go // darwin

(Last year, I went down under once again after that solo trip to Sydney. This time-- I went with Dito. Four months passed and I had no chance to actually reflects on it nor write anything about it. At the moment, Dito and I are having a mini break doing staycation with our baby rabbit, Ubi. I can not think of any better time to write. So, lets start with Darwin..)

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Oh, Darwin.. Darwin.. Darwin! I didn't expect anything at all before I arrived. I've heard about the enormous crocodiles stories and Mars-like landscapes but I was invited there to give a talk and attend an art summit. In my mind, the five days I'd spend there would be all about work, two days of nine-hours conference, networking drinks afterwards, and just a bit of getaway each now and then. I was wrong.

Darwin was like an unexpected soirée: it was full of conversations and good drinks. The first night we arrived, there was a familiar yet extremely strange sense in the air. The city was unusually still and quiet. The first strangeness we felt was how dark it is as a city in a first-world country. And yet, there is a lovable quirkiness about it. As soon as the light shine on it, I know that we are in the Wonderful World of Oz. The light shines in a way that enhance the colors of the land and everything on it. The weather was hot and dry, it almost reminds me of Bali, only quirkier. The soil was red, the dessert and the creek was just few minutes away from the housing area, the water was dark turquoise, and the sky was deep blue. Just when I thought that the land was intense enough-- there was the animal! I never saw so many kind of birds in one area, sharing space with human. Not to mention the infamous gigantic crocodile known to roam the seaside, sharks and deadly jellyfish in that turquoise water, the green ants living inside the leaves, and all that is strangely wonderful. It is also very close to the many tribes of indigenous people, And above all, the Darwinians has a special place in our heart.

Dito and I; we spend the morning cycling to the seaside, looking for black parrot and find many surprises. The talk at the consulate was especially uplifting for us and we make many new friends (and many bottles of wine) on the process. During the summit, we sneaked a bit to the seaside, sit in the park for hours, having more Archie Moore moments, exploring the museum, went to the Saturday market just to get addicted to the yummiest inari sushi, had breakfast with sesame toast and rose-petal jam (both inari sushi and rose-petal jam become a continued story at our next destination-- I was obsessed), went to the botanical garden, took a detour around the peninsula, and all the leisurely days spent with the friendliest people. Some of my favorite moments are to find Maurice, our host, reminded us of our good friend, Malcolm, in so many good ways. It makes us love him even more. And all the talks we had with the charming David and extraordinary Matty (who understand the wine and the drinks better than anyone else). I love love love all the mundane detail in Amina's house and how sweet she is in so many ways. How we bonded through a couple of frogs named Cat and Dog that live in the toilet. All the strange wild-life voices outside our bedroom that makes it feels like we are camping in a wood (and I'm loving the idea). That time when we crash into someone's birthday party by a big jellyfish statue at the seaside, drinking and talking about life while looking at the distance city light. That one was started out weird and ended up magical.

And at the end of our short visit, they organize a small farewell picnic involving dumplings, dry martini on fancy glass, hermit crabs walking silently around our rugs, and one dish I will always remember: boiled asparagus and  halloumi cheese. From my experience, what people say about the food in Darwin's restaurants being so-so and overpriced are probably true. Yet, the Darwinians know how to make up for that and serve really good home-cooked meal! Arriving with no idea of Darwin, we leave with good memories of all the delicious simple foods and aching heart of having to say goodbye to our new friends (who reminds me so much of our gank back home). The night when we have to say goodbye and fly to Melbourne, of course, as a major weeper as myself.. I weep and weep and weep. After five days spent in a city with good vibe, good friend, and good view.. I remember what Pooh said: "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard". 

thought // the question

"One is always tempted to be unfaithful to one’s own country. To have imagination is inevitably to be dissatisfied with where you live…in our wanderlust, we are lovers looking for consummation." || Elisabeth Eaves ||

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(Have you ever get out of your comfort zone for a while, taking a step back, and start having these questions about life? Things start to seem a bit more clear and yet, we can't help but somehow get drifted farther away. 

Those questions and the process of questioning life as we know it.. is what I look for whenever I get out of my comfort zone and shake things up. It's not always about travelling to a place far away but that particular thing usually does the trick. There will be the first one week when everything I see and do start to feel new and interesting. Then, there comes the gloom, the loneliness, and the questions. The more I learn something new.. the more I feel like I don't know enough. To me, it feels like drinking salt-water: the more I drink, the more I get thirsty.  

