Another Victoria's Secrets

So after years of friendship and lots of plan to collaborate, my friend Ana and I finally got the vibe and started a new collaboration blog 'Sunset Walks And Midnight Ramblings'. The blog is inspired by our years in Bali, our friendship, and all the stuff that happened along the way. I take care of the text while Ana is drawing the doodles. I guess we team up pretty good. Come visit and take a peek of our fun days. It's free!

Today my mum and I went to Bogor around 8.30 a.m. via Parung. We arrived in Bogor at 10 a.m. but I got so hungry despite my toast breakfast earlier, so we stopped by at Starbucks Taman Yasmin for a quick quiche bite. The route directed by Waze led us to a detour out of town and we arrived in the KST building at 11.30 a.m. It was 1.5 hours late from the appointed hour. (Hating Waze so much already!)

KST Building on Jalan Surya Kencana

the façade

you'll see this old house just before 1O1 Hotel on the right side

The KST building belongs to Keluarga Serumpun Tirta or Kioe Seng Tong community, the extended family of mine from my father's line. It is the house of my ancestors, of Tunggono's blood line. My grandpa was the 16th child of the first Thung (Thung Bouw Lim was the first of 13 siblings.) So I'm the fifth generation in this community of hundreds or maybe thousands. Well I don't keep count.

a pretty vintage door handle

 

my great great grandfathers's clock

the building was built in 1904

le foyer

swinging chair for meeting table

these people are from my level of generation genealogically, but not age-wise. LOL.

lobby area, facing the busy Chinatown street

you can see this room if you take a peek from the street

one of the antique Chinese-style chairs

second layer of le foyer

I went here the first time in 2008 with my dad (read this), and never been back but a little peek of the façade when we had the big family reunion in 2015 in 1O1 Hotel right across the street (belongs to one of this family.) All these years, the committee had been planning and done doing renovation on the old house (it was built in 1904) and today was the inaugural ceremony and thanksgiving for the successful renovation. The building does look much better than before (check this out.)

stepping to the next room, 12 pictures of the siblings are put on both walls (fourth sibling died young and didn't have pic)

my ancestor was the one on the far right pic; the first son of 13 siblings

I love this antique corner bench

the main bedroom of Mrs. Thung. she 'still' uses this room sometimes.

'meja abu', table of the ancestors

the descendants pray and serve food for the ancestor's spirits

the serving stays as long as the ancestors 'want' it, until we draw two coins and both facing different ways

big red candle for lots of fortune for the descendants

I didn't ask why the cups are more than 13 here

another antique Chinese-style furniture

The Tirta family is a well-known name in Bogor (found out about this few months ago -- and one of the family is married to current mayor of Bogor), especially in the Chinatown. But way back up, our ancestor was once Bantenese, who lived in disguise as a Chinese to avoid the chasing by Dutch Trading Company (the VOC). The descendants remained known as Chinese to most people, but we also hold the names of Tubagus (for men) and Ratu (for women) as our royal titles.


Check out this article above by Azmi Abubakar. Below is the translation.

"Chinese" descendants of the Sultan of Banten

.......Thung Ho Boen a.k.a. Tubagus Muhammad Hidayat, descendant of the famous Prince Mustofa Abdul Hamid, who was famous as Kyai Tapa. In the lineage of the Kings of Banten, Kyai Tapa was on the 9th lineage.Kyai Tapa was a patriot who were pursued by Dutch Company. This figure then disappeared and declared run to the area of Bogor's Chinatown, then famous by the name of Thung Sian To

.......In his disguise, Kyai Tapa became a hero in Chinatown with the title of Mayor Jangkung (The Tall Major)... However, his true identity eventually smelled by the Dutch. For the salvation of his posterity, Mayor Jangkung fled to Mecca and died there in 1752.

......Accustomed to have lived in the Chinatown environment, the descendants of the Sultanate of Banten from Mayor Jangkung line continued to live in the area ...His grandchildren mingled and married Chinese girls, such as Tubagus Abdullah bin Mustofa - the grandson of Kyai Tapa --- married to The Song Nie. The couple and the subsequent have distinctive Bantenese name, but also has Chinese surname / she of THUNG ... those who died were always buried in the Chinese family's grave.

......The elder of the Banten family, represented by Ratu Euis Sufiati, have stated that "the descendants of Mayor Jangkung should be accepted as a family that has been sinking." Ratu Euis was the first to put her fingerprints and gave testimony .....

