Page 68 – Burhan Abe's Note

Shop Till You Drop in Singapore

Business

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October 1, 2011

SINGAPORE has always been and continues to be a shopper’s paradise. Although other major cities in the world have also built shopping malls the city-state remains an attractive choice for branded goods. The following are the experiences of people who frequent Singapore for shopping. (Burhan Abe, The Jakarta Post, September 30, 2011)

Farah Quinn, Celebrity Chef

While I seldom go to Singapore for shopping alone, during my frequent visits I am always tempted to do some shopping, because the moment I step out of my hotel there are lines of malls and shops. So the vibe is instantly shopping and nothing else.

Although shopping is not always on the top of my to-do list, when I return to Indonesia I find that I am carrying lots of things, including fashion items, apparel as well as the cooking utensils that I need for my profession.

I also often purchase food items, because although Singapore is lacking in natural resources and most of its food items are imported, shopping for such things in Singapore is enjoyable due to the available variety – more complete than here in Indonesia – and the guaranteed quality.

Payment is quite convenient with cash or credit card. What is unique is that we can get a refund for sales tax at the airport.

Anastasia F. Sadikun, Businesswoman/Socialite

Why Singapore? Because of its proximity to Indonesia. While shopping in Jakarta is equally attractive nowadays, going to Singapore for shopping has an element of travelling abroad as well. I used to fly to Singapore four to five times a month, but now being tied up at the office I rarely visit the city-state.

I love to shop for fashion items, especially handbags, and also wine, which is cheaper in Singapore than in Indonesia, because here there is luxury goods tax levied on wine.

Apart from being close geographically Singapore guarantees the products sold there including the service. Once I bought a branded handbag costing Rp 40 million and when it was damaged, just a little, mind you, they repaired it for free! This kind of service brings me back to Singapore again and again. My shopping destination is usually Orchard Road and I also like to go to Marina Bay Sands for shopping because it is new, huge and very complete. For payment I can use a number of credit cards, such as Master card, Visa or even Amex which has a more flexible limit.

I go to Singapore not only for shopping, for also for spa treatments and eating out, and for all this Singapore is still heaven!

Ayi Tjakrawadena, Businesswoman

Singapore is a shopper’s heaven. I can’t remember exactly how many times I have been there, but every time I want a branded item Singapore is the right place. I think the main reason is that it is simply so practical. I often I don’t have enough time to stay overnight so I go in the morning and fly back at night. That way it is just like going to a mall in Jakarta, but with a different ambience. In Singapore the goods are up to date and during the sale season it is a perfect for women to shop there.

The Race of Luxury City Cars

Business

Burhan Abe

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September 30, 2011

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A city car is, generally speaking, a simple car that is suitable for driving in major cities with heavy traffic congestion. But simple does not mean modest as we can see from the appearance of Smart Fortwo, a cute looking car produced by Daimler AG.

PT Mercedes Benz Indonesia launched the smart car last year, the latest model or facelift of the second generation smart. “The launching of Smart in Indonesia is the start of a long term investment by Daimler AG in Indonesia and fulfills the requirements of modern mobility as well as high efficiency and safety. And it is fun to drive,” explained President Director and CEO of PT. Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, Rudi Borgenheimer.

City cars clearly give great benefits for driving mobility in Indonesia’s major cities which are now congested with traffic while Smart itself before being introduced to Indonesia has enjoyed marketing success for the past 10 years in a number of important markets in the world, including Europe and the United States.

Smart fortwo is only 2,695 mm long, 1,559 mm wide and has a height of 1,542 mm and has space for two adults plus space for baggage at the back. Its simple yet modern design allows for better maneuvering and saves parking space in today’s limited space in the cities. The specifications of Smart available in Indonesia match consumer requirements so that the city car can withstand all types of weather here amid the extremely congested traffic of Jakarta.

Mercedes Benz, the car manufacturer that used to concentrate only on cars with a large machine capacity, is not the only manufacturer focusing on the cute looking smart city cars. General Motors (GM) from the United States is also seriously developing a number of city cars.

