Friday, January 28, 2005

LAMBIEK galerie, stripwinkel & stripantiquariaat


http://www.lambiek.net
Lambiek is a very resourceful place for comics, strips, graphic novels, novelties and everything related to it; its collections are vast and abundant. This website has a Comiclopedia, perhaps the most complete ever in the world. Go here when you need info about comics and such.

Official Opening of "Lambiek" Galerie, Stripwinkel & Stripantiquariaat




This evening (Friday 28 Jan 2005) was the opening of Lambiek at its new location at Kerkstraat, Amsterdam. I've been going to this place since I first came to Holland and lived in Eindhoven (I dropped by Lambiek everytime I came to Amsterdam, that is). That would be 1998. When I moved to Amsterdam (in 2000), of course I visited this place more frequently, at their original location, their very first store and gallery. I got acquinted with the people over there, who are always so helpful and resourceful - concerning comics and all that are relevant to it, of course. You'll see rightaway that they're the kind of people who knows what they're talking about.

My relationship with this place was most intense in the year 2002, when I and some Indonesian comic-artist friends were preparing "Madjoe!" - an Indonesian comics exhibition in The Netherlands - as a part of the Stripdagen Haarlem. Lambiek played a big role here, since we found our contacts, who made everything possible, through Lambiek website. Morerover, Lambiek has a collection of old Indonesian comics that are very rare and priceless; we've got the honor to be trusted and had the permission to borrow them for the exhibition.
Around the same year, Lambiek has also developed their website with a vast Comiclopedia: a list of comic artists from all around the world. I am truly amazed by their generousity in spreading information and knowledge concerning the comicstrip world.

Due to the damaging condition of the old building, they had to move for a while to a smaller space, still in the same street. But it didn't take long until they moved to this new, wider space, still in the same street! Coincidence or not, it must have taken a lot of efforts, hard works and an elaborate process to come to this point. Not only the point of accomplishing such a fortunate accommodation, but also to be able to survive for tens of years, to be trusted by customers - who usually turn to be regular 'droppers-by'.

Somehow I think that going to Lambiek has become an addiction for me: I feel secure to know that whenever I yearn for more, it's always be there, as reliable as ever.


Here's Lambiek website: http://www.lambiek.net
Here's a website about Madjoe! (it functions as an archive): http://komik.scriptmania.com/

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

My Sister's Blog


http://unison.blogdrive.com/
My sister Tiyas and her friend Ticha had just started their Blog together, a couple of days ago. My sister is a bit weird and is a bit of a nutcase, in fact. But hey, what IS "normal" after all?

Neil Gaiman's Journal


http://www.neilgaiman.com
Here's the journal of Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite writers. It's nice that he keeps close contacts with his readers/fans and keeps them updated with what goes on with his works (and with his family, too!).
His collaboration with Dave McKean has accummulated to a point where they produced an animated movie, "MirrorMask". It's so GREAT I can hardly wait to collect the DVD. Please find more details in Neil's Journal.

Sunday, January 23, 2005

Hiroshi's Experiment




Hiroshi held a dinner "experiment" for his friends and colleagues from TU Delft. He and his friend (also a Japanese, a real chef) prepared all the food. Everything was delicious!

Japanese Fried Chicken


Description:
I tasted this fried chicken at in Delft when a Japanese friend was having an "Experiment" dinner at his place. It's really easy to make and tastes really really good; I've been trying to prepare this myself.

Ingredients:
There's no exact measurement for the marinade, but it consists of:
- Japanese soya sauce
- mirin
- garlic (crushed)
- ginger (crushed)
- sake

For the chicken, the upper thigh part is used. Throw the bones away, but keep the skin on.

Potato starch, to coat the chicken before frying.

Directions:
Marinate chicken pieces in the mix, preferrably overnight.
Drain, coat chicken overall with starch, then deep fry until chicken is done.
Serve.

Kata-kata Kartini





Sejak SD, buku Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang selalu disebut2 guru2 di sekolah sebagai inspirasi emansipasi wanita di Indonesia, yg dipelopori R.A. Kartini. Tapi buku itu sendiri belum pernah saya pegang sama sekali, apalagi baca, hingga baru2 ini! Saya dapat buku ini sebagai hadiah ulang tahun dari Sybrand akhir Desember 2004 lalu, cetakan kedua (th 1949, lebih dari dua puluh tahun sejak cetakan pertama diterbitkan), masih dengan gaya bahasa dan ejaan masa itu. Bukunya sendiri agak fragile, sayang kalo dibawa2 utk baca di kereta, di cafe dll - makanya hanya sempet baca menjelang tidur, waktu malam. Duh, menyesal kenapa baru baca sekarang! Seharusnya sejak dulu-dulu, sebab isinya inspirasional sekali. Jarang2 ada buku yg bisa jadi makanan otak, sekaligus juga makanan hati nurani.

