wagon, and I fell hard!

I returned some of the things I'd bought that I knew I really didn't need or even liked all that much (don't ask why I bought things I didn't even like -- I was in a shopping haze). But I've started to wonder why this even happens in the first place. Most of my friends encourage "retail therapy" and don't feel that bad about spending so much of their hard-earned money on things they probably wouldn't otherwise. They don't ever seem to return anything, and they don't really hesitate to do it again a week or two later.

For me, it was the first time I blindly walked around a store in hopes of forgetting my stress and focusing only on cute clothes. It didn't work, of course, because the amount of money I'd spent just added to my stress, so I can't see why everyone else does it so eagerly.Do you believe in "retail therapy"? What do you get out of it?

A Bummed Bookworm

Bookworms out there already know this, but maybe the rest of you aren't yet aware that Borders is bankrupt. This might not seem like such a big deal to most, after all, it's just another corporation struggling financially and trying to work it all out. But, to me, it was really bad news.

Borders is one of the few brands I’m fiercely loyal to. I go practically anywhere to shop for clothes; I get coffee from Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, or the shop down the street; I eat wherever as long as it's good... I usually prioritize convenience over any sense of loyalty or comfort. But not with Borders. If I even walk into a Barnes & Noble, I feel like I'm cheating. In fact, I got $60 in Barnes & Noble gift cards a few months ago and finally gave them to my best friend, knowing that I would likely never use them.

I just love Borders! Their customer service, their discounts, their rewards program. And, more than anything, I really love their stores. In fact, the saddest thing is that two of my favorite locations had to close. I find that other bookstores are too crowded or full of snippy salespeople. I often feel like I'm being rushed out or avoiding death glares from people who want to take my seat. At my favorite Borders stores, I could sit and read for hours completely undisturbed. I knew exactly where to go to find a book I needed and which employees to ask for help if I couldn't. It was like having another home, and now it's gone.

In a city that's constantly changing, you'd think things like this would leave me unfazed, and yet I can't help but be bummed. My greatest comfort is that they haven’t yet gone out of business, because that may just be too much for me to handle.

Were you sad about the Borders news? Do you have any brands or stores you’re particularly loyal to?

Friday Forum: Get Your Shop On

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and since we already covered what we're thankful for this year, why not have a bit of fun on Black Friday and talk about what we're buying this year.

Do you usually shop on Black Friday? If so, what sales were you looking forward to this year? If not, what makes you avoid this major shopping day?

Style Funk or Funky Style?

For the past several weeks, I’ve really wanted a change in my appearance. I’ve been bored and have considered a drastic haircut, a dye job, a new wardrobe, even a second piercing on my ears. All because I’m in a bit of a funk as far as my own style goes.

I’ve never been one of those people who focus a lot on appearance. It’s not that I think people who do are shallow or anything like that; I just don’t have the energy to devote to it. Now that I’m more interested in thinking about what my style should be like or what type of makeup looks best on me, I’ve hit another roadblock: money. It seems that haircuts, clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. would all eat through my bank account very quickly if I actually started exploring this new style creativity.

Now I have a new plan. I’m going to start by getting up a bit earlier to play around with makeup more. I’m going to play dress-up at home to mix and match the few clothing items I own to figure out what works best, and applying the makeup I already own to see how it comes together.

I’ve also been having tons of fun with nail polish. Nail polish is cheap, and comes in more colors than one person could ever need (yet, it’s not nearly enough, it seems, as I keep buying them). There’s something I love about nail polish – it’s a pain in the butt to paint them and then wait around for an hour so they dry correctly, but the pop of color when I look down as I type or chop vegetables or whatever other daily activity just brightens up my day.

I probably won’t have the time, money, or energy to try all of the style tweaks I have in mind, but I think I have enough to keep me going for a while.

What’s your beauty and style routine? How do you break out of a funk?

Not Your Mother's Uniform

In the past few months, I lost some weight and inches around my body. Because a lot of my clothes were already a bit roomy to begin with, most of them didn’t fit anymore and once I purged my closet, it had next to nothing in it. So I went on mini shopping sprees, buying a few items at a time whenever I saved up the money. Now that I've done this a few times, I realized just how much I worry about looking the right way, and having enough variety so that people don’t think I only own a handful of tops.

I feel like so many of us – especially women – feel pressure to not wear the same thing every day. We assume that at least one person out there is paying attention to what we’re wearing and would ridicule us if we wore the same thing all the time.

Thinking about this reminded me of something I learned about over the summer called The Uniform Project: a woman's wearing the same dress every day for a year to raise money for charity. She had a friend design a dress for her and had 7 identical dresses made, one for each day of the week. Each day for the past year, she’s been making her outfits unique by adding layers and accessories, wearing her dress as a top, a jacket, and, of course, a dress. Her year is almost up, and she’s raised over $75,000 for education in India.