Its premium dry car concept has a modern, dynamic and lively design. At present GM is in the midst of production procession of two designs and to lower its production cost GM has opted to manufacture them at GM DAT (GM Daewoo Auto and Technology Company) in South Korea.

There are two designs being developed at GM DAT, namely the premium model and the low cost one; both still in the initial stage. The premium city car is targeted for sales in the European market while the low cost variant for a more global market, including Southeast Asia.

Not intending to lose out to GM, another major car manufacturer, Volkswagen, is poised to enter the city car market this year. VW is going to release a variant of Up which is positioned as the reincarnation of Beetle, a low cost VW for the 21st century. This four passenger car will have a three cylinder engine.

Another car maker that is serious about the city car segment is Aston Martin. In November last year Aston Martin exhibited its luxury city car, Cygnet, at the elitist mall Harrods in Knightsbridge, London.

This is the first debut of Cygnet in the world and it will be manufactured by Aston Martin at its factory in Gay-don, England. Albeit a city car Aston Martin promises that Cygnet will have the same luxurious features as other Aston Martin models. That is why Aston Martin positions Cygnet as the solution for rich people who need a city car.

Ndalem Ngabean, Yogyakarta

Feature

Burhan Abe

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September 14, 2011

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Pulang ke kotamu, ada setangkup haru dalam rindu

Masih seperti dulu

Tiap sudut menyapaku bersahabat penuh selaksa makna

Terhanyut aku akan nostalgi saat kita sering luangkan waktu

Nikmati bersama suasana Yogya

LAGU Kla Project tersebut pasti mempunyai kesan tersendiri bagi orang-orang Yogya atau yang pernah tinggal di Yogya. Setidaknya itu pula yang saya rasakan ketika menginjakkan kaki di Kota Pelajar tersebut, libur Lebaran lalu. Saya memang tidak hanya mengenang masa kuliah di Universitas Gajah Mada, tapi bersama keluarga ingin menikmati suasana Yogyakarta, yang pastinya berbeda dengan di Jakarta.

Memang di kendaraan menuju kota kenangan tersebut, sejumlah rencana telah saya tetapkan, misalnya berwisata kuliner ke daerah Wijilan, yang terkenal dengan gudegnya, makanan khas yang menjadi ikon Yogyakarta. Malioboro tentu menjadi salah satu sasaran, juga alun-alun yang bersebelahan dengan Kraton.

Beruntung saya dan keluarga bisa menginap di heritage hotel, namanya Ndalem Ngabean, yang beralamat di Jl. Ngadisuryan No. 6. Hotel baru memang, baru beroperasi tiga bulan, dan kamarnya siap disewakan cuma tujuh buah. Menilik alamatnya, hotel ini masih di kawasan Kraton Yogyakarta.

Kraton Yogyakarta yang juga dikenal sebagai Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta berdiri tahun 1755. Bangunan Kraton ini dipagari beteng yang luas yang di dalamnya ada bangunan kecil dan disebut sebagai pojok beteng. Di dalam bangunan beteng selain ada bangunan Kraton, tempat tinggal raja, di sekitarnya ada sejumlah kampung sebagai tempat bermukim penduduk, yang pada zaman dulu merupakan abdi dalem Kraton.

Namun pada perkembangan berikutnya, orang yang tinggal di dalam beteng Kraton tidak harus sebagai abdi dalem, tetapi bisa orang biasa yang bertempat tinggal di sana lantaran telah membeli tanah berikut bangunan rumah dari pemilik sebelumnya, Kraton di lingkungan, dalam istilah lokalnya, “njeron beteng”.

Ndalem Ngabean, yang asal tahu saja dulunya merupakan kediaman pengusaha Probosutedjo, termasuk yang berada di lingkungan “njeron beteng”. Jadi, tidak ada salahnya, meski hanya semalam, bergaya sejenak seperti keluarga Sultan. Juga tidak salah kalau hotel dan juga restoran (yang sudah terlebih dahulu ada) menyebut diri sebagai “The Most Elegant Prince House for Lunch & Dinner”.