Buku ini merupakan kumpulan dari surat2 R.A. Kartini ke sahabat2nya. Semua surat tsb berbahasa Belanda, dan utk keperluan penerbitan buku ini, diterjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia oleh Armijn Pane. Seorang sastrawan unggul, yang dipercaya dapat menjaga ekspresi Kartini pada surat2nya, yang menggambarkan semangatnya, kesedihannya, dan pemikirannya yang menggebu-gebu.

Meskipun ditulis lebih dari seratus tahun yang lampau, beberapa pemikiran Kartini masih berlaku di masa kini. Antara lain saya kutip di bawah ini.
Mengenai agama; bahwa agama itu adalah alat di tangan manusia yg menjalankannya, dan yg sayangnya sering disalah-gunakan.
Hlm 47: "Agama harus mendjaga kita dari pada berbuat dosa, akan tetapi berapa banjaknja dosa diperbuat orang atas nama agama itu!"
Hlm 186: "Apa pedulinja, agama mana jang dipeluk orang dan bangsa mana dia, djiwa jang mulia tetap djuga djiwa jang mulia, dan orang jang budiman tetap djuga orang jang budiman. Hamba Allah ada ditiap-tiap agama, ditengah-tengah tiap-tiap bangsa".
Hlm 165: "[...] karena banjak kami lihat orang memakai topeng agama berkelakuan jang tidak menaruh kasihan. Lambat-laun barulah kami tahu, bukanlah agama itu jang tiada menaruh kasihan, melainkan manusia djugalah jang memperburuk segala sesuatu jang semulanja bagus sutji itu".

Mengenai budaya buruk orang Jawa: gengsi dan suka pamer. Masih banyak memang sekarang, orang2 yang merasa 'priyayi' tapi kelakuannya sama sekali nggak cocok, orang2 yg sombong tapi kosong; hanya ingin dipuja bagai 'ndoro' tanpa dirinya sendiri melakukan hal2 yg pantas membuatnya dianggap lebih bangsawan dari orang lain.
Hlm 54: "Salah satu sipat orang Djawa itiu jang tiada baik, jang harus dibasmi, ialah sipat gila ketjongkakan; hal itu akan banjak membantu memakmurkan pulau Djawa. Sipat jang tiada baik itu hanja dengan mendidik budi boleh dilenjapkan."

Mengenai peran ibu; bahwa seorang ibu menanggung tugas berat dalam mendidik anak2nya, terutama memberi budi pekerti sejak anak2 berusia sangat muda. Hal ini berarti bahwa si ibu harus cukup dibekali pengetahuan supaya dapat membimbing anak2nya, para pelaku dan penentu masa depan, dengan cakap.
Hlm 84: "Dari perempuanlah pertama-tamanja manusia itu menerima didikannya - diharibaannjalah anak itu beladjar merasa dan berpikir, berkata-kata; dan makin lama makin tahulah saja, bahwa didikan jang mula-mula itu bukan tidak besar pengaruhnja bagi kehidupan manusia dikemudian harinja. Dan betapakah ibu Bumiputera itu sanggup mendidik anaknja, bila mereka itu sendiri tiada berpendidikan?"
Hlm 155: "Ibulah jang djadi pusat kehidupan rumah tangga, dan kepada ibu itulah dipertanggungkan kewadjiban pendidikan anak-anak jang berat itu: jaitu bagian pendidikan jang membentuk budinja. Berilah anak-anak gadis itu pendidikan jang sempurna, djagalah supaja ia tjakap kelak memikul kewadjibannya jang berat itu".

Mengenai peran ibu; bahwa seorang wanita dapatlah juga menjadi 'ibu' bagi orang lain (selain anak2 kandungnya) selama ia dapat mencurahkan perhatian dan mendidik dengan segenap kemampuannya dengan ikhlas dan penuh kasih.
Hlm 152-153: "Tetapi, mestikah perempuan itu beranak dahulu, maka boleh mendjadi "ibu", menurut arti perkataan itu jang seharusnja, jakni machluk jang semata-mata berhati kasih dan tahu berkurban? [...] Seorang perempuan jang mengurbankan diri untuk orang lain, dengan segala rasa tjinta jang ada dalam hatinja, dengan segala asjik jang ada padanja, perempuan itu "ibu"-lah dalam hati sanubarinja.
Bagi kami lebih tinggi ibu jang djadi ibu karena hati sanubarinja itu darip ada ibu jang telah djadi ibu karena badannja.
Harapan dan doa kami dengan sangat, bila dikemudian hari boleh kiranja tjita-tjita kami berwujud, kami mengadjar didalam sekolah, anak-anak kami djanganlah sadja menjebut kami "ibu" dimulut sadja, melainkan djuga "ibu" dimulut dan dihati".

