Monologue Analogue

Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 with B/W negative film ISO100

taken around bandung by citra and velentina

I'm just not good at picking colours

So, I shoot in B/W instead...

 

to be continued...

“When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and white, you photograph their souls!” 

~ Ted Grant

This Morning, KFC Coffee

FYI: That's not a pair of chopsticks hhahaha :D

Just trying KFC's new premium hazelnut coffee. You may want to try it too. The taste is good, the price is quite reasonable. Eventhough I accidentally burnt my tounge, it was all worth it.

Oh, by the way, nice quotation :)

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[march twenty three at one forty four pm by citra]

On Warung Lela and You

Apa itu Warung Lela?

Kedai di bilangan Dago Atas itu adalah tempat terbaik untuk mendapatkan coklat panas. Bukan sekedar coklat panas biasa; buat saya, coklat panas yang dijual di sana adalah produk terbaik untuk mengusir mood negatif. Coklat panas ajaib. Lokasinya ditempatkan di wilayah terbaik, dengan udara dan pemandangan terbaik di Bandung. Interiornya didesain agar kita merasa sedang duduk-duduk di paviliun rumah. Benda-benda antik dan furnitur kayu memberi kesan etnik dan klasik pada tempat itu.

Menunya memang tidak variatif, tidak lebih variatif dari menu restoran waralaba cepat saji. Tapi mereka menyajikan yamin manis terenak setelah yamin-nya Restorja. Didampingi oleh coklat panas yang ajaib itu, makan di Wale merupakan bentuk lain dari relaksasi setelah penat berkegiatan sepanjang hari.

Jika senja berlalu - tidak seperti di lagu - hati tidak akan jadi pilu, karena musik pop taun 90 sampai awal 2000an yang dimainkan lewat pengeras suara dalam volume rendah secara konstan memanjakan indera pendengaran.

Tapi ini bukan promosi.

Kamis itu, saat kehabisan tiket Mancawarna Sarasvati, dan takut terjebak hujan, kita ke Wale, bersama untuk pertama kalinya. Saat itu Wale seperti biasa. Tempat terbaik untuk mendapatkan coklat panas dan yamin manis, dengan udara, pemandangan, dan interior ruangan terbaik.

Yang tidak biasa hari itu, saya berlama-lama.
Lama. Empat jam, kalau tidak salah.

Benar saja, turun hujan. Dari sore, petang, hingga malam.

Hari itu,
Tidak biasa, karena di sana saya satu meja dengan kamu.
Selama empat jam dalam komunikasi verbal-visual yang menyenangkan.

Dan sejak saat itu,
Kamu, hehe, iya kamu mengubah segalanya yang saya tahu tentang Wale.

Karena mulai hari itu, Wale tidak pernah akan sama lagi buat saya.
Bukan lagi kedai terbaik yang menjual coklat panas ajaib.
Bukan interior, udara, pemandangan, aroma yamin manis-nya, atau musik pop kesayangan yang bikin betah.

Semua itu tidak jadi cukup lagi, karena, Wale akan lebih baik dikunjungi jika bersama kamu.

For some of you who are coming from outside Bandung (or from Bandung as well), you may wonder what Warung Lela is.

Warung Lela, a noodle shop around Dago Atas, is the best place to get a cup of hot chocolate. As for me, it's not just an ordinary hot chocolate; it's the best product that can get rid of any negative moods. You can name it a magical hot chocolate.

The shop is located at the best terrain, with the best air and scenery on Bandung. Its interior design makes you feel like you are sitting in Grandma's warm living room. The knick-knacks, antique decorations and wooden furniture just give the place a touch of ethnicity.

The menu is not so varied though, not more than that of fast food joint. Yet they have the tastiest yamien ever tasted. Along with that magical hot chocolate, dining at Wale is a sort of relaxation after a long stressful day.

As the day turns into night, you wont be in blue since pop songs around 90s and late 2000s are continually soothing your ear bud in a low volume.

But this is neither another advertisement nor review. I'm not paid for this.

It's about that Thursday.

We missed out on the ticket to Mancawarna Sarasvati and it looked like rain. So we headed off to the upper Dago to get some food and shelter. So, to Wale we went, together for the first time.

That Thursday, Wale was just usual. The best place to get a cup of hot chocolate and yamien, with its best scenery and decorations.

Unusual thing was that I lingered... for four hours if not mistaken. It was raining, just like what we had predicted.

That Thursday

was unsual, because I sat there, engaged for four hours in a nice verbal-visual conversation with you.

And from that day on, you changed all the things I know about Wale.

Wale is never the same again.

It's no longer a noodle shop to get the best hot chocolate.

It's no longer the interior design, the air, the scenery, the sweet smell of yamien, or the pop musics that matter.

They are never satisfying enough, not without you.

Because it's you that will light up the place alive.

Warung Lela

Jl. Kupa No. 6, Rancakendal, Dago Atas

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for all the celebration :)

[march twentyone four minute to twelve pm by citra]

Melankolia

Cholil Mahmud of Efek Rumah Kaca performing Melankolia at Universitas Parahyangan, February 12, 2011.

Aloha, long time no post and suddenly came up with the picture and annoying title, not that I mention that I am in the state of melancholia, oh no, no, no, as a matter of fact, I am melancholic no more.

Well, not much to say in this sour if not bitter rendezvous. Just to make you, anyone nearby, aware that I'm back in business posting another annoying posts *evil grin, evil horns, evil tail*.

So, get prepared, mi señor y señora. Hasta la vista!