Arsitektur Ndalem Ngabean sangat Jawa, lengkap dengan pendoponya. Tidak hanya itu bangunan dan lingkungannya boleh dibilang sebagai duplikatnya Keraton, bahkan hingga ke bagian detilnya, mulai ukiran bahkan warnanya yang dominan hijau. Meski bergaya klasik, bukan berarti fasilitasnya juga kuno, karena Ndalem Ngabean dilengkapi dengan fasilitas modern – lengkap dengan kolam renangnya yang terkesan masa kini.

Ndalem Ngaben, selain berada di dalam kompleks Istana Kraton Yogyakarta, juga berdekatan dengan Tamansari, Museum Sonobudaya, Museum Gamelan, dan Museum Kereta. Tentu saja dekat dengan Pasar Ngasem, pasar tradisional Yogyakarta yang tidak dijumpai di kota-kota lain. Di sini tidak hanya ada makanan bakpia saja – yang sudah populer secara nasional, tapi juga yang lebih tradisional, seperti clorot, apem, semar mendem, hawuk-hawuk, lemper, gebleg dari Kulonprogo, yangko dari Kotagede.

Sebagai kota wisata, Yogyakarta yang kini makin modern – sudah mempunyai mal mewah lengkap dengan Starbuksnya, sebenarnya masih banyak menyimpan berbagai pesona yang belum seluruhnya tergali. (Burhan Abe)

Wine for Asia 2011: Lucrative & Palatable

Culinary

Burhan Abe

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September 8, 2011

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Wine for Asia 2011: Lucrative & Palatable

WORLD’S wine industry is counting Asia with the phenomenal increase in wine consumption that has built lucrative markets in the region.

With the world supply of premium wine outstripping demand, and the custom of wine drinking is rapidly gaining ground in Asian countries, many wine exporters are eyeing to establish new markets in Asia. In Indonesia, the trend has the tendency to increase with more and more people discovering the pleasure of drinking wine.

To give the world a better understanding of Asian markets, Wine For Asia (WFA) returns for its ninth annual event featuring 370 exhibitors from 23 countries and 10 country pavilions.

Scheduled to take place on 27-28 October 2011 at Suntec Singapore, the esteemed WFA 2011 will present as many as 3,000 trade professionals from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, India, China, Hong Kong and more.

WFA 2011 is organised by MP International and Wine Resources and will house over 5,000 sqm exhibition showcasing a broad array of wines from Australia, Chile, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Singapore and Spain. The event is expected to attract more than 4,000 visitors worldwide.

“The two-day event truly provides opportunities to meet reputable distributors from Asia while building network with high wine society members,” Malcolm Tham, programme director of WFA, says. “It’s one way to facilitate the drive to boost the wine business for wine trade.”

In addition to showcasing myriad collections of variety wines from across the world, the event will hold programs such as Bordeaux and Italian wine master classes by wine experts such as Antonio Borco and Louis Radman. The wine master classes will feature wines from France, Australia, Chile, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece and Germany.

There will also be product launch of Italian wines and F&B industry forum by FBMA Singapore. The forum presents eminent industry players to share their experience while taking participants into an insight of F&B industry outlook.

Among the interesting highlights at WFA 2011 is Wine Style Asia Award (WSAA). First launched in 2004, WSAA has gained much recognition. “And this year event will present 500 entries from overseas wineries and local importers and distributors. WSAA will confer the awards at a high-profile gala dinner,” Tham adds.

An elite panel of distinguished international and regional wine experts will be the judge to select award-winning wines in The Wine Style Asia Award (WSAA), the wine competition held in conjunction with WFA 2011.