Mengenai peran istri; bahwa laki2 akan berbahagia bila pendampingnya adalah perempuan yg setara tingkat intelegensinya, sehingga dapat pula menjadi teman sejati.
Hlm 154: "Alangkah berbahagianja laki-laki, bila perempuannja bukan sadja mendjadi pengurus rumah tangganja, ibu anak-anaknja sadja, melainkan djuga djadi sahabatnja, jang menaruh minat akan pekerdjaannja, turut merasakan pekerdjaannja itu. Hal jang sedemikian itu tentulah berharga benar bagi kaum laki-laki, jaitu bila dia bukan orang jang pitjik pemandangannja dan angkuh".

Mengenai metoda pendidikan yg 'baru'; bahwa mendidik (perempuan) bangsa Indonesia dengan 'cara Belanda' bukanlah berarti bertujuan 'membelandakan' anak2 bangsa; bukanlah berarti hendak mengubah anak2 bangsa menjadi orang2 asing. Namun hendak membuka wawasan dan menambahkan pengetahuan kepada anak2 bangsa yg hendaknya dapat menyeimbangkannya dengan norma2 bangsa Indonesia.
Hlm 100: "Dengan pendidikan jang bebas itu, bukanlah sekali-kali maksud kami akan mendjadikan orang Djawa itu orang Djawa Belanda, melainkan tjita-tjita kami ialah memberikan kepada mereka djua, sipat-sipat jang bagus, jang ada pada bangsa-bangsa lain, akan djadi penambah sipat-sipat jang sudah ada padanja, bukanlah akan menghilangkan sipat-sipatnja sendiri itu, melainkan akan memperbaiki dan memperbagusnja!"
Hlm 123-124: "Kami sekali-kali tiada hendak mendjadikan murid-murid kami djadi setengah orang Eropah, atau orang Djawa kebelanda-belandaan. Maksud kami dengan mendidik bebas, ialah terutama sekali akan mendjadikan orang Djawa itu, orang Djawa jang sedjati, orang Djawa jang berdjiwa karena tjinta dan gembira akan tanah air dan bangsanja, jang senang dan gembira melihat kebagusan, bangsa dan tanah airnja, dan .... kesukarannja!"


Buku ini sudah beredar luas, dicetak oleh Gramedia (seharga Rp. 22.000,- per buku). Sangat patut dibaca oleh kaum muda, supaya tidak sekedar berbaju daerah setiap tgl 21 April, namun juga untuk lebih mengenal citra dan semangat Kartini.
Ada review mengenai buku ini di: KOMPAS





Sunday, January 16, 2005

Nasi Tim Ayam

Description:
I forgot where I got this recipe. Perhaps from a friend in Germany. Anyway, the ingredients are easy to get here, and the result is always, guaranteed, successful. I always cook this dish in a rice cooker (the 'lazy' method), and for the soup, I usually add (Chinese) meatball or wan tan and pak choi and spring onion in the soup. Very filling and healthy - with all those garlic and ginger. - Tita

Ingredients:
1) to cook the chicken you need:
1 tbsp frying oil (plain sunflower oil will do)
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, finely ground
2 cm ginger, finely ground
500 gr chicken meat, cut into 1cm blocks
2 tbsp kecap asin*
1 sdm kecap manis*
100 gr straw mushroom (or any mushroom you prefer), sliced

2) to season the rice you need:
2 tbsp frying oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely ground
1 cm ginger, finely ground
1 tbsp kecap asin*
250 gr uncooked rice

3) to cook the soup you need:
1 tbsp frying oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely ground
1 cm ginger, finely ground
1250 ml chicken broth (i usually mix it with pork or mushroom broth)
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp kecap asin*
3 spring onion, finely sliced
i usually add baso (meatball: can be beef, fish, shrimp or squid) and pangsit (wan tan) in the soup. cook them in the soup until the broth boils.

*preferably indonesian brand of kecap asin and kecap manis (ABC, cap tukang jual sate, cap bangau, etc.) because these are really manis and really asin.

