11 Best Malls to Visit in Jakarta, Indonesia

As an expat for almost four years in Jakarta, Indonesia, my best form of relaxation was shopping. There’s no better place to do this than in Jakarta since the city is a home to more than 100 malls.

In my last year of teaching, my apartment was in the 6th floor of an apartment complex which was located right at the back of Baywalk mall. Five minutes of walking brings me to many restaurants and shops. As a matter of fact, I barely prepared my food when I was there since going to the mall was more convenient.

I am not even kidding, I have different malls for variety of purposes. If you are in the city of Jakarta for a limited period of time, this list might come in handy.

1. SENAYAN CITY MALL

This is conveniently located about 20-30 minutes from the house where I first lived. It has all the luxury brands that you could think of- LV, Chanel, Coach, Gucci and many others. This mall is special because I used to dine here with my former school director.

2. PLAZA SENAYAN

This is located near Senayan City and is overlooking the tranquil Senayan Golf Course. It has many of the known brands both local and international. There’s also an Asian dish and an amazing donut that I really love at the Food Court.

3. TAMAN ANGGREK MALL

This is probably my favorite mall and the most visited one. It has about 400 specialized stores located in its seven-story building. It has also residential buildings with access to the main lobby of the mall. I love looking for the best deals here because they practically have everything at affordable price.

4. PONDOK INDAH MALL

This is a very special mall because I have done a lot of shopping with David there. It is a huge shopping complex located in affluent Pondok Indah. It is referred by its acronym, “PIM”. It is comprised of three large malls- PIM1, PIM2 and the newer Street Gallery interconnected via two elevated multi-storey pedestrian walkways.

5. PLAZA INDONESIA

I did not do much shopping there but my favorite restaurants are located in this mall. Just like any other malls, it has all the famous International brands of shops and apparels.

6. CENTRAL PARK
This is one of my favorites. It has the largest Sogo in Indonesia and the second largest cinema blitzmegaplex which has 10 auditoriums. Central Park also presents the largest Gramedia Bookstore. Most of my visits in this mall were spent dining with my former co-teachers who live in the residential complex. 

7. LIPPO MALL, PURI

This is one of the newest malls in Jakarta. The last months of my stay in Indonesia was actually spent a lot there because they offer free ride from the apartment where I used to live. It’s more convenient and it also so near and there are many restaurants that I really love.

8. GRAND INDONESIA
This is another mall which has a special place in my heart. David and I were dining there when it suddenly hit us that he was about to go back in the United States. We ended up in tears and people were staring at us. Whenever I go there, I used to see a lot of foreigners which could be attributed to the fact that the mall offers many known International brands.

9. BAYWALK MALL

Baywalk is the mall that is located right at the back of the apartment where I used to live on my last year in Jakarta. The location is not only convenient but it has the best Seafood restaurant. The restaurant has all the type of seafood that you could think of. You choose the live ones from the aquariums and decide how do you want them to be cooked. You couldn’t ask more for a fresher food!

10. MANGGA DUA

If you want to shop for affordable apparels, this is the place to go. There are so many shops to choose from and though they are cheap, the quality is actually good.

11. PURI INDAH MALL

This was the first mall that I have ever visited. It is about five minutes from the first apartment where I lived when I arrived in Jakarta. The mall has many beautiful memories because that’s where my friends and I used to spend a lot of time shopping and dining.

When I think of Jakarta, it is not just the malls that I remember. An array of memories always come to mind. My husband and I had our wedding there and we left so many good friends behind.

As always I am reminded, “Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.”

As an expat for almost four years in Jakarta, Indonesia, my best form of relaxation was shopping. There’s no better place to do this than in Jakarta since the city is a home to more than 100 malls.

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Things I Learned Watching for the First Time Ice Hockey Game (Muskegon, Michigan Lumberjacks Team)

I was never into any kind of sports before coming here in the U.S. I remember that one time, I was forced to join a volleyball team when I was still teaching in Indonesia just to complete the number required so our school could participate. Our team was hailed as the champion but I could hardly claim any credit since I did not contribute any score. Coming here in the US influenced my interest in sports. After getting into football, I finally had the chance to watch for the very first time an ice hockey game courtesy of our friend in the church, John, who gave us free tickets. He even gave me an original puck that the players used!

Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink. During normal play, there are six players per side on the ice at any time, one of them being the goaltender, each of whom is on ice skates. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck, into the opponent's goal net, which is placed at the opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck.

It was an amazing experience because we sat right on the first row where we had a better feel of all the actions in the rink. Two words describe it- fast-paced and physical! The rink is surrounded by thick glass (bullet proof, I think), and net. Players slammed each other on the glass and they come flying by. Although our team lost, it was still an amazing experience.    

Here are the photos that would give you a glimpse of the action-packed night.

Ice hockey, game between two teams, each usually having six players, who wear skates and compete on an ice rink. The object is to propel a vulcanized rubber disk, the puck, past a goal line and into a net guarded by a goaltender, or goalie. 

Players are also prohibited from kicking the puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands.

The hockey stick consists of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. 

Ice hockey is a full contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and quite a bit of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. 