The 10 Favorite Tourism Destinations in Indonesia

Destination

Burhan Abe

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September 6, 2011

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WHILE a holiday abroad is indeed delightful, many Indonesians forget that domestic tours are equally unbeatable. Remember, Indonesia is the largest archipelagic country in the world with over 17,000 islands and each certainly has its own unique plus points. Indonesia has five large islands: Sumatra with an area of 473,606 square kilometers, Java (132,107 square kilometers), Kalimantan (the world’s third largest island, 539,460 square kilometers, Sulawesi (189,216 square kilometers) and Papua with an area of 421,981 square kilometers.

The following are the 10 favorite tourism destinations in Indonesia:

1. Jakarta

Jakarta is Indonesia’s center of government and with a population of more than 11 million it is both an enchanting metropolitan city and a tourism destination. Jakarta has complete facilities and infrastructure to support it as a metropolitan city. Some of the tourism destinations and recreation centers available in the city are as follows: Sunda Kelapa port, various museums, National Monument (Monas), Ragunan Zoo, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Imax theater “Keong Emas” (Golden Snail), Senayan Park, Fantasy World, Ancol Dream Park with its Sea World and a lot more.

2. Bali

Tourism in Bali is one of the most advanced and developed in the country as it has various tourism sites, including natural, historical and cultural attractions. The island’s natural tourist attractions include the panoramic Kintamani crater lake, Kuta beach, Legian, Sanur, Tanah Lot, Nusa Panida, Nusa Dua, Karang Asem, Batur Lake, Bedugul Lake, Sangieh conservation area, West Bali National Park and the Menjangan Island Sea Park.

The cultural tourist attractions include 83 sites, such as the art related tourism in Ubud, the sacred site of Tanah Lot, the Barong ceremony in Jimbaran and numerous art shops and galleries that are cropping up over the entire island. Bali also has tourist sites of historical value, such as the heritage of Karangasem, Klungkung and Buleleng kingdoms.

3. Yogyakarta

In Indonesia’s tourism map Yogyakarta takes second position after Bali. It has a variety of tourist attractions and the province has well developed tourist facilities and infrastructure. There are no less than 70,000 handicraft industries here in addition to other supporting facilities, such as accommodation and various means of transportation. There are countless restaurants and foodstalls/vendors, travel agents and tourist guides as well as tourism security force locally known as Bhayangkara Wisata.

Yogyakarta also has a number of unique tourism destinations, such as the Sultan’s Palace (Kraton), Prambanan temple and silver craft work in Kotagede. Yogyakarta indeed presents a wide range of tourist attractions for visitors.

4. West Java

The West Javanese people are known for their religiosity, rich cultural heritage and traditional values. This province also has various natural, cultural and historical tourist attractions. Among the natural ones are: Puncak, Salabintana, Lembang, Tangkuban Perahu, Papandayan mountain, Bogor Park, Juanda Forest Park in Bandung, Gunung Gede National Park and Pangrango, Ujung Kulon National Park, Pelabuhan Ratu beach at Sukabumi, Pangandaran beach at Ciamis and Carita at Anyer.

Some of the historical-cum-cultural tourist sites are Cangkuang temple at Leles, Garut, the Baduy village and Sisingaan Tasikmalaya, and historical sites, such as Kasepuan Palace in Cirebon, Old Banten in Naga village, Serang, the stone age heritage (Megalithicum) at Cipari, Kuningan, and the Boscha observatory in Bandung.

5. East Java

Among the natural tourist attractions available in East Java are Sarangan Lake, Tretes, Mount Bromo National Park, Tengger, Ketanggungan mountain at Arjuna, Mount Semeru, Purwo forest and Baturetno in Malang, Pasir Putih beach at Situbondo, Popoh beach, Pacitan beach and Ngliyep beach.

The province’s cultural-cum-historical tourist sites include the following temples: Panataran, Jawi, Jago and Singosari in Malang. There is the Karapan Sapi (bull race) on the island of Madura, labuhan ceremony along the beaches of the southern coast, the traditional reog ritual at Ponorogo and ludruk (folk theater in which all parts are played by men).