Directions:
1) to cook the chicken:
- heat the oil, add garlic & ginger until fagrant
- add chicken blocks until the color changes
- add kecap asin, kecap manis, mushroom. stir well.
- set aside

2) to season the rice:
- heat the oil, add garlic & ginger until fragrant
- add kecap asin, then add the rice
- stir evenly until all grains of rice is evenly coated with the oil
- set aside

3) to cook the soup:
- heat the oil, add garlic & ginger
- add chicken broth, pepper and kecap asin
- to serve, add sliced spring onion

if you have a rice cooker, then you can do it the 'lazy' way:
- put the cooked chicken at the bottom of the rice cooker container
- put the seasoned (uncooked) rice on top of the chicken
- add soup water in it, twice the volume of the rice
- turn the rice cooker on, wait until it's cooked
- serve with the rest of the soup on the side

if you don't have any rice cooker:
- prepare small heat-resistant bowls
- spoon 1 tbsp of the cooked chicken into the bottom of the bowl
- add 3 tbsp of seasoned (uncooked) rice
- add ±100 ml broth in the bowl
- steam for about 1-1,5 hour or until rice is cooked
- serve with the rest of the soup

Thursday, January 13, 2005

How to make a perfect (comic)strip-movie (2)




4. GOOD CASTING
Moreover, the power of good casting is not to be underestimated. Jack Nicholson is perfectly casted as the Joker in Batman. From his previous roles, he has already proven that he can play manic and psychotic characters. These are the most important properties of the Joker.
Nicholson played the Joker with a lot of over acting and expressions, precisely as the character in the strip. At the same time, Nicholson knows how to portray the Joker into a real person. The fact that the conceited Jack should lost his beautiful face through an accident with the chemicals and wears a Joker-face afterwards makes it logical that he freaks out.
Two things are important when it comes to casting: an actor has to physically resembles the strip character - make-up and protheses do wonders - and the actor has to be able to portray a recognizable character. Gerard Depardieu as Obelix thus fulfill all requirements. Ron Perlman is the best candidate for Hellboy.

5. (COMIC)STRIP ELEMENTS ON THE WHITE SCREEN
We can find a good example for a strip-ish performance in the scene in Spider-Man where Norman Osborn (Dafoe) converses with his alter ego Green Goblin through a mirror. The scene is constructed so that the Goblin can only speak to Norman through the mirror. Here the mirror image is a metaphore for the shadowy-side of Norman's psyche - a shadowy-side that is released through the accident that gives him special powers. The performance of Dafoe is really convincing: he sets an amazing contrast between the scared and confused Norman versus the malicious Goblin. This scene, with the particular text of the Goblin and his face expressions, is really a reminder of many tirades that are possessed by supervillains in the strips, as they tell the readers what their plans are.

6. THE PERFECT MIX
The cinema public naturally consists of not only (comic)strip readers. The largest part of the public is also not taking the strip as seriously as the strip-fans. Therefore movie producers often do not take the strip readers too much into account. In the past, this has caused a crooked interpretation of the stripheroes; movies that belong to the 'ridiculous' genre were made (Did we mention Joel Schumacher?). Anyway, we can find elements of humor in the 'serious' movies. Spider-Man 2 has many slapstick moments and, especially, the cynical humor of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Hellboy considerably relate to this affair.
In short: in the making of (comic)strip movie, a good balance between realism and larger-than-life aesthetics should always be kept. On one hand the film makers should take the original material seriously and take care that the strip characters become flesh and blood; on the other hand there should be something to laugh about. These extremes are mixed perfectly in a successful stripfilming. It is exactly this exciting tension that makes the strips and the filming so enjoyable.


[You should see these movies!]

1. SPIDER-MAN 1 (2002) AND 2 (2004)
Why does a superhero movie have to be only about action? Spider-Man proves that drama and spectacle can go hand in hand. Both part one and two stay on the first place because they can not do without each other.

2. SUPERMAN THE MOVIE (1978)
Superman is the powerpioneer, the example for all superhero movies of recent times. The film may be well outdated, but it still actually looks good. In 2006 a new Superman movie will be released.

3. HELLBOY (2004)
Director Del Toro knew to give Hellboy more depth in one movie than Mignola in the whole comic series. Absolutely not a standard superhero movie. And Ron Perlman IS entirely Hellboy.

4. ROAD TO PERDITION (2002)
Director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) obtains the best acting job of Tom Hanks. This is a gangster movie with a big heart and a tragic end.

5. X-MEN 2 (2003)
X-Men 1 counts only on special effects while the story is still flat, X2 makes up for it.

6. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003)
A fascinating, weird and unique story about a nerd Harvey Pekar who wants to be a comic artist and then achieves it with the help from Robert Crumb. Special moments are when the actor left the scene and the real Harvey took over the role.

7. GHOST WORLD (2001)
Comfortable atmosphere, beautiful music and Steve Buscemi in one of his life-written role. Ghost World encourage many people who are in the special business of strip to look and read further.

8. BATMAN RETURNS (1992)
Michael Keaton is still the best Batman. This movie scores overall points by Michelle Pfeiffer's presence in her tight Catwoman-outfit.

9. BLADE (1998)
Bold vampires. It is smart that the makers of a middlish strip have made an upper-middlish movie. The third part releases in January.