......I found the history above when reading Tempo on 8 November 1975, in the news column "Law", regarding the lawsuit from Drs Tubagus Robert Tirta Setianegara, who tried hard to release a letter of his citizenship because he had the genealogy list from Sultan Syarif Hidayat Mahdum of the Sultanate of Jati Cirebon & Banten .... There were 5 people from Pandeglang, Sukabumi and Serang who deliberately brought before the judge to give testimony about the truth of the genealogy

.....Read more, I photograph the news.

.....I am reminded of the comments on my post some time ago, from a journalist and author of several important books about the history of ethnic Chinese peranakan (cross-bred), Bang Iwan Ong Santosa, who said that the family "Thung" is a respected family in Bogor ..... hopefully this can be a significant addition :)

.......Breaking News!Friends of Bang Tan Margaku, provides important information about the location of the tomb and the Chinese name of: Tubagus Abdullah bin Mustofa or Thung Tiang Mih.I have included a picture of the headstone.

Thank you!

Collection of Chinese Peranakan Library.

So there you go, the solved mystery of how my Chinese face has a Bantenese title (prefix) on my British name and Javanese surname (the British name was given by a Poland priest but my grandpa did marry a British girl when he studied in 1930s -- who became my grandma -- and when the government requested Indonesian name for all citizens, my grandpa chose Tunggono despite the variations of Tirta that his other kin chosen.) Quite amazingly confusing, huh? LOL.

the dining room in the back

breakfast area with vintage Chinese-style armoire

one of the rooms in the back area serves as pantry

one of the rooms at the back area with cupboards for dishware

the dining room; the arched passages on both sides has swinging doors access to the front area

another vintage armoire from last century

the swinging door that connects front and back rooms

beautiful iron 3D painting set

the backyard is still messy, but we're working on it

this man comes once a week to take care of this house; the toilet and shower are separated from the main building

I met just some of the big family -- only 50 (out of hundreds) people came -- but this time I could talk with more of them as we've met and saw the faces more often. I think I came to represent my dad. He liked this kind of gathering so much and going there reminded me of him so much. The event ended by 1 p.m. but it was raining hard so we had to stay until 2 p.m. I didn't mind, really.

some of us

I really liked the renovation, with antique furniture and fresh paints. There are lots of lighting they put there and the green sills made it really fresh for the old house. I just love the lobby area / front room. It is designed to welcome people and it has lots of seating to accommodate family members to mingle and chat. I just love the furniture it has there. A pair were birthing chairs (back then people give birth at home), made out of wood and rattan with arms that can be tilted to support the mother's legs. And those were made in 1858!

a peculiar antique lazy armchair that used to function as birthing chair

the pivot screw wrote 'Nederlandsch Indie 1858'

the arms can be tilted to support the mother's legs while giving birth

Mom and I had coffee break at Roti Bakar Eddy -- the first place we found in the midst of traffic jam -- and took the Parung route to go back home. It was a long 2-hour drive, but maybe it felt so tiring because we spent almost 4 hours driving in the morning. I always like meeting new people, and I'm glad I'm part of this big, diverse community (we have different religions in here; Islam, Christian, Catholic, and Buddha... but none of us care about the differences; we are here for the similarity that we share; the blood line and family bond!)

Just pray for my upcoming project for them!

I forgot to announce it here; my friends and I managed to settle a new web containing information about Bali and how to survive living there. The target is domestic (Indonesian) immigrants or backpackers, that's why it's written in Indonesian. But if you wanna ask anything about it in English, just send email to balihacks@gmail.com.

Basically it's all based on our experience being immigrants in Bali as well, so we'd like to share some info with the newbies. The web was launched on October 22, so it's just a week old now (;

Check it here.

www.brilio.net

By the way I apologize if I haven't posted on my blog for a while. I've been writing articles for Brilio.Net (which is part of KapanLagi.com) since last week and have been working remotely from Bali (their offices are in Jakarta and Yogyakarta). I find this is really fun: doing the things I love (which is writing) in a place I love (Bali, definitely) at anytime that I can, and getting well paid for it!