Historical sites include the grave sites of Muslim religious leaders, such as: Sunan Ampel, Sunan Giri, Sunan Bonang, Sunan Mojoagung, Sunan Drajat and then there is the tomb of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, in Blitar. There is also Trowulan, the remnants of the Majapahit kingdom as well as the Empu Tantular museum.

Seeking Good Health and Beauty Care in the Lion State

Destination

Burhan Abe

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August 10, 2011

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Seeking Good Health and Beauty Care in the Lion State

A rumor is circling that well-known singer Syahrini had plastic surgery to enhance her appearance for the stage. A source revealed that the singer of “Aku Tak Biasa” (I’m not used to it) spent millions of rupiah having surgery on various parts of her body, including the nose and buttocks.

The fact that many Indonesian celebrities have undergone plastic surgery is not unusual. Titi DJ, Becky Tumewu and Ruth Sahanaya have all admitted to having procedures, including tummy tucks and breast enhancements. Krisdayanti, another renowned singer, has also openly acknowledged having plastic surgery in Singapore.

Plastic surgery is no longer taboo for celebrities, especially for esthetic reasons. Singapore is the most frequently mentioned destination for such procedures. Indeed, the city-state, besides being a shopper’s haven, is widely known as a health tour destination. Many government officials and wealthy people from many countries visit Singapore for this purpose.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has even crowned Singapore for the quality of its healthcare in Asia and ranked it No. 6 in the world. The 707.1-square-kilometer city is widely known for its excellent hospitals and expert doctors and it has lots of international standard hospitals to serve patients from a large number of countries.

Patients not only from neighboring countries — still developing ones — travel to Singapore for treatment but those from highly developed countries also visit the country for its extensive medical services. This was previously quite unimaginable.

This is because high-tech medical equipment and professional doctors are no longer the monopoly of highly developed countries where the cost can be prohibitive. So Singapore provides quality services at a lower cost than say the United States. This has drawn a large number of patients to Singapore.

In view of the potential, it is unsurprising that Singapore strives to maintain the quality of its services. As a matter of fact, Singapore’s medical and healthcare facilities have been acknowledged as the best in Southeast Asia. In addition, both the Singapore government and private hospitals keep enhancing their service by making further breakthroughs through intensive research.

Singapore’s quality medical and health services, offered at an affordable price, lure a huge number of patients annually from many countries, especially Asian countries, including Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Malaysia should not be underestimated either as it has earned a huge amount of foreign exchange from medical services extended to patients from a number of countries. This sector has made a profitable contribution to Malaysia’s economy.

The Malaysia Hospitals Association estimates that the sector contributed as much as Rp 1.78 trillion in 2010 from about 625,000 foreign patients. Frost & Sullivan’s Indonesian country director, Eugene van de Weerd, says that medical tourism has made a significant contribution to the economy of several Asian countries and has become an important component for the planning and development of their health and medical services.

According to a press release by Van de Weerd, the market value of medical tourism in Asia, especially Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India, reached US$3 billion from 2007 to 2008 and is set to increase to $4.4 billion by 2012.

Tradisi, Budaya, dan Alam Asri di Gunung Geulis

Feature

Burhan Abe

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August 4, 2011

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Tradisi, Budaya, dan Alam Asri di Gunung Geulis

JAKARTA adalah rimba bangunan modern, tapi siapa nyana hanya satu jam perjalanan dengan mobil, terdapat resor alami dengan pemandangan alam yang sungguh asri. Di kawasan Gunung Geulis, menjelang Puncak, Bogor inilah saya dan beberapa teman media menemukan Amalina, nama resor ini yang sebetulnya belum sempurna, karena belum menerima tamu untuk menginap, tapi hanya untuk function tertentu saja.