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will. post again. soon

[march eleven, twenty twelve at eight ante meridiem by citra]

Details in the Room

come up to meet you
tell you i'm sorry
you don't know how lovely you are


i had to find you
tell you i need you
tell you i set you apart


tell me your secrets
and ask me your question
oh, let's go back to the start



runnin' in circle
comin' our tails
heads on the science apart


nobody said it was easy

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*words are taken from: Coldplay - The Scientist*

[june twentyfirst zero five am by citra]

"God Bless Saturday"

Hmm... Saturday. Some people are just excited when it comes because it means you can go outside, hang or date till midnight and your parents are like: 'Well, it's Saturday night'; some stressed, they got no plan, no friend, no boy/girlfriend and they end up whinning and complaining about it on facebook and twitter. Me? I'm in between. I'm the one who does not believe in what-Saturday-should-like procedure, because I believe Morrissey is right: 'Everyday is like Sunday'. haha.

Well, this is what my Saturday look like:

I find reading is one of enjoyable activity and today, I read Concept. Kinda getting inspired.



Besides, I do the Internet things like social-networking, reading articles, and blogging.



Texting with this person whom I luuuuuuuurrrrrvvv so much. Let's call it 'Text Date'.




And sometimes, I just need to go to the bathroom. haha.

I like this Saturday. I feel so blessed because I do things I like. And, how I love my bedroom now, I have cleaned it, and it is...just...clean =).

So, how's your Saturday, mates?

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*the title was taken from one of my facebook friend's status*
[june eighteenth at four fourtysix by citra]

The Rise of Karinding

On last Thursday, June 9, I got a job as photographer in a Junior High School Graduation Party, school at which my father teaches. The event was good, there were choirs, drama, and bands. But there was one performance from the graduates that really captivated me. They presented a traditional performance using instrument called Karinding.

Karinding is one of Sundanese music instrument. It is made out of dried Enau or bamboo tree and can produce unique sound. To make it works, you just put it near your mouth, and tap one of its tips with you finger so that its limber part will produce a vibration of sound. The vibration will be held in your mouth cavity which functions as resonator. The way you shape your mouth cavity arranges the vibration into the intended tone. Karinding is usually played along with Celempung and Suling.

Karinding

Celempung


Suling

This traditional instrument from West Java is getting popular but not in a massive way because I have not found it televised yet (I don't know. Have you?). Perhaps, the instrument are known around Bandung and cities nearby. I, myself, have known the instrument since I attended Sarasvati's microgigs several months ago. The gigs featured Karinding Attack, a group which creates music using traditional instrument, mainly karinding.

I'm surely glad that some people are just concerned about our traditional art like Karinding. Not only Karinding Attack, but also some indie bands just begin to include karinding in their music, like Sarasvati in their previous gigs featuring Karinding Attack several times ago, and Katjie & Piering whose music reminds us to Bandung back in '20s (check my review of Katjie & Piering here).

Good news is that we actually have a place where we can learn karinding and other traditional instruments like suling and kecapi. It's in Common Room Bandung. They have a routine agenda including Karinding class with Hendra Attack every Friday at 4 p.m till 7 p.m.

And I just really enjoyed the show of these 15-year-old kids playing karinding, suling and celempung as well as I enjoyed photographing them. As I asked them where they learn it, they said that they learn it by themselves and they're inspired by Karinding Attack.
Here they are some photos I took:

Oh, and FYI, they also covered "..." (Tiga Titik Hitam) from Burgerkill in the end of the show, but not using karinding, instead, they did full-set (electric guitar, bass, and drum). I like them, but unfortunately, I forgot to ask their names. Haha. My bad.
Well, you do great, kids, just keep going rising our tradition =).

Reference:
http://unordinary-world.blogspot.com/2010/06/karinding-seni-bunyi-penakluk-hati.html

Photo source:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1sQXVeZ2RyHNcWJAD0loQ_SRYmUXPcXB0k8CunrYPB-mP4iI2SgVxO8n4KzT1CyoABAXMMckTLEpO97DECTeZ0YyrjKSlhDl3US9TrsI-nBIVzpYwKdzAyLrZAHRLopHYpG3ZL3PKOWQ/s1600/KARINDING+1.jpg
http://mus431.com/MUS431_Files/instruments/indonesia/suling.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU92m1w0uV9ysTrl6XAeq0rHuQQ2RywZWIiirzv-L7O7f999XHWA25mkLdoAI1yin2GfVJg4sQiXKeGkRQew7f67GzoAK87g5hHVFcyrUrU7UnJ6o9xG6NK0dEWNfDo8mVowEL6O6WLgA/s400/celempung-8.jpg

Further info:
Common Room [http://commonroom.info/]
Karinding Attack [http://www.myspace.com/karindingattack]

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[june eleventh one twenty two in the morning by citra]

One of Those Fine Nights

Taking photographs at Braga Street seems so last year these days (in my opinion, of course). You know, too many photographs taking place here; from casual, documentary, to pre-wedding photographs. Go check your facebook friends' profile picture, you'll find at least a photo of them in front of that white-brick wall house (most of them take pictures there), even I have those photos at Braga haha. But, last night, Velentina and I went there. Along with Niko, I took some photos of her (and I asked her to strike poses in front of that house haha).

In this photoshoot, I didn't focus too much on setting. I found a new style in taking photos, here they are.

I used long shutter (1/10 - 1/6), wide aperture (f/3.5), wide angel (18mm), and rear flash mode to have those effects. I saw photographer fellows having those mix of blurry-shining, -ah you name it - photographs. I've been wondering how they do that. And last night, I found it! Pretty cool though for this is the first time I use this style.
Next time, I'm gonna apply it in taking stage photographs. Hope it'll do so much.

Despite of that photography stuff, we were really having a good night together. =)

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*thankies, Mony. *smooch*
[may fourteenth at four past three pm by citra]