I guess God has finally answered my prayer for a perfect job, and here it is--comes to me just as the new year started. I hope I can have this job for a long period because the demand is quite high, too!
So if you want to check my writings, tips and tricks, stuff about Bali--everything that comes up in my mind--just check here. Stay tuned there, guys!

pardon my 'inang-inang style' but this is the best head-to-toe image that I have for my outfit on the day that I wore with a stunning purple-violet-and-golden songket from Palembang as jarik

Due to many questions I got about my gorgeous red kebaya that I wore at my sister's wedding, I'll write all that I know about kebaya here. Kebaya is Javanese traditional top clothing that were worn only by royalties in the past, while abdi dalem (servants) or commoners could only wear tube tops. The higher their status, the more complete the outfit. Kebaya is worn outside the bustier or tube top for upper part and a piece of cloth or jarik (that can be sarong/batik/tenun/songket) for lower part.

kebaya kartini and kebaya encim ~ via muziumtekstilnegara

If you like non-transparent and loose fit model of kebaya, you can find many options of the ready-to-wear kebaya at fabric / clothing markets (in Jakarta) such as Thamrin City, Pasar Baru, Mayestik, Pasar Senen... you name it. These are the places I've been to, but of course there are many others everywhere. This kind of kebaya is loose-fit and comes in many models. The one with two folds in middle (with or without brocade) with cotton / rayon fabric is called kebaya kartini (taken from the education heroine, R.A. Kartini's kebaya style) while the one with big floral embroidery (usually with pale and/or sheer material) is usually called as kebaya encim / Malay's peranakan.

kebaya kutubaru with floral fabric ~ via patriciayolanda

Another popular type of loose fit kebaya is kutubaru that came from Sunda / West Java. The difference from kebaya kartini is that kutubaru has additional part in the middle that is sewn as one-piece with the blouse but looks as if there is a tube top or camisole inside the outer clothing. The Sundanese likes to wear floral-print material for kutubaru and traditional batik for the bottom part.

Atiqah Hasiholan wearing Anne Avantie's body-fitted brocade kebaya ~ via weheartit

The latest and most stylish trend for kebaya is to have a customized fitted kebaya with brocade material. This contains of a separate camisole or bustier (the latter is much better for curvy body to enhance the body shape) and a layer of fitted soft tulle combined with brocade and is usually complemented with sequins on the brocade pattern. The ultimate types of this kind of kebaya was pioneered by Anne Avantie but you must prepare high budget for this, which starts from around Rp 30.000.000 for a short kebaya.

via adamjuneau

If your budget is lower than that, don't worry. You can still make your own kebaya. It is important for you to know that the (current) fee for a single kebaya making starts from Rp 250.000-Rp 4.000.000 (check the list below). This variation will (of course) depend on the quality. If you have enough budget and want something more stress-free, go to Vera Kebaya. But if you don't have that budget, take some inspiration from her Instagram / Pinterest and find yourself another kebaya-maker that is on your budget.

details of my kebaya with rainbow-red Japanese sequins on Valentino red brocade and champagne-gold bustier, made by Tina and this costs Rp 1.250.000

I have some tips here that you must be aware of if this is your first time making kebaya. Check these out:

• Buy your own fabric to make sure you get the exact color and pattern you like. The pattern of french brocade (brokat prancis) is mostly rose and floral so I recommend that you find something other than that.
• When buying fabric, the second grade (KW 2) is enough if you plan to make the full-sequined kebaya (full payet). Make sure it is stretchy to allow you to move more freely.
• You may like some factory-sequined brocade (brokat berpayet), and it will save you some budget on sewing fee but make sure your dressmaker is able to make it. Consult your dressmaker first before you purchase the fabric!
• Do not be so cheap on the budget. Remember that price (usually) speaks of its quality. The more perfect you want for your kebaya, the more money you will have to spend on it.
• Research and consult as much as you can with as many dressmakers to know the best option and price. I have narrow it down for you on the list I put below if you don't have that much of time to explore.
• Ask as many questions as possible to your dressmaker. See as many as possible of their previous kebayas; check on the seams if they have some samples or ongoing projects. Discuss to find the model that will complement your body figure, for example: high V-neckline for big busted, short or medium sleeves for young girls, etc. You can have your own will on the neckline, the front or back buttons, the type of buttons, the bottom, the sleeves and the wrist line of the sleeves. Just be creative!
• Due to my observation, female dressmakers tend to have better taste than the male, and male dressmakers tend to go more extreme on the model and color (that is risky to be tacky--but it will all depend on your taste).
• If you have slim figure, find the model of kebaya with sabrina neckline or make more variations as you like.
• If you have curvy or big figure, ask for more wires in the bustier. 4 wires is standard, 16 is the maximum. This functions to keep your torso in shape.
• For bustier, try it on by standing, squatting and sitting to make sure you will feel comfortable all the time on the D-day.

