During this month of love, don’t forget to take your loved one out for a Valentine’s Day dinner, have an auspicious feast on Chinese New Year, and catch the much-anticipated performances of Sensation White, Paramore, Incubus, and Russel Peters.
All of the exciting things happening in Jakarta this month must be a sign that 2018 will be a great year. Just look at the events happening in February and you’ll see why. From not one but two travel fairs to plan for your next vacation, and a wedding fair for brides and grooms-to-be, to countless concerts, long-awaited movie releases, and, not to forget, Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, these fun happenings in the city gives us no single reason not to love February.
1. Join one of Bartega’s sip and paint parties
Chilled out nights with wine and your bestie are the best, and what better way to relax all those city stresses away than drinking and painting? The good folks at Bartega know what’s up, and they’re hosting several sip and paint parties all month long. Whether you’re a Yayoi Kusama fan, love Beauty and the Beast or have always dreamt of seeing the Northern Lights, there’s a theme for every aspiring artist (the wine is just a major plus). Pssttt…these classes make for a unique fun date leading up to Valentine’s Day too! For more details, check out the website of Bartega for their upcoming sessions.
2. Watch Incubus’ concert in Jakarta
If you grew up in the 90s listening to Incubus, you don’t want to miss the American rock band’s performance in Jakarta on 7 February. This is finally the time for you to make amends if you missed their previous two concerts in the city, where you can listen to your favourite songs “Drive”, “Wish You Were Here”, and “Pardon Me” live at Jiexpo Kemayoran.
3. Scour great deals on flight tickets at Cathay Pacific Travel Fair
Planning to go somewhere for the upcoming holiday season? It’s always good to plan ahead because you can always snatch great deals on flight tickets, just like what you can do at Cathay Pacific Travel Fair 2018. The first travel fair of the year will be held on 8-11 February at Kota Kasablanka, where HSBC Credit Card holders get to enjoy the best deals, receive cashback, enjoy an installment of up to 24 months, and get free travel luggage and free travel insurance of up to IDR 10.5 billion.
4. Celebrate National Pizza Day with lots of pizza
As if we actually need an excuse to eat pizza, it’s National Pizza Day on 9 February! Whether it’s thin or thick crust, this cheesy dish is something that we can always count on. If you love Italian pizzas, check out these amazing pizzerias in Jakarta, but if you’re more into the New York-style pizzas and you have a big appetite – I know you do – check out our favourite Pizza Place and celebrate this unofficial holiday with their ultra-fulfilling pizza slices.
5. Celebrate Candra Darusman’s greatest hits at Malam Gembira
In honour of the amazing songs of musician Candra Darusman, a total of 19 top Indonesian singers like Andien Aisyah, Ruth Sahanaya, and Fariz RM gather together for “Malam Gembira: Pesta Dara dan Pemuda” on 9 February. Held at Empirica in SCBD, the concert celebrates the legend’s greatest hits of all time.
6. Be part of Blowfish Most Wanted night with Illenium
Spend your Friday night at Blowfish on 9 February, where Ismaya will bring the future bass hotshot, Illenium. The American DJ, musician and producer, who is famous for his hit song “Feel Good” with Gryffin featuring Daya, will entertain the crowd during “Blowfish Most Wanted” night of the year.
7. Enjoy farm-to-glass, tailor-made cocktails at Union Cocktail Club: Farmers Market
Love cocktails? How about choosing what goes inside your own cocktail yourself? At Union Cocktail Club: Farmers Market, you can pick from crates of fruits and vegetables at the stall and pass your choices to the mixologists who will create a tailor-made cocktail for you. Enjoy this farm-to-glass experience on 9 February at Union Plaza Senayan featuring Agung Prabowo of The Old Man, Hong Kong and 10 February at Union PIK Avenue. For reservations, call +62 21 5790 5861 (Plaza Senayan) or +62 21 2257 1168 (PIK Avenue).
8. Get inspired by this year’s wedding trends at Bridestory Fair
Brides and grooms-to-be, get ready to plan your dream wedding at the annual Bridestory Fair. Held on 9-11 February at the Grand Ballroom of Sheraton Grand Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, Bridestory Fair 2018 will have the stardust theme and present a curated list of over 100 wedding vendors across more than 16 categories. The most exciting thing is, with a minimum purchase of IDR 1 million, you can join the door prize to win back your spending of up to IDR 300 million!
9. Dance in white at Sensation White
For the first time ever, the world’s leading dance event Sensation White will finally land in Jakarta this month and we’re beyond excited! Held at ICE BSD on 10 February, the event’s line-up includes EDM superstars Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Ummet Ozcan, Quintino, Lucas and Steve, McGee, and the iconic Mr. White. Prepare your all-white outfit for “The Ocean of White”-themed festival, where you will experience a visual treat against the unrivalled production of lighting, installations and effects unlike any other.
10. Celebrate love at LAF Festival
Celebrate the month of love at Love and Fabulous or LAF Festival, where you can enjoy 11 special music shows in one night. Held at JCC Senayan just before Valentine’s Day on 10 February, the festival is headlined by British singer Anne Marie and K-Pop star CL. The line-up will also include acid jazz and funk group The Brand New Heavies from London, and top Indonesian singers like Raisa, Andien, Yura, D’Essentials of Groove, and many more.
11. Find your potential soulmate at Hause Rooftop’s Speed Dating night
Worried that you don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day? Worry no more as Hause Rooftop and Setipe are hosting a Speed Dating night on 10 February for all you single and ready to mingle folks out there. Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes aged 29-37 should register at hola@hauserooftop.com. Good luck!
12. Learn about Instagram Marketing for F&B Industry with Mana Class
Love eating, taking pictures and playing with Instagram? Then turn your hobbies into cash and make it a business. If you don’t know how to, don’t worry because you can learn from the expert at Instagram Marketing for F&B Industry workshop by Mana Class. Fellexandro Ruby of Wanderbites Studio will speak during the sharing session, which is held at GoWork Coworking and Office Space on 10 February.
13. Watch the orchestra at Aula Simfonia Jakarta
Fans of classical music will not want to miss Aula Simfonia Jakarta’s concert on 10 February, featuring Sibelius Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4. Johan Dalene will be playing the violin during the concert, which will also feature Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra and Dr. Jahja Ling as the conductor.
14. Support young local artists at Trimarta: A Post-Residency Exhibition
If you love art, don’t miss Trimarta: A Post-Residency Exhibition, featuring three young artists Suryo Herlambang, Reza Zefanya Mulia, and Ajeng Martia Saputri who won the 2016 Salihara Three Dimensional Art