Memasuki Amalina serasa back to nature, jauh dari hiruk-pikuk kehidupan Metropolitan Jakarta. Bangunan tradisional, dengan fasilitas modern, membuat kami bisa berlama-lama di sini. Tidak perlu AC, karena udara sekitar sungguh sejuk alami. Ditemani dengan makanan ‘desa’ – nasi putih, sayur asem, ikan goreng, tahu, tempe, dan sambal tentu saja, lengkap sudah kenikmatan siang itu, Kamis, 26 Juli 2011.

Amalina berasal dari kata dari bahasa Arab yang berarti “berkah yang terus menerus mengalir”. Konsep yang diterapkan di Amalina adalah pelestarian lingkungan dan budaya yang diaplikasikan dalam bentuk rumah-rumah tradisional warisan leluhur bangsa Indonesia yang akrab dan menyatu dengan alam sekitar.

Saat ini Amalina memiliki tiga rumah tradisional Indonesia, yaitu Rumah Bali, Rumah Jawa tipe Joglo dan Rumah Banjar tipe Bubungan Tinggi. Ketiga rumah tradisional ini dibangun dengan tetap mempertahankan keaslian dan karakteristik daerahnya, namun dengan mengakomodir kebutuhan kehidupan moderen.

Ketiga bangunan di Amalina dibangun tanpa merusak lingkungan. Setiap batu yang ditemukan saat pembangunan diletakkan ditempatnya atau dijadikan ornamen bangunan. Bangunan juga didirikan di lahan yang tidak ditumbuhi pohon-pohon besar agar kelestarian lingkungan dapat terjaga.

Danau yang ada di kawasan Amalina ini dahulunya adalah sawah milik pribadi yang kemudian dialihfungsikan menjadi sumber pengairan bagi penduduk sekitar karena di luar area ini sumber air tidak mudah didapat. Air yang mengisi danau berasal dari 9 mata air yang berada di kawasan sekitar Rumah Bali.

Rumah Bali – Amaputri

Kompleks rumah Bali yang diberi nama “Amaputri” adalah bangunan yang pertama kali didirikan di Amalina, yaitu tahun 2004 – 2005. Konsep arsitektur Bali sengaja pertama kali dipilih karena Bali telah dikenal luas, baik dalam skala nasional maupun internasional. Oleh karenanya dari mulai gerbang depan Amalina, konsep Bali sudah diterapkan.

Ada tiga bangunan Amaputri, yaitu “Wantilan” yang merupakan bangunan tempat berkumpul, kamar tidur dan mushalla. Semua bangunan didominasi material alami, yaitu alang-alang, bambu, rotan, kayu dan batu, yang semuanya merupakan kekayaan alam Indonesia. Atap bangunan menggunakan alang-alang dengan buluh bambu yang diikat dengan rotan. Alang-alang merupakan tanaman sejenis rumput liar yang dikeringkan dan kemudian dijalin untuk disusun menjadi atap.

Wantilan

Struktur bangunan Wantilan menggunakan kayu ulin dari Kalimantan Selatan. Pemilihan kayu ulin dikarenakan curah hujan di area Amalina sangat tinggi dan sifat kayu ulin, semakin terkena air, akan semakin kuat. Sedangkan untuk lantai, menggunakan kayu Bingkirai, juga dari Kalimantan Selatan.

Lapisan dinding Wantilan menggunakan batu paras Bali. Sedangkan ornamen Bali di belakang “gebyok” menggunakan batu candi dari Jawa Tengah dan dindingnya menggunakan batu “Krobogan” dari daerah Krobogan – Bali. Keunikan batu “Krobogan” ini adalah, batu ini ditumbuhi sejenis lumut tertentu yang tidak hidup di batu lainnya dan lumut ini akan memperindah tampilan batu tersebut hingga kelihatan antik. Pemandangan ini banyak dilihat pada bangunan-bangunan di Bali.

Area toilet menggunakan material batu terazzo, yang dikerjakan dengan cara “polished finishing” maupun “rough finishing”.