Seeing how she was able to create new outfits every day with the same pieces has made me reconsider how I look at clothes and fashion. Considering the ways I already try to apply sustainability to fashion, I definitely think I’ll get more creative so I can keep cutting down on waste.

What do you think of The Uniform Project? Would you be able to wear the same thing every day?

Finding the Fantasy

Well, this is the week of the NAACP Image Awards. I'm beginning to try to imagine myself walking the red carpet. In the past, I've daydreamed about this type of event in an abstract well-it-will-never-really-happen-but-it's-nice-to-dream kind of way. I imagined a dramatic, expensive dress, make-up to the hilt, needle-thin stiletto heels that I could somehow glide perfectly in, a gorgeous date to shepherd me through the crowds of my adoring fans....

Yeah, right.

The reality is shaping up to be quite a bit less than the fantasy, but I must admit it is still exciting! So far, I have a dramatic, inexpensive dress, no idea what I will do as far as make-up, marker-thick sparkly heels which I can walk in without falling, and a gorgeous date to shepherd me down the red carpet--my little brother!

What I've realized through all of this is that fulfilling the complete red carpet fantasy isn't what's important here. I'm a regular person, not a starlet or debutante. I don't even want to be those things, so why should I bend over backwards to try to look or act like it? It's fun to dress up and feel glamorous for an evening--I'm actually looking forward to that. But I'd rather not fit in by being myself than by trying to look like celebrities do, and missing the mark.

I'm excited about the possibility of rubbing elbows with the Hollywood types, of course. But I'm more thrilled that my work is being recognized. That's part of an entirely different fantasy--one I love and am much more comfortable living into.

The Countdown Is On

I woke up this morning, anxious to get the day started because I have tons of work to get done. I open up my email and find 5 are from the same place: Gifts.com. My first thought was "uh oh, did something happen to their server? Why so many emails?" But then I opened them and saw they were all reminders to get gifts for each of my family members because Christmas is only 10 days away! Eek!

Of course, that made me panic. So far I've only gotten one person their gift (thanks to TWM's silent auction), so I have at least another 4 to buy and no clue what to get anybody. Suddenly all that mocking I did of people who were done with their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving has come back around to me.

Shopping for gifts wouldn't be all that stressful except I really hate giving people generic gifts. I like their gifts to mean something to them, and make it something they'll remember. But I also don't like spending very much money on gifts. As it turns out, these two very simple rules are not so simple when they are put together. I always end up finding either very inexpensive stuff that nobody will actually want or need, or gifts that would be perfect but are completely out of my price range.

So it seems that now I have to spend the entire day trying to brainstorm gift ideas on top of everything else I need to do. It's moments like these that it's easy to forget why we do this in the first place. And while the cynic in me does think that the holiday season is driven by major companies who want us to spend every penny we have, I do love giving people gifts. I love seeing their reactions and realizing I've gotten them something great. It's the one thing I like about Christmas.

Well, that, and Christmas music. I LOVE Christmas music!

Shop til You Drop

If you've been looking for a way to get all your holiday shopping done at once and from the comfort of your own home, look no further than TWM's 2009 Virtual Holiday Bazaar and Silent Auction! This online shopping event is creating such a buzz that we wanted to share it all with you.

The vendors TWM lined up offer a great variety of products. Browse through their sites and start shopping.

Eco Africa Social Ventures sells products produced by artisans and other artists and craftspeople of Zimbabwe.

Terry Ross Jewelry has handcrafted jewelry made with semiprecious stones and wire.

Ardyss International lets you drop 2 or 3 sizes in 10 minutes. Check them out!

Passion for Silver gives you the chance to shop the globe with jewelry from Italy, Mexico, Thailand, China, Bali and Indonesia.

Himane turns trash into treasures by using discarded clothing to make unique handbags, dresses and jackets.

Wendy Mink Jewelry is a great place to shop for handmade quality costume jewelry made in NYC.

Center for Skin Care and Wellness lets you take the spa home for a natural alternative anti-aging solution.

Rogue Confections has tasty treats - handmade Belgian chocolates inspired by vintage designs.

BONUS: New York Racquet & Health Club is offering TWM members at the $100-level or higher a 1-year membership for only $71 a month, with NO activation fee! This offer is only available for a limited time, so be sure you join TWM today and sign up for NYHRC.


In addition to these vendors, don't forget to stop by TWM's online auction. Here are the items currently up for grabs:

One hour of general office cleaning services

A $50 Gift Card to Eve's Addiction.

Your choice of a Swedish Massage OR Mineral Green Facial.