Within certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass the puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. 

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Debunking Ten Golden Rules for a Happy and Successful Marriage

Today, we celebrate our fourth year wedding anniversary. The day I married my husband was the best day of my life.

To love and be loved is the most beautiful feeling in the world. After four years of being married, my husband and I never really had any serious arguments. We are one of those couple who had a whirlwind romance and the thought that we immediately jumped into a married life was scary for both our families. However, our wedding is the ultimate proof that time is not the test to gauge a successful union. Despite of the haste of our wedding, I am a happy and contented wife with a husband who showers me with love and kindness every single day.

Just as we have proven that being in a long relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend is not an assurance that you will end up as a married couple, there are other golden rules that we believe are not true at all.

1. Don’t go to sleep without talking about a misunderstanding

Wrong. Forcing somebody to talk at the height of emotion is the worst that you can do in a relationship. Some people are not so good in expressing themselves and forcing them to talk when the emotion is raw elicits more harm than good. It is good however if a couple would have an agreement when everything is smooth sailing that during misunderstanding, when someone is not ready to talk about it yet, silence must be respected. A simple gesture like hugging or holding hands may just be a perfect assurance that love still exists despite of deafening silence. It is true that communication is the key to a successful relationship but it is not only through words but actions. Despite of occasional misunderstanding, my husband and I always fall asleep hugging and holding each other’s hands.

2. Remove TV/Cellphones from the bedroom

Wrong. In a fairy tale love story, a couple might do just that. But, reality speaks that TV or other gadgets such as cellphones is just part of life. You want comfort so you want them in the bedroom. Cuddling together while watching TV may just be the best form of relaxation for a couple. Perhaps, a more realistic solution is just simply turning off and putting down cellphones for a few minutes each night to focus and listen to each other.  We do this during meal time. No cellphones are allowed at the table and we spend the time talking while eating.

3. Pick your battles

When your heart is bursting with pain and all you want to do is lashed out, it is hard to say to pick your battles. Human frailties weaken our will from identifying which battle is worth getting into. We react with our emotions and saying it otherwise is a lie. The best way to deal with fights is making sure that there is an agreement when one is too emotional, the other one will not fight back. When the wife is upset about something, a hug from a husband is enough to pacify anger.

4. Let go of the little things

Wrong. The reason why something becomes big is because it was never discussed when it was little. Accepting the little misgivings does not mean letting go but more so an acknowledgment that there are problems but you are willing to accept it without holding grudges. If your husband or wife always forgets to kiss or hug you before leaving each morning, and you just let it go, it will be a part of your every day life. Discuss little things when both are cool with it and make a compromise.

5. Marriage isn’t about your happiness. While love must be selfless, there’s no denying that you can’t give what you don’t have.  The reason why some marriages fail is because couples fail to acknowledge that their happiness matters, too. They give too much of themselves and ended up completely drained in the process. The thought of happiness must be cultivated by both the wife and husband. Little happiness matters and if pampering yourself once in a while is what it takes, there’s nothing wrong with that.

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6. If you have to criticize, do it lovingly. Love does not seek perfection and it is common to have flaws. I don’t believe in any good that a criticism would do. It simply must not exist in a relationship. Words hurt and may cause an irreparable damage to the confidence of your spouse. I think the right word is not criticizing but simply talking about things that nags you.   

7. Accept that you can’t control your spouse’s actions.

You can’t control your spouse’s actions but tolerating something that you don’t want will eat your sanity every day until you realize that there’s nothing left with you anymore. Talking about it like two grown ups and making an agreement is the key to a happy marriage.

8. Work out your own issues

Wrong. There is no better way to deepen the bond of a couple but to seek each other’s help at times of weakness. Just a simple act of leaning on each other forms a profound connection that only the two of you would understand. A person becomes weak when facing adversities alone but a relationship becomes stronger when the couple understand that whatever happens they will be with each other. Sometimes, we don’t understand why a person acts differently it’s because we are not aware of what he’s going through. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness but an acknowledgment that you have issues that you need to work on and a help may all that you need.

9. Don’t rely on your spouse for your own individual happiness.

Wrong. When you find happiness beyond what your partner can give, then something is wrong. It’s supposed to be a partnership not an individual happiness. You can spend time with your friends and be happy about it but sharing it with your partner may just give you the same amount of happiness. Again, I am a blessed wife for having a husband who does not seek to spend time with others. We do things together because we both enjoy it.

One thing that four years of marriage has taught me is that love must be cultivated in any form. It is a two-way process to continue growing every single day. Put in your heart the vows that were exchanged during the wedding…to love and honor…to cherish…in sickness and in health…

10. Assume the best in other.

There is nothing wrong assuming the best to your spouse. Love does not just befall without reasons. However, assuming the best with your spouse might just create this false expectation. Your partner is as human as you are. If you have flaws, so is your spouse and acceptance is the key.

One thing that four years of marriage has taught me is that love must be cultivated in any form. It is a two-way process to continue growing every single day. Put in your heart the vows that were exchanged during the wedding…

to love and honor…

to cherish…

in sickness and in health…