Sebagian besar furnitur terbuat dari kayu. Topping untuk Coffee Table merupakan kayu jati tua bekas bantalan kereta api jaman Belanda yang dipadu dengan kaki pohon. Papan bangku berasal dari Timor, Nusa Tenggara; sedangkan meja lampu yang ada di Wantilan dulunya merupakan lesung untuk menumbuk padi yang diberi topping kaca.

Beach Party @ The Acacia Anyer

Hospitality

Burhan Abe

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August 2, 2011

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DULU organisasi untuk profesi wartawan hanya satu, yaitu Persatuan Wartawan Indonesia (PWI) yang pada masa Orde Baru sangat ‘powerfull’. Tapi setelah reformasi lahirlah berbagai organisasi tandingan yang tidak kalah bergiginya, lebih independen dan mempunyai tujuan lebih jelas.

Salah satunya adalah Himpunan Anak Media (HAM), yang menghimpun para wartawan dan anak-anak yang bekerja di media. Saat ini diketuai Hadi Suwarno. Organisasi, tepatnya paguyuban ini, memiliki tujuan yang lebih praktis, menjembatani antara media dan nara sumber – yang kebanyakan bergerrak dalam bidang hotel dan hospitality. Maka, jangan heran kalau agendanya, yang terkesan di permukaan, adalah makan-makan dan jalan-jalan.

Salah satunya adalah Trial Media Gathering Beach Party @ The Acacia Anyer, 22 – 23 Juli 2011. Selain mengenal lebih jauh properti yang baru dibuka tahun ini, tentu saja pesta pantai!

Acara yang diorganisasikan oleh manajemen dan staf The Acacia Jakarta ini diawali dari di Fountain Bar The Acacia Jakarta sebagai tempat keberangkatan dan berakhir di tempat itu pula. Bis mewah White Horse membawa 27 orang dari 18 media menuju Anyer dan mengembalikannya ke Jakarta tentunya. Selain White Horse , acara ini juga didukung oleh Grand Odiseus Fitness & Spa The Acacia Jakarta, Elite Club Episentrum Rasuna.

Pesta sebetulnya sudah berlangsung di sepanjang perjalanan, karena bis yang pertama kali digunakan Zbuss buatan Eropa ini dilengkapi dengan karaoke. Para wartawan yang pekerjaannya menulis itu ternyata juga jago menyanyi – tidak penting suaranya merdu atau fals. Yang penting fun! Keceriaan itu berlanjut sampai ke resor, mulai dari BBQ party, nyanyi-nyanyi, hingga water sport.

The Acacia Anyer adalah salah satu properti baru The Acacia Hotels & Resorts yang berlokasi di Jalan Raya Anyer – Carita KM 28, Serang, Banten. Berkonsep resort & lounge properti ini memiliki 30 kamar berbagai tipe, mulai dari deluxe, executive, junior executive hingga family suite. Desain interiornya adalah paduan seni dan kemewahan ala Eropa dengan pelayanan keramahan khas Asia, khususnya Indonesia. Kenyamanan, kesejukan suasana pantai, dan indahnya panorama alam menambah daya pikat dan keistimewaan hotel ini.

Untuk mendukung sebagai hotel pilihan untuk bisnis maupun liburan, The Acacia Anyer menyediakan fasilitas ruang pertemuan royaljasmine yang berkapasitas hingga 30 orang serta ruang terbuka upper room serba guna yang cocok untuk berbagai pesta dapat mengakomodasi hingga 300 orang. Di lantai ini pula terdapat ruang executivekaraoke. Riverside Fountain Bar adalah bar utama untuk bersantai atau berbisnis sambil menikmati berbagai varian minuman dan makanan ringan. Promenade Café menyuguhkan hidangan tradisional, western, dan international. Kapasitas tempat duduknya mencukupi hingga 80 tempat duduk.

Kolam renang untuk berbagai generasi dari anak – anak, remaja hingga dewasa. Serta menyediakan berbagai fasilitas olah raga hingga arena bermain anak atau playground ala pantai.