10. THE ROCKETEER (1991)
A movie that many people forget that it is taken from a strip. It was also not a great success, commercially. Nevertheless we find that the director Joe Johnston have delivered a jewel. With a point of ten.


Derived from an article by Michael Minneboo, "Zo maak je de perfecte Stripverfilming", at MYX Stripmagazine Nr. 11 Tweede Jaargang/ December 2004 [www.myxmag.nl]

How to make a perfect (comic)strip-movie (1)




Garfield, Spiderman, Suske en Wiske, X-Men, the Hulk, Asterix and Obelix, Captain America, Spawn, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Flash Gordon, Dick Tracy, the Crow, Blade, Judge Dredd, the Phantom, the Shadow, Superman, Batman, the Punisher, Popeye, Michael Valiant and Hellboy - just to mention a few. All are (comic)strip characters that jump from the pages into the white screen. But the transformation from comic heroes to movie heroes doesn't always run smooth. What makes a good (comic)strip movie?

There are different reason why strips are made into movies. The strips have avid fans and most characters are well known by a great number of audience. Therefore the amount of the movie audience is at least guaranteed, giving income to the film and relieving the studio bosses from the production expenses.
It is also fascinating to see the characters 'in person' after knowing them all these years only in drawings. Watching a living (comic)strip is a fantastic (movie) experience. That's the reason why comic readers always have to watch the movie. Most of all, the media (strip and movie) are related to each other. Comic artists make 'movies' on paper, as they said themselves. Their 'movie', with a bit of smaller budget, are read by (movie) directors as a storyboard. Just roll it, you would say. But the making of a (comic) strip into a movie is not entirely an easy job.

In order to make a successful (comic)strip-movie, these guidelines should be taken into account:

1. RESPECT FOR THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL
What makes the recent comicstrip movies so good is that the film maker has respect for the original material. Sam Raimi, who as a boy had a painted Spiderman hanging above his bed, is a good example. His love for the character appears on his movie; Raimi's interpretation of Spiderman stays close to the original creation of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Raimi is not afraid to make necessary adjustments to make the movie more updated for the present time. The most important difference is that Spidey was created from a genetically manipulated superspin instead of from the radioactive as in the comic. Spidey now shoots web out of his pulses and not out of webshooters that he invented. Another adjustment is the suit of Green Goblin in the first Spider-Man movie. Let's be honest: who would take Willem Dafoe seriously if he is dressed in the carnaval-suit of the Goblin in the strip? According to Raimi and co., it was better that Dafoe wears a hi-tech fighting suit. The mask that the Goblin wears is slightly taken from the many African masks that Dafoe collects and that have been displayed in his study room. In the movie, therefore, a convincing explanation of the suit is given. Also in X-Men, the colorful costumes in the comics are exchanged into the strapping X-uniforms.

Film-scenarists are challenged to pack the strip world - with all the characters and years of history - into a movie of two hours. Logically the (first) movie also handles the origin of the hero. Often the elements in the comic series are used and integrated. Batman's parents in the strip were not murdered by a young Joker, as in the movie. Scriptwriters have different rules from strip-writers. The rule of Hollywood is that a movie contains no loose element and that all should be intwined with each other. The story forms a whole roundup and goes according to a clear logic of cause and effect, while stories in the comics can be followed up in the next series. To make everything fits, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the strip material with a bit of 'poetic freedom'. Therefore in the movie Ghost World (from a comic by David Clowes with the same title), the character Seymour (Steve Buscemi) is introduced, while the character doesn't originally exist in the strip. The romance between Hellboy (Ron Perlman) and Liz Sherman (Selma Blair) is also a Hollywood invention that doesn't exist in the strip. Adjustments are not bad as long as the story and the spirit of the strips are kept intact. The story in the movie should also be understood by the audience who has never read the strip.

2. GOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS
These are undisposable in making a movie about superheroes strips, but also in most of other filming of special strip worlds. Thanks to the digital revolution it is now possible to create a convincing wall-climbing hero or to simulate a mutant power.
We don't have to paint bodybuilders green anymore to create the Hulk, or pull a rope around a stuntman along a high wall to see Spider-Man in action. This has happenned in the television series in the seventies.

3. CHARACTERS IN FLESH AND BLOOD
However, digital effects are not gloriously-made. What made the television series of the Hulk interesting was the characterization of Bruce Banner (Bill Bixby) and his quest for recovery. We read strips often also because the characters reflect to us and we live with them.
What makes strip-heroes as superheroes characters so captivating is the fact that behind the mask hides a normal person who has daily problems as everybody else. Spider-man is Peter Parkerm who tries to pay his rent, knows relationship problems and has a helpless aunt. Inspite of their special gifts, these strip-heroes are very normal people, therefore the readers can identify themselves with them. This gives the heroes a realistic tint.

