Fashion and food festival a mix of everything<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Sunday is the final day of the 2004 Jakarta Fashion and Food
\nFestival at Kelapa Gading Permai residential area, North Jakarta,
\nand it offers a wide array of events, from fashion shows to
\ntraditional dance, food from a variety of regions and even a talk
\nshow about cancer.<\/p>\n
The five-day festival, as its name suggests, features fashion
\nand food as its main attractions.<\/p>\n
"The nontraditional part of the event is the fashion and the
\ntraditional part the food," committee chairman Ng Kui Lai told
\nThe Jakarta Post on Saturday.<\/p>\n
A one-meter-high stage with white backdrop occupies most of
\nthe main atrium of Kelapa Gading Mall. Row after row of green and
\norange chairs stand ready for visitors to gaze at models,
\nincluding six international ones, parading clothes ranging from
\ncasual to bridal wear.<\/p>\n
"I just love to see bridal shows," said Neneng, 28, one of the
\nvisitors who came especially for the fashion shows.<\/p>\n
Ng said that the main stage had attracted many participants.
\n"Even a TV station from Malaysia has broadcast live three of our
\none-hour shows," he said.<\/p>\n
The festival did not ignore ethnic costume, either.
\nThirteen stalls, selling mostly batik and embroidered clothes,
\nwere positioned around a smaller stage that was ready for
\ntraditional acts, including Betawi (indigenous Jakartan) and
\nBalinese dance, as well as batik and shadow puppet painting.<\/p>\n
"Maybe we've put on a few too many events," said Ng. "We were
\nnot sure about the public response because this is the first time
\nwe've staged such a festival."<\/p>\n
When the Post arrived at the small stage at 2 p.m., the show
\nhad not started yet, although the schedule indicated there should
\nbe batik painting and wood carving. Ten minutes later an a
\ncapella group entertained the audience, followed by a person in a
\npuppet character giving away products from one of the sponsors.<\/p>\n
Visitors who wanted to see Betawi dance, supposedly at 3 p.m.,
\nwere kept waiting until 4 p.m. for a show that lasted little more
\nthan 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the festival managed to attract visitors. "It is
\nnot usually this crowded on Saturdays," said Dewi, a frequent
\nvisitor to the mall. She claimed to have heard about the event
\nbut did not go especially to see it.<\/p>\n
"But the food is just the regular stuff," said the 32-year-old
\nmother, pointing to the upper floor where the food court is
\nlocated. Little did she know that the food festival was held at
\nGading Batavia, one street away from Kelapa Gading Mall.<\/p>\n
Twenty-eight temporary stalls are offering traditional food
\nfrom 15 provinces until May 30. The numerous restaurants in the
\ncomplex are also putting on an "eat and win" promo until June 30,
\nwhere customers can get merchandise after spending a specified
\namount of money.<\/p>\n
The mall has already staged a model search, photograph
\ncompetition and designer competition for the last two months. The
\nawards ceremony will be held at the close on Sunday.<\/p>",
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