Yang menginginkan layanan pribadi, hotel ini juga menawarkan lima privateroom yang disediakan bagi tamu yang menginginkan layanan ekslusif. Di dalamnya terdapat fasilitas private, seperti lounge, bar, ada ruang yang berfungsi sebagai ruang makan juga bisa berfungsi sebagai ruang rapat, dan privatekaraoke.

Menurut PR Manager The Acacia Jakarta, Sidik Kadarsyah, Acacia Anyer mengupayakan melayani dan menyesuaikan layanan standar hotel bintang empat. Lokasinya berada dekat dengan beberapa objek wisata favorit di Anyer, kawasan industri Krakatau Steel, serta tak jauh dari pintu keluar tol Merak.

Sampai saat ini The Acacia Hotels & Resorts mengoperasikan sejumlah properti di berbagai kota besar beberapa provinsi di Indonesia antara lain: The Acacia Jakarta, The Acacia Batam, Batam Hill Golf & Resort, Bukit Darmo Golf (Surabaya), dan tentu saja The Acacia Anyer. Dalam waktu dekat Acacia juga akan memperluas ekpansinya ke Solo, Jawa Barat, dan Bali.

Artinya, media gathering party agaknya tidak berhenti sampai di sini. Yeaaaahh…

Cosmo Launches iPad-Only Magazine for Men

Feature

Burhan Abe

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August 2, 2011

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Cosmo Launches iPad-Only Magazine for Men

Cosmopolitan, long the resident authority on heterosexual dating and mating for teenage and adult women alike, has launched its first magazine for men, CFG: Cosmo for Guys. Men won’t find this guide to women by women on newsstands, however. Instead, CFG is launching solely on the iPad, available via the App Store [iTunes link] for $1.99 per issue, $3.99 per month or $19.99 per year.

Cosmo Editor-in-Chief Kate White believes there is a demand for the product. Approximately 7.4% of Cosmo‘s readership is male, according to data from MRI. And more than one-third of visitors to cosmo.com every month are men, White says.

Since White arrived at the magazine in 1998, she says she has received hundreds of letters and emails from men who confessed that they were stealing their girlfriends’ or their wives’ copies when they weren’t around. “They said it was like having the other team’s playbook,” she recalls. “And a fair number of those emails said I ought to do something for guys.”

White says she mocked up a cover for a men’s Cosmo years ago, but couldn’t imagine men actually purchasing it. But when the iPad came along, she realized that it would allow men to read privately, in a way that was more interactive and engaging than what a website could offer.

Furthermore, the iPad has enabled Cosmo to test out, in a cost-efficient manner, what is still an arguably volatile market for magazines. With the exception of one “special projects” hire, White was able to leverage Cosmo‘s existing editorial and design resources to produce the magazine, which is scheduled to publish 12 issues over the next year.

The app itself is strong. In fact, with its moving flowcharts, resizable video and compactly designed features, it’s much more interactive and engaging than the bonus issue Cosmo released for the iPad this spring.

Working in conjunction with Hearst’s digital team, Cosmo‘s design department has departed from the magazine format a little, especially from a navigation standpoint. Instead of a traditionally crowded table of contents, for instance, the app’s home screen features five pairs of section titles and thumbnails to choose between. Users can hold down one of the thumbnails to display all of the stories in that section.

I was particularly impressed with the “Will She Like It?” and “Read Her Mind” features, which pull in live poll data from cosmo.com to help men understand what fashion trends women find appealing, and what movie they are going to want to see this weekend, among other things.

Whether the app itself succeeds, White intends to build out the CFG franchise. This fall, the team is launching both a CFG radio show on SiriusXM (channel 109) and a book bearing the CFG label.

As for the original Cosmo? White says it’s coming to the iPad soon. Meanwhile, it’s enjoying strong sales on Barnes & Noble’s Nook ereader alongside many other women’s magazines on the device. (Lauren Indvik)

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