The strips are larger-than-life, but they would also like to be realistic, they are a combination of action and dramatic elements, like what a soap has. If the hero is to be filmed, then it is important to have these elements in the movie. Again, Spider-Man is taken as a good example. Raimi keeps in the story the development around the characters at the forefront. The bond among the characters in the movie also gets stronger. So the crook the Green Goblin in Spider-Man is a substitute father-figure for Peter Parker, while in the strip this is not the case at all. Raunu keeps the same trick with Dock Ock in the second part. While the crook this time is not a father figure, we could see Ock as the knowledge mentor of Peter. This is also the reason that a movie as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen does not have a depth as the strip's thickness: the many characters stay out in superficial type rings; since they don't possess the depth, it is absolutely unfacinating what they do.

The combination of realism and a larger-than-life aesthetic is difficult to translate into the white screen. Therefore the three-hunderd kilo's weight of Hulk almost succumbs under the weight his youth trauma in Ang Lee's film. And also the movie Daredevil doesn't work due to a bad mix.

(continue to part-2)

Derived from an article by Michael Minneboo, "Zo maak je de perfecte Stripverfilming", at MYX Stripmagazine Nr. 11 Tweede Jaargang/ December 2004 [www.myxmag.nl]

Monday, January 10, 2005

Arsitek, Bantu Aceh Bangkit!

http://bantu-aceh.iai.or.id/
Jurnal tim arsitek yg berangkat ke Sumatera Utara tgl 7 Januari 2005 yang lalu.

another 9-months diary


Some positions are just hard to cope when you have a big tummy.

Well actually these pages were from the later weeks during my second pregnancy. Our daughter, Syastira Lindri Dwimaharsayani was born on 19 October 2003.

9-months diary




I made this drawings during my pregnancy of our first child, since the first checking day (at the midwife) to the day our son, Prasidya Dhanurendra, was born (17 December 2000).

Sunday, January 9, 2005

Minestrone


Description:
This mealsoup is quite filling - a perfect dish for a winter evening!

Ingredients:
200 gr cooked (achter)ham in thick slices (ca. 0,5 cm)
200 gr salami, in thick slices (ca. 0.5 cm)
1 winter carrot
1 courgette (zucchini)
1 leek
1-2 pcs garlic
2-3 tbsp olive oil
150 gr blocks of lean smoked bacon
1 can peeled tomatoes (400 gr)
1 lt meat or chicken stock, from a jar, tablettes or self-made
100 gr elbow macaroni
1 jar white or brown beans (400 gr)
2 tbsp pesto (from a jar)
salt and freshly-milled pepper
freshly shred Parmesan or old Gouda cheese


Directions:
1. Cut the ham and salami into blocks. Cut the peeled winter carrot and the washed courgette into blocks and the leek in rings. Mince the garlic.
2. Heat the oil in a soup pan and let the bacon cook shortly. Put in the carrot, the courgette, the leek and the garlic and let them cook shortly. Pour the tomatoes and the stock and bring to boil.
Put the macaroni into the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Put in the beans and let it cook for another 5 minuets, until the macaroni is almost done. Mix the pesto into the soup and bring to taste with salt & pepper. Serve the cheese apart.


Transalted freely from the Keurslager website [http://www.keurslager.nl]

Tumis Bola-bola Daging Sapi


Description:
"Masakan ini bergaya campuran barat dan asia, mudah dibuat dan bahan2nya mudah diperoleh di mana pun, dan yang penting, anak2 pasti doyan!" - Tita

Ingredients:
300 gr daging cincang
1 sdt garam
1/2 sdt merica bubuk
1/2 sdt pala bubuk
2 sdm tepung roti
1 bt telur
3 sdm margarin
6 sdm minyak goreng
1 buah bawang bombay, iris
2 sdm saus tomat
1 sdm kecap manis
1 sdm kecap asin jepang
100 cc air
2 batang wortel, potong menurut selera
4 sdm kacang polong beku

Directions:
1. Campur daging cincang dengan garam, merica, pala, tepung roti, dan telur, aduk rata, bentuk bulatan2 kecil.
2. Panaskan margarin bersaam minyak goreng, goreng daging hingga matang, angkat. Panaskan kembali minyak dan m argarin, tumis bawang bombay hingga harum, masukkan saus tomat, kecap manis, kecap asin jepang, dan air, masukkan daging, wortel, dan kacang polong, masak sebentar, angkat.
3. Sajikan hangat dengan nasi atau kentang pure.


