Edward Speirs
Locally Brewed: Indonesia’s Craft Beer Scene
Indonesia has long been synonymous with a single beer brand – almost to a patriotic level! Long had this Indonesian beer brand reigned across bars in Jakarta, Bali and throughout the archipelago. However, Indonesia’s craft beers have made it onto the scene and are changing this landscape: Bali-based breweries are bringing their own flair, froth
Smoke and Mirrors in the City of Smog
Over the last few months, Jakarta residents have once again come face-to-face with difficulties posed by intensifying air pollution. On 13 August 2023, the city’s air quality was ranked worst in the world according to data from organisations like IQAir, sparking serious concern among citizens. Whilst the smog itself is quite visible across the city’s
Rahel Stephanie: Reclaiming Indonesian Food Abroad
From supper clubs to Sunday morning TV shows, Rahel Stephanie is on a quest to educate Londoners and the British public on Indonesian cuisine. Tempe has started to really kick off in the UK. With plant-based lifestyles becoming the norm, the fermented soybean has become a go-to protein alternative. The irony? No one knows its
Kevindra Soemantri Explores Dining in Jakarta Through the Ages
‘Jakarta: A Dining History’ is a book by Kevindra Soemantri that explores the development of the city’s restaurant scene from the 1820s through to the 1990s. Published back in 2021, the book outlines ‘eras’ in Jakarta’s distinct dining past, and presents how the socio-cultural, political and economic shifts at the times transformed the food and
Maja Healing: Improving Mental Well-Being Through the Subconscious
Maja Healing is one of the Bali’s most sought-after practices for holistic healing. Utilising a variety of healing modalities, they have been able to attend to an incredibly wide range of ailments experienced by their clients, often coming to them after “trying everything else without any success.” Mental and emotional strains have the ability to
Making Bali an International Dining Destination
With so many reasons to come to Bali, the local food and beverage industry believes that they should certainly be high on that list. Does the now thriving restaurant scene have what it takes to attract visitors to the island in its own right? The recently formed Bali Restaurant and Café Association believes that it
Privy at Dharmawangsa Elevates the Italian-American Experience
There are few foods more comforting than Italian cuisine. Carby, rich in fats and fresh produce with gorgeously complex sauces. Now, add to that a perfectly seared steak and you have yourself a winning combination. The newly opened Privy at Dharmawangsa offers just this combo, elevating comfort classics to satisfyingly sophisticated dining standards. Located on
A Little Room to Breathe at JSI Resort Megamendung
The ultimate cure for the claustrophobia that a city instils upon its inhabitants is an escape to the great outdoors, where space and nature are in abundance. Sprawling generously in the highlands of West Java, JSI Resort Megamendung gives guests exactly what they need — a little room to breathe! On a clear day in
Inside ARTOZ Bar, Jakarta’s New Whisky Wonderland
Plush, grand and fully stocked, the newly renovated ARTOZ Bar welcomes late-night imbibers into their vintage-inspired venue, home to Jakarta’s largest whisky & cognac collection. Certainly an old favourite, especially for patrons of neighbour and sister restaurant AMUZ Gourmet, ARTOZ has reemerged from its full makeover to present a space that guests will surely want
Petty Pandean-Elliott Sets The Indonesian Table
Featuring 150 accessible recipes, interspersed with recollections of her culinary journeys throughout the archipelago, the latest book by Petty Pandean-Elliott, ‘The Indonesian Table’, is a love letter both to a country and its cuisine. Over her now 20-year career, Petty Pandean-Elliott has received many accolades. The award-winning chef, writer and entrepreneur has been a judge
Masks of Bali: Between Heaven and Hell
An outstanding new book documenting Bali’s living mask traditions and masterpieces has recently been launched, co-authored by acclaimed dancer-scholar, Prof. Dr. I Made Bandem, and art historian, Bruce W. Carpenter. Launched in Bali late December 2022 at the charming Tandjung Sari resort, followed by a launching at the Jakarta National Museum in March, this pivotal
Pang Xue Kai, Building Up the Blockchain: An Interview with the CEO of TokoCrypto
One of Indonesia’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, TokoCrypto, has been pushing hard to grow the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry in Indonesia since it opened in 2018. The company sees a lot of potential, but are working on improving awareness and education of these spaces through their T-Hub venues, as well as assisting young innovators and entrepreneurs
Meditation for Beginners: Get Mindful with These Three Easy Apps
Modern science has finally bolstered and supported the benefits of meditation has for the human brain. Photo by JD Mason on Unsplash/NOWJAKARTA The circumstances in which we’ve all been through into because of Covid-19 are, at the minimum, frustrating. Whole sections of our ‘regular’ lives have been quickly stripped away, from our work schedules, lifestyle needs,