The distance allows me to think about life: how I want to live it and imagine it to be. I feel like I need more time to just read and digest all the books and ideas, rethink about what I have learned, and even reconsider my long-buried urge to go back to school. There is a need to learn something new~ to share exciting thoughts and ideas with friends. To think about love and the longing feeling to go home when we are away. It makes me question about loneliness and independence; and how to grow up without growing apart from your friends.  At the end, it leaves me with a wish to travel more often and shake things up in my comfort zone. Then again, don't you have to keep on moving to stay alive?)

note // 01

"Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty would change us." || Jonathan Safran Foer ||

eat. go. do. // sydney

(last month, I spent ten days in Sydney. It feels like a breathe of fresh air in my warm comfort zone. The fresh air was very chilly, by the way. I was there during the mid-winter and spending day to day fighting with the winter bite.. but still, Sydney has been very lovely. The people are nice, the city is especially green and gorgeous, the food are indulging, and the sky~ oh.. don't let me start talking about the sky and those rippling clouds! 

I also love the solitary walk! It feels somehow meditative. Walking alone in a random bookstore talking about the shopkeeper's favorite book that he would recommend is probably one of the moment I'd like to remember. I spent most of my time there working (read: studio visits, gallery and museum hopping, writing, and joining talks about art); but I was lucky enough to have a friend who shows me around the city, the tourist spot, the beach, and up to the cabin in the wood!)

//eat//

I didn't go and eat out as much as I usually do when I'm in a new city, but here are a few of my favorite place around Surry Hills (where I stayed): 1/ line up at Bourke Street Bakery for their famous ginger creme brulee tart (it's a 'thing' to do in the morning.) 2/ grab a cup Almond & Macadamia milk cappuccino at Reuben Hills (they serve crocodile meat too!). 3/ have Asian stir fry, sausage roll, or meat pie on the go to eat at the park! 4/ have fish 'n chips and king prawn on a picnic by the sea.. 5/ chill out and treat yourself for a glass of wine and a slice of cheese at Formaggi Ocello. 6/ line up to get a scoop of nitrogen ice cream or Gelato Messina in the mid-winter afternoon.. "because it's not a gelato: it's Messina!", they said.. (I know.. it doesn't actually make sense to line up in a four-degree-celcius mid-winter afternoon for an ice cream.. but apparently, it's a 'thing')

//go// 

there are so many bookstores to go but I only went to some walking-distance bookstores around the neighborhood. My favorites are: 1/ Pentimento-- super cute! it reminds me a little bit of Cat Socrates in Singapore.. 2/ Magnation-- if you're crazy about sidestream magazine, here's heaven! 3/ Elizabeth-- it's not so great but if you're willing to spend hours and hours digging for treasures for bargain second-hand book.. this is the place. 4/ Title-- most of their collection is about music and film but when I was there, they have 30% off mid-winter sale and I got Brassai's book for $17.5 only! 5/ Oscar & Friends-- my personal favorite. The shopkeeper is passionate about book and they have a section called 'Beautiful Books' and just like that.. consider me sold! 6/ the Art Gallery of New South Wales' bookshop-- I died a little when I was browsing through the shelves! // as a part of my job, I went gallery and museum hopping quite a lot (and it was literally hopping-- seems like we're always on the run!). Some of my favorites are those that are architecturally stunning, such as: 1/ Alaska Art Project which is a contemporary art initiative located in a parking space where people usually sell used car.. 2/ Carriageworks-- during my visit, they have a show called "Hereby Make Protest".. the show was enlightening and the gallery is located in an old railway station which is .. magical! 3/ National Art School's Gallery was showing a powerful series of Chien-Chi Chang.. and the gallery used to be an old jail-- which is especially contextual with the works shown at that moment.. 4/ The Commercial Gallery is located inside a plain store building-- which make it reasonable to choose the name and the ongoing show at that time (work of art and 'self-portrait' presented as parfume-- yes, parfume!) 5/ The Conductor Project is an art project that shows artworks at two of the busiest train station in Sydney to get wider audience. // some other venues that I visited: 1/ 4A Center of Asian Contemporary Art-- it's where my curators' intensive was held.. 2/ Art Gallery of New South Wales where I finally see Monet's painting and Sol LeWitt's retrospective show in person..  3/ Artspace-- the space nor the work didn't exactly resonate with me but it was a good show nevertheless.. 4/ Museum of Contemporary Art Australia-- we were rushing because it was almost closing hour but we managed to get swayed by the video works by Taibamo 5/ Newsagency-- where the ladies from Indonesia had their show last year and the gallery has the sweetest cat ever! 6/ Gallery 9-- magical facade, minimalist artworks. // what I missed: 1/ First Draft 2/ Minerva 3/ Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation 4/ ACP 5/ Roslyn Oxley9 6/ White Rabbit 7/ Damien Minton 8/ Darren Knight Gallery