Sumber: Masak Mudah & Lezat bersama Sisca Soewitomo - jilid 3, 2001

Bistik Ayam Saus Inggris


Description:
"Bila pergi ke Jawa Tengah, dan makan di restoran peninggalan Hindia-Belanda, biasanya ada menu 'bistik ayam'. Nah, ini salah satu resep bistik ayam yg rasanya paling mendekati masakan di restoran2 nostalgia itu. Gampang dibuat, dan hasilnya enak banget!" - Tita

Ingredients:
300 gr daging dada ayam, iris tipis
50 gr tepung sagu
Minyak utk menggoreng

Utk saus:
2 sdm minyak goreng
1 sdm margarin
1 buah bawang bombay, iris
150 cc air
1 sdm kecap inggris
4 sdm kecap manis
1 sdm saus tomat
1 sdt garam
1/2 sdt merica bubuk
1 sdm tepung maizena larutkan dengan sedikit air
2 sdm kacang polong beku

Untuk pelengkap: setup sayuran dan kentang goreng

Directions:
1. Lumuri irisan daging ayam dengan tepung sagu, lalu goreng dengan minyak panas hingga matang dan berwarna kecokelatan, angkat,
2. Buat saus: panaskan minyak dan margarin, tumis bawang bombay hingga harum, masukkan air, kecap inggris, kecap manis, saus tomat, garam, dan merica bubuk, didihkan. Setelah mendidih, kentalkan dengan larutan maizena, tambahkan kacang polong, masak sebentar, angkat.
3. Siapkan pinggan, tata ayam yg telah digoreng, tuangkan saus di atasnya, lengkapi dengan setup sayuran dan kentang goreng.


Sumber: Masak Mudah & Lezat bersama Sisca Soewitomo - jilid 1, 2000

Antillean Spareribs


Description:
"This is the best recipe for ribs that I have tried so far. Cooking the ribs beforehand make them soft, while the sugar from the honey gives tasty crusts once the ribs are thoroughly grilled" - Tita

Ingredients:
1,5 kg spareribs, cut in peces of 3 ribs each
freshly milled pepper
2 tbsp sunflower oil
25 g butter
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 l stock (bouillon)

For the tomato glaze:
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 pcs garlic
1 tbsp worchtester sauce
4 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
pepper and salt
2 tbsp vinegar

Directions:
1. Spread pepper over the spareribs. Warm the oil and butter and cook the ribs until brown all over. Pour the lemon juice and the stock and cook softly for 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry the ribs.
2. Mix the tomato puree with the minced garlic and the other ingredients.
3. Spread the spareribs with a bit of the tomato glaze and roast them, turning occassionally, for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Spread the glaze over a couple of times until the ribs gleam.


Total preparing time: 35 minutes
Nutritional value per person: kcal (kj) 549 (2306), protein 29 g, fat 41 g, carbohydrates 16 g.

Translated freely from "Koken met de Keurslager" (Jaargang 17 nr. 5 - June 2003)

Warm Tomato-Mozarella Salad


Description:
A quick, simple appetizer with a mediterranean taste.

Ingredients:
450 g Roma-tomatoes, in slices
225 g mozarella, in slices
1 red onion, minced
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, strained and sliced finely
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
4 tbsp finely sliced mixed herbs, such as basil, parsley, oregano and chives
salt and freshly milled black pepper
fresh herbs, to garnish

Directions:
1. Lay the tomato and mozarella pieces on four flat fire-proof plates.
2. Spread the minced onion and sun-dried tomatoes over.
3. Whisk in a bowl the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, minced herbs, pepper and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad.
4. Set the salad plates 4-5 minutes under the grill until the mozarella melts. Spread the dish with black pepper and fresh herbs.


Translated freely from "Snelle Gerechten in 10 Minutes" (Valerie Ferguson, ed., 1999).

Homemade Burgers


Description:
Special cheeseburgers: there's melted cheddar hidden in each burger, the subtile taste is brought out with mango chutney.

Ingredients:
450 g lean minced beef
2 pcs bread, without crust
1 egg
4 spring onion, roughly chopped
1 pc garlic, sliced thinly
1 tbsp mango chutney
2 tsp mixed dried herbs
50 g cheddar
salt & freshly milled black pepper
4 burger buns, to serve

Directions:
1. Put meat, bread, egg, spring onion and garlic in a food processor. Add a bit of salt and pepper and process until everything is equally mixed.
2. Divide the burger mix into four equal portions and form round patties with wet hands (so the meat won't stick).
3. Slice the cheese into four pieces and put one into the middle of each patty. Knead the meat around the cheese until it forms a burger. Put them 30 minutes in the refrigerator and heat up the grill beforehand.
4. Grill the burgers for 5-8 minutes on each side and fill the buns with them. Serve directly with your favorite garnish.