I love the details on my open-back and upper arm, how the pattern is flowing on my body ~ photo by my aunt ET

However, you still have to check on yourself for the best choice. Here are the great kebaya-makers (penjahit kebaya) I have visited during my sister's wedding preparation (the price list was from early 2015) and I highly recommend for you:

Anne Avantie
BUDGET: 
Rp 30.000.000 - Rp 100.000.000
ADDRESS:
Mal Kelapa Gading
Jl Raya Boulevard Gading Mal Kelapa Gading Bl C Lt 1/8-9
Kelapa Gading Barat, Kelapa Gading
Jakarta Utara 14240 DKI Jakarta
Roemah Pengantin by Anne Avantie
Grand Indonesia, West Mall UG Fl Unit 07
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1
Jakarta, Indonesia 10310
Anne Avantie – Kantor Pusat
Komplek Tanah Mas
Jl Kalimas Brt Bl A-3/5 Kompl Tanah Mas
Panggung Lor, Semarang Utara
Semarang 50177 Jawa Tengah

Vera Kebaya (twitter, Instagram, Pinterest)
BUDGET: 
start from Rp 4.000.000,- for basic sequined kebaya (full payet)
Rp 15.000.000 - Rp 25.000.000 for bridal kebaya
ADDRESS:
Jl. Panglima Polim 5/62 Jakarta Selatan (by appointment only)
081318005733 (YANA) 
085780222250 (OKI)
verakebaya@me.com 

Joko Sutono (ex Biyan) 
BUDGET:
Rp 2.500.000 for short kebaya
start from Rp 10.000.000 for bridal kebaya
ADDRESS:
Glory Busana Prima
Jl. Haji Nawi Raya, belakang Masjid Nurul Huda No. 18, Jakarta Selatan
0816751057, 081219196461
Note for Joko Sutono:
The place might be hard to reach for it is located on small walking alley (only motorbike can get through--park your car in front or inside the mosque yard) behind a mosque but there is AC and a private consulting room that makes customers feel comfortable and carefully noted. Just beware if you want two-toned or more colors for kebaya. Make sure you know exactly what you want because playing with more than 1 color is tricky for the result may be tacky.)

Tina (ex Harry Darsono)
BUDGET:
start from Rp 250.000 for kebaya only, not sequined; 
start from Rp 1.000.000 for sequined kebaya
Rp 160.000-Rp 250.000 for bustier, depends on how many wires used
ADDRESS:Jl. Darul Ma'arif Gg. Langgar III, Fatmawati, Jakarta Selatan
085777051984
Note for Tina:
I fell in love with her works not just because of the cheap price but also by her passion on doing the "sexy" dress and kebaya--as she said. But she has only one small rental room on small walking alley (only motorbike can get through--park your car in front of the school yard) that it may be very hot inside during the fitting so make sure you don't have problem with heat. Tina's works are great and not many fittings to do until the kebaya is ready to wear, and fits perfectly for all of us who made our kebaya/dress with her. Her bustier is not as neat as what you can get at Pasar Mayestik. Minor imperfections, but it is in accordance to the cheap price. Not recommended for OCDs and perfectionist people.)

Bu Yati (ex Adjie Notonegoro)
BUDGET: 
start from Rp 750.000 for kebaya only, not sequined
start from Rp 2.500.000 for sequined kebaya (full payet)
Rp 400.000 for bustier
ADDRESS: 
Around Perumahan Pinang Griya Permai (I forgot the exact address)
Ciledug, Tangerang
081514527776
Note for Bu Yati:
The place is quite far from South Jakarta, but if you live around Tangerang or West Jakarta, this is a great option for making kebaya. She has her own house at the end of a road (you can park your car in front of her house) in a decent housing complex so it is quite comfortable to do the fitting. She has great taste and knows best trick on sewing the fitted kebaya (that I stole for my kebaya on the wrist-line the other dressmakers often miss out). The only reason I didn't sew my kebaya with her is because of the distance. I must say this one is highly recommended!

Bara (ex Ramli)
ADDRESS:
Jl. Tenggiri No.2 A, Kota Jakarta Timur
021-4721163, 021-47885198


For Rental Kebaya:

Rumah Kebaya (instagram)
ADDRESS:
Jl. Mampang Prapatan XV No.119, Jakarta Selatan 12790
0888.111.22.33, 08164803124, 081219138114