//do//

1/ if I could do it once again, I'd like to go for a slow long walk down the Botanical Garden, to the Opera House, and the circular quay.. which, I did in a very brisk walk because we were always on the run.. (and probably being the only 'touristy' thing I did in my visit) 2/ buy Lucas Papaw Ointment as a gift (everyone thinks it's a great idea: small, simple, local, and useful). 3/ climb the Barrenjoey Lighthouse in Palm Beach-- I was lucky that my friend took me to his summer house by the sea! It was a bit of a hike up to the lighthouse.. but if you are very very lucky.. you can see the whale migrating from that spot! 4/ go to the zoo or the Koala Park! (okay.. I didn't go there so I don't know what's inside the Koala park aside from koalas, of course.. but we drove past in on our way to my friend's home in the woods.. and then I realize: I haven't seen the koalas, the wallabies, and the kangaroos at all!! but well.. then there is a reason to visit the city once again!). 

let me think only about the sky!

(At this moment, I am desperately need a holiday from being concerned. Work has gotten to me lately. I just surprised myself by finishing nine articles for three magazines, two curatorial notes, one catalog essay, and six short online articles. All was done in one and a half months plus two weeks trips. Being back home only to find myself hosting ten dining parties in one week lead me to this point. 

This annual holiday open house ritual has made my house belong to many others: friends, families, and the loved ones. I actually enjoy the baking, the tidying up, and the daily get-together with different groups of closest people. It's heartwarming! It's just.. somehow my June and July has turned into numbers, words, trips, and to-do's. I need that kind of pause when you're so deep in a story that everything else is forgotten.. the world is gone and you are living a moment that is yours and yours alone. 

I am now in a holiday mode. Longing for more privacy; freedom to do whatever my heart tells, a pause to get lost in a good book for hours and hours, to go under the sun, sit on a park bench holding hand with him, transforming small poetic thoughts into something real, to be on the seaside and think only about the sky.. and for just one moment in life: stop making list in my head. For that, I have one more day before Lir start. 

Wish me luck and the fullest day to do nothing..)

retrouvailles

"I like to see people reunited. Maybe that's a silly thing but what can I say. I like to see people run to each other, I like the kissing and the crying, I like the impatience, the stories that the mouth can't tell fast enough, the ears that aren't big enough, the eyes that can't take in all the change. I like the hugging, the brining together, the end of missing someone." 

| jonathan safran foer |

(This is the last day of my amazing solo trip in Sydney. I hate to be cheesy but I start to lost count of how many times I miss him.. wishing that he was here sharing all the new senses, excitements, and smells.. wondering about how the simplest daily things in life feels new and magical once again. Tomorrow is the day when absence become presence and the distance between us is just one hug away. The last time distance keep us apart was during my three months internship at Bandung. I remember the weather back then was also as cold and I wrote to him everyday.. The end of my fight with this biting winter weather is also the end of missing him. 

I start to feel warm inside.)

until we meet again!

(when I was much younger, I always imagine myself as a solo traveler. Flying around the world, experiencing life to its fullest. Travelling solo was listed in my dream-list in my junior high school's notebook, high-school group journal, and diaries. It was until when I first travelling solo to Manila in 2004; it start giving me a chill. Then, after finding the perfect travel companion for life, travelling solo start to sound less fun compared to travelling with him. It excites me more to be able to share that beautiful curve of a quaint house, that bluest sky, that thrilling moment of trying strange stuff, a hug when it's too cold, and sharing the excitement of new found little shops or cafe.

Today, I am going to travel solo. It brings me back to my old dreams, combined with all the excitements and unusual thrills. Sure, there will be many firsts: first winter, first walk around the unknown territory, and the sensation of being alone. A good friend will be there guiding me, so, there is nothing to worry about. Plus, I will be pretty busy with the tight class schedule, studio visits, and gallery hopping. Still, I wish I could share it with you. 

I wish you well, until we meet again..)