A set of three 'COLORME' black & white prints.

Two nutrition products from Ardyss International.

A nutritional counseling session.

A career counseling session & follow-up.

One hour of full body therapy.

A one-hour holistic health counseling session.

A one-hour deep tissue massage.

A comprehensive technology evaluation for your home or office.

A handmade designer necklace.

And the services of a children's party planner.

More auction items will be added on Tuesday, so be sure to check it out again then.

The Season for Giving

A couple of weeks ago, we told you about an opportunity to be a vendor or donor to TWM's 2009 Virtual Holiday Bazaar and Silent Auction. We're happy to announce that the bazaar and silent auction have begun.

Check out the vendors TWM has lined up for your shopping pleasure so far. Want a handmade craft from Zimbabwe? Sterling silver jewelry? An eco-friendly handbag? Shop for that and more through the virtual holiday bazaar.

But if you want a more unique gift, something personalized that is just what somebody needs, be sure to take a look at the items in our auction. The items will change each week in December so you can find the perfect gift for yourself or someone you love. This week there are items for the Christmas loving, somewhat lost, somewhat messy, food-conscious, health-conscious, body-conscious, Feng Shui curious people in your life.

And don't forget there's still time to participate by being a vendor or donating to the silent auction.

Spring Cleaning

It feels like spring is finally on its way. As a result, I’m suddenly itching to get my apartment in tip-top shape. This is strange, because I’m not the sort of person who steadfastly believes in spring cleaning, or anything related to it, but this year it seems like this would be a good time to poke around the closets, sort through some paper piles, sell some books back to the Strand, and the like. (To be honest, this desire is not unrelated to the fact that I have an out-of-town friend coming to visit in a couple of weeks!)

A while ago, Pauline posted about battling clutter. My space, too, tends to get crowded with books, papers, clothing, etc. New York City apartments are small, of course, so it’s instinctive to think that there just isn’t enough space. But really there’s just too much stuff. Much that I probably don’t need. With the economy the way it is, I’ve been careful lately about my purchases, which I think has made me more aware of the things I already own.

Browsing in the bookstore last weekend, I bought a book about organizing and clearing out clutter. It advocates drawing a pretty harsh line between what you actually need and use, and what is extra. Seems great, right? Everything would be streamlined if I followed these directions. But at a time like this, when I still want to be careful about what I buy, I also want to be careful about what I throw out.

We pack-rats save stuff for the day when we might need it. Or for the day when we might not be able to get it elsewhere. It kind of feels like those days could be coming. Let’s hope not, but how do you justify getting rid of potentially useful things (clothes, etc.) when money is tight?

Angel Anxiety

I participate in a Christmas Angel project, where I purchase presents for children who have an incarcerated parent. It's fun, and meaningful to know I'm doing it on behalf of someone who won't make it to a store this year. At least that's what I think at the moment when I pick up the child's name...

Then comes the shopping. Did I say this was going to be fun? It's horrid. Long lines at the toy stores, long lines at the clothing stores, and the inescapable anxiety that comes from wondering if the kid will even like what I've picked out. I shouldn’t worry so much – they can always exchange it (gift receipts are a brilliant slice of technology) – but I always stress myself out.

I spend hours stalking through store aisles, bypassing perfectly acceptable gifts in favor of something I can’t put my finger on. I convince myself that when the right gift appears, I'll know beyond a shadow of a doubt. Usually it happens eventually – I'm struck by a bolt of certainty, and I feel free to approach the register. Whether it's divine intervention, or sheer exhaustion talking, I will never know.

During the holidays, people always talk about the joy of giving. When I buy for family and friends, I do feel it. Finding the perfect item is thrilling, and it’s truly joyful to watch someone open your present and be excited by what they find. With my Christmas Angels, I don’t get to see that moment of surprise, so the joy is rather diminished for me. Is it selfish to feel that way? Sure. But it’s true. And it also makes me realize that the joy of giving isn’t in “here’s something I bought.” It’s in “here’s something I bought just for you.”

I struggle through Christmas Angel every year, because even though it’s un-joyful for me, there’s a chance that my gift will bring joy to someone else. Knowing that fills me with a different kind of happiness, one that is worth all the anxiety.

How do you experience the joy of giving?

The "New" Me

CHICKS ROCK! wants you to welcome our latest guest blogger, Heather:

Heather Floyd owns Whole Web Impact, which helps sole-proprietors get more clients and more visibility from their websites and online marketing. She publishes a weekly e-zine, Web Impact and blogs at HeatherFloyd.com.


If you would have asked me a year ago whether I would hire a personal stylist, I would probably have said – sure, when I have a million bucks and nothing to do with my time but shop! But believe it or not, in May of 2008 I did hire a stylist (Monica Diaz of Style Matters, Inc., in case you were wondering).

