Luxurious atmosphere offered at C.J.'s
Luxurious atmosphere offered at C.J.'s
By Yogita Tahil Ramani
JAKARTA (JP): Some of the patrons were confident enough to do
the cha-cha and swing to In The Groove and Begin The Beguine.
Others were happy to simply savor the music and the sight of dark
figures dancing in a dimly lit arena at C.J.'s Bar at the Hotel
Mulia Senayan, Central Jakarta.
Pastel-suited men and women enjoying liquors and coffees
graced plush deep blue, brown and grape sofas on a recent
Thursday night, the only day of the week set aside for "Hot Latin
Dancing".
Four hundred guests attended the event, including celebrities
such as actress-singer Nia Zulkarnaen and husband Ahmad Iskandar
Zulkarnaen, talk-show host Ingrid Widjanarko, vocalist Yana
Julio, designer Ramli, painter Firman Ichsan and model Okky
Asokawati.
About 10 couples, still in office attire, swung their hips
around the floor with Yana, Ingrid and Ramli.
Ballroom dancing was reintroduced July 30 and at least four
dance instructors were hired by the bar, which has a
three-by-six-meter stage.
According to public relations manager Lia Sunarjo, the program
was offered to lure office-bound executives into the bar.
"This is being done particularly for those office workers and
entrepreneurs who need to unwind after a hard day," Lia said.
But why ballroom-dancing?
Lia said that even expressive dancing required style and
grace.
"Latin dancing comes from doing the tango, cha-cha and the
swing... it's expressive but it requires style," she said.
"Besides, it's one way of getting the yuppies into this bar as
well. Ballroom is not only for the old, but the young too."
It also offers a no-cover-charge benefit except on Fridays and
Saturdays, when patrons have to pay Rp 40,000 (US$3.33), although
this includes a free soft drink.
The 350-square-meters-wide bar with a 128-seat capacity could
fit in 500 for a standing party. Lia said that it offers a
variety of drinks and snacks, ranging from freshly squeezed
juices, imported beer and liqueur coffees to a selection of sushi
rolls, grilled chicken tikka and satay.
However, prices are a bit steep. An orange or an apple juice
comes in at Rp 18,000 a glass, soft drinks Rp 9,500 a bottle,
imported beer-prices are either Rp 21,000 or Rp 26,000 --
depending on the brand -- glacier or Perrier water costs Rp
14,500 a bottle while local Aqua or Oasis will set you back Rp
5,500.
Liqueur coffees are priced at Rp 48,000 and beverages like hot
chocolate and fresh lemonade, Rp 12,000. Snacks range from Rp
14,000 to Rp 28,000, excluding tax.
The place has a quiet elegance, a luxurious atmosphere and the
music, whether Italian accapela from the album Neri Percaso or
the instrumental music of Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, is
easy on the ear.
The 40-story hotel, whose owners still owe Rp 20.5 billion to
the city administration for building the hotel two-and-a-half
times higher than permitted, was officially opened in September
1997 while the bar started operating one month later.
Asked what C.J.'s stood for, Lia said: "The name came directly
from the Mulia Group CEO, Joko S. Tjandra."