It's a (s)mall world after all

It's a (s)mall world after all

By Simon Wellington

They form one of the larger congregations in Jakarta and
definitely one of the more devoted. With religious fervor, they
meet at any time and on any day of the week to worship at the
fountain of life -- provider of all life-sustaining resources --
the mall.

JAKARTA (JP): Well it has to be said that there are a lot of
malls in Jakarta.

They range from centers catering to specific trade, such as
technology or textiles, to the grand, all-encompassing palaces of
pleasure and luxury such as Plaza Indonesia or Plaza Senayan. The
latter are common habitats of mallrats.

Lured by the sparkle of shiny objects, the aroma of freshly
brewed coffee and the chanting of their comrades, the mallrats
usually swarm the shrines to capitalism in same-sex groups.

While there, they make sacrifices to the gods of shopping,
perform silent mating rituals and engage in miscellaneous social
intercourse.

Jake and Grace, two students from the Jakarta International
School (JIS), were found wandering Pondok Indah Mall (PIM), South
Jakarta, recently and were happy to explain their tale of plaza
seduction.

PIM is this young expat duo's main haunt because of its
proximity to home and school. Jake visits the mall two to three
times a week, when he's bored, while Grace has her habit down to
once a week.

Both visit the mall to be with friends, see movies, go to the
arcade and occasionally do some shopping.

"I usually come with a group of friends, hang out for a few
hours, watch a movie and then hang out some more," Jake said.

Jake said that he spent around Rp 400,000 a month at the mall,
while Grace forfeited a more modest Rp 100,000.

Asked about whether their parents were concerned about them
spending time at the mall, Grace responded, "The (U.S.) embassy
sent out a letter warning about the possibility of bombs and my
parents didn't want me to go to the mall as often."

Did it stop her?

"Nope."

PIM has all the basic mall essentials: a cinema, cafes and a
decent range of shops -- making it extremely popular among
younger teens. There is also a strong expat presence, due to it
being located within the Pondok Indah residential area and close
to JIS.

Upon further investigation of the mall world, it became clear
that Plaza Senayan had to be seen. Or more to the point, was the
scene to be seen!

Thousands of people flock to this Mecca for shoppaholics, all
appearing to be in competition for the next cover of Vogue --
both the magazine and the Madonna song.

Plaza Senayan, known better among the locals as PS, is clearly
a test site for genetic enhancement experiments. Slim bodies
adorned with chic figure-hugging outfits, the click of high-heel
shoes and the incessant melody of mobile phones (an essential
accessory) is visually and aurally overwhelming.

There must be an unwritten dress standard that everyone
strictly adheres to and there is a deep suspicion that the
security guards could in fact be fashion police.

Clearly, the pressure to look good is compelling. Devy, 25,
said that "the girls are so beautiful and the guys are so
handsome" at Plaza Senayan, to which Reza, 22, added, "So when we
come here we have to dress up like they do."

Their dilemma, so common, is one of the more heart-wrenching
tales of this great city.

"This is the place where we want to meet our future wives,"
Reyno, 16, said.

These three mall musketeers hang out in the food court or
cafes about two times a week, usually spending around Rp 500,000
a month within the walls that could contain the loves of their
lives.

On Mondays they can see discount movies at the Cinema 21
outlet and on Saturdays, well, there's lots of girls around -- or
as Devy so eloquently put it: "Beautiful chicks."

Ocha, 23, and Putri, 21, go to Plaza Senayan almost every day.
They revealed a key attraction for mallgoers -- there's just so
much under one roof.

They can go bowling, see movies, there are lots of cafes and
good choices for shopping, where they usually buy clothes and
makeup. They also spend about Rp 500,000 a month to maintain the
lifestyle to which they are a customer.

"There are many options for food, a lot of restaurants and
good window-shopping," Ocha said. So what do they talk about?
Politics? The economy?

"Boys!" came the immediate response.

Meanwhile, it's not only the girls talking about boys at Plaza
Senayan.

Ardhi, 24, said that he and his friends often chat about
interesting guys within eye-range and sometimes meet up with
people whom they've been chatting with over the Internet. Ah, the
blurry lines of love, where the real and virtual worlds collide
and commitment is measured by the speed of your modem.

"Plaza Senayan is great for eye-catching because there's so
many cute guys here. People are more fashionable here and there's
more bule," Ardhi said, referring to the fair-skinned expatriate
community who are also lured by the color and movement of the
plaza.

"Sometimes I go to Blok M because there's a lot of Internet
cafes there. So I can use them for chatting and see a lot of my
other friends who hang around there," he added.

"I prefer Plaza Senayan though because it has good cafes.
There's some good cafes in Blok M but they're located in the
basement -- not a strategic place for sightseeing."

Blok M Plaza, still in South Jakarta, does not have as many
branded stores. There are more kiosk-style shops here selling
mobile phones, electronic goods and the prices are generally
cheaper.

The presence of warnet (internet kiosks) and arcades ensures
significant mallrat patronage, from teens to early twenty-
somethings.

Plaza Indonesia is another glitzy consumer paradise. Nestled
within an outcrop of five-star hotels, it has the usual fare of
Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Versace and Fendy, the combined
stock of which would probably carry a price tag equal to
Indonesia's gross national debt.

Most people are business types from the surrounding precinct,
as well as guests from the hotels. There are fewer entertainment
venues, making it less attractive to teens, which adds to its
exclusive ambience.

Further up town, Mal Taman Anggrek is the substructure for a
small city of apartment towers. It is Jakarta's biggest mall and
is packed with a variety of entertainment options. Like other
plazas, MTA -- as many mallrats call it -- has its own distinct
culture.

It also has warnet, a number of department stores and shops
catering to specific hobbies or merchandise. There aren't as many
branded shops here though, thus creating a fashion divide with
the more trendy model malls.

The majority of MTA's patrons are Chinese Indonesians, with a
large number of them being young teenagers. Customers are lured
to this mall by entertainment spectaculars, while the large ice
skating rink at the center of the complex definitely has a
chilling grip on many youngsters who appear to be frozen to its
surface, motionless, while engrossed in conversation.

Whereas previous generations had revolutions or political
oppression imposing on their leisure time, today's young people
would seem to have a significantly larger number of options.

When asked about social activities undertaken outside the mall
world, most people seemed bewildered by the possibility. After
all, everything that's cool happens in the mall.

There is definitely a sense of escapism involved in mall
culture. The real world outside is hot and dirty, fast and
confusing. Inside, it's cool and clean, safe and glamorous.

Malls offer a new conduit for social interaction.

They are the symbol of a generation overwhelmed by
manipulative stimulus and newfound freedoms. Viva le plaza!

Who cares if it's all just an illusion?