So, what caused such a change of heart? Believe it or not – it was business. Specifically, my own. I was planning out a change to my business model and doing some rebranding. “Why not upgrade my own image as well?” I thought. (Besides, isn’t it always easier to justify spending the money if it’s “a business investment?”)

The process was actually a lot of fun. Though there were some squirming moments while Monica pulled out decades-old clothes from my wardrobe and gave me that look – “Have you had this since high school?” (“Yes…” I mumbled sheepishly.) We also went shopping and she picked out dozens of outfits for me to try – many things I would never pick off the rack for myself before meeting her. She was able to be an objective voice in the fitting room: “No, I don’t like how that bunches,” “You are definitely not that pant size! Go one smaller.”

I ended up with several new professional outfits, along with a new haircut and a quick make-up routine, but more valuable was re-awakening my own interest in fashion. Now when I pass boutiques on the street, I pay attention to what’s in the windows. I have a better idea of what sizes and styles I should be looking for based on my body shape. And I have new confidence when I go out to meet clients or attend networking events.

When you have your own business, as I do, you always have to remember that you ARE frequently the business, and you need to represent that visually. Just like a website conveys your brand, so does your personal presentation.

And if you don’t want to hire a professional, call on one of your style-savvy girlfriends to go shopping and suggest some new looks for you. Even if you don’t end up with a new look, you will have a fun afternoon.

Taming Those Green and Plastic Monsters This Holiday Season

I have always loved Halloween. It is a day when adults, teens, and children can be whoever they want to be. We can get away with sugar rushes, carving pumpkins, having parties, and being silly. It is what happens after Halloween that gets me really scared.

It has already begun: every year, it seems like the Christmas cards and decorations are put on display earlier and earlier. Retailers are preparing us for their busiest money-making time of the year. The “Green and Plastic (cash and credit card) Monsters” start getting restless in our wallets and purses. We must learn to control the urge to abuse them to satisfy our materialistic tendencies. The current economic crisis has been an unfortunately effective deterrent to many of us these past few years, but it should not be the only reason why we control our spending.

Every Wednesday night in Brooklyn, I meet with others who want to take back financial control from the “Green and Plastic Monsters” in our lives. While munching on delicious snacks, we discuss "The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness," by Dave Ramsey. I haven't read much on the subject before this, but I already feel affected by his message of financial moderation. I don’t have to be a math whiz to understand what Ramsey, as well as many financial experts, out there tell us: ALWAYS try to purchase with cash only, have at least $1,000 set aside as an emergency fund, and start tackling bills by paying more than the stated minimum balance. The key is to prevent further debt by "suppressing the plastic," once and for all.

While I am thankful that I currently have no debt to speak of, I appreciate a common sense approach that helps to steer the financially clueless towards long term, debt-free futures. There are temptations everywhere, urging us to spend, spend, and spend some more. With the economy being what it is, I personally don't want to take any chances…I need all the help I can get!

Do you think you have a good relationship with your money? Why or why not?

Mall Taman Anggrek: My Indonesian Comfort Zone

Mall culture takes on a life of its own in most Southeast Asian cities, like Jakarta. You cannot get away from them; they are everywhere. Mall Taman Anggrek is currently the largest mall in Jakarta. The obnoxiously large building houses more than 500 stores on seven floors. Taman Anggrek is translated to mean “orchid garden” in English, which evokes images of serene beauty and calm. I never understood the name, until I found out there used to be a real orchid garden in that location.

Early in the morning during the week is the best time to enjoy the mall’s interiors. It is a marvel of space, light and marble...a truly impressive sight. Even though I dislike malls in general, I cannot deny that the architects who designed Mall Taman Anggrek are true artists.

It is also a less stressful place to shop, especially for women. We can walk around the mall without being harassed, unlike the congested street fairs that dominate many city neighborhoods. I couldn’t avoid Taman Anggrek, or any mall for that matter. It is where I had to go to find Western sizes of shoes and clothes, and anything else that is familiar from home. I am almost ashamed to admit that these malls are also havens for foreigners like me. I don’t have to worry about getting ripped off like I do in other local establishments. Taman Anggrek is my Third World reminder of home…sort of.

Are malls like Taman Anggrek the best that Jakarta has to offer? Well, yes…and no. The few city museums and monuments I visited are intellectually superior to anything that can be found at the mall. Still, the air conditioning, window shopping, and gourmet fast food trumps culture and history for many locals and foreigners in Indonesia’s polluted and over-populated capital city. When expats like me need to escape from the heat, noise and smells of the Jakarta streets, retreating to the mall is the easiest thing to do.

What is your idea of comfort when you're far away from home?