Translated freely from "Allerbeste burgers" (Valerie Ferguson, ed., 1999)

Monday, January 3, 2005

Rampokan Celebes

Rating:★★★★★
Category:Books
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:Peter van Dongen
Buku ini merupakan lanjutan (dan akhir) dari album jilid pertama, Rampokan Java, yg mengisahkan seorang Belanda bernama Johan Knevel dalam usahanya mencari Ninih, pengasuhnya kala ia bayi dahulu. Johan kembali ke Indonesia sebagai tentara sukarelawan pada pergolakan di tanah air sektiar tahun 1948.

Komik yang baru beredar dalam bahasa Belanda ini (dan baru diterjemahkan ke bahasa Perancis) mengandung kisah yang cukup kompleks dan berliku2. Gaya gambarnya menyerupai komik2 Tintin karya Herge: realistis, dengan garis2 rapih dan mendetail, tampil dalam dua warna.

Hal yg paling menonjol dari album ini (juga album sebelumnya) adalah ketekunan van Dongen dalam mendetail kisahnya. Ia benar2 melakukan riset menyeluruh mengenai sejarah dan kehidupan di Indonesia masa itu, rupa gedung2 dan jalan raya, detail kendaraan (tram, becak), baik di kota besar maupun di desa2 pedalaman dan hutan. Bukan hanya itu - van Dongen pun masih mengandalkan teknik manual dalam menggarap karya2nya, sehingga garis2 yg detail dan rapih pun masih terlihat 'hidup' dalam panel2 komiknya. Melalui komik ini, kita benar2 dibawa 'belajar sejarah' melalui media grafis yg menarik sekaligus informatif. Van Dongen menghabiskan 6 tahun untuk menyelesaikan album ini (dan 7 tahun utk album sebelumnya), namun album ini benar2 layak ditunggu kemunculannya.

Rampokan Celebes
Peter van Dongen
(C) Oog&Blik en De Harmonie, 2004
ISBN# 90-5492-054-8

Sunday, January 2, 2005

Tokyo Godfathers (sutr: Satoshi Kon, 2003)

Rating:★★★★
Category:Movies
Genre: Animation
Pada suatu malam Natal di Tokyo, tiga orang gelandangan menemukan seorang bayi perempuan di tumpukan sampah. Kisah selanjutnya adalah usaha mereka menemukan keluarga sebenarnya dari si bayi. Dalam usaha mereka ini, masing2 dihadapkan kembali ke masa lalu mereka. Isi dan moral dari kisah ini dapat dirangkum dalam satu istilah: family value.
Kita benar2 diajak melihat nilai2 kehidupan berkeluarga dari berbagai sisi. Bahwa kehidupan keluarga yg paling disfungsional pun dapat menyentuh hati nurani.

Animasi Jepang ini dikemas apik, dengan gaya realistik, yg bahkan secara mendetail menampilkan materi di sekeliling tokoh2nya. Alur cerita yg menarik dan diselingi humor di sana-sini, dan penokohan yg sangat kuat dan realistik, sangat membantu membawakan cerita. Pada akhirnya, kita mungkin dapat menduga bahwa kisah ini sangat mungkin terjadi dalam kehidupan nyata; sangat menyentuh realita sosial. Dan sangat manusiawi. Sesuatu yg jarang ditemukan di sembarang film animasi.

Batman: Broken City

Rating:★★★★
Category:Books
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso
Nggak biasa2nya gue beli komik Batman. Tapi begitu liat bahwa yg satu ini buatan Azzarello & Risso (duet yg membuat 100 Bullets), hampir aja gue nggak tahan untuk langsung nyamber buku ini dari raknya di toko. Hampir? Iya, sebab harganya cukup mahal. Memang harganya pantas utk buku hardcover ini (nggak ada edisi paperback atau softcover-nya), ditambah pula inside covers yg terbuat dari kertas khusus.

Tapi pas gue ulang taun, kebetulan mampir ke toko komik lain dan nemu buku ini dengan harga sedikit lebih murah. Pertimbangan harga ini, ditambah keinginan menghadiahkan diri sendiri (hehehe), jadilah buku ini berpindah tangan. Dan ini bukan keputusan yg disesalkan: edisi Batman Azzarello - Risso ini benar-benar bagus!

Seorang gadis ditemukan tewas mengenaskan, sebagian tubuhnya bahkan terlihat telah termakan mentah2. Dalam memecahkan misteri ini, Batman harus pula menghadapi musuh2 klasiknya, di samping mimpi buruknya sendiri.
Alur cerita dan script yg kuat dari Azzarello dan grafis yg real dan mencekam dari Risso sekali lagi menghasilkan kombinasi yg mengagumkan. Gaya mereka memang sangat cocok untuk style dunia gelap di Gotham City.

Batman Broken City
Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso
(C) DC Comics 2004
ISBN# 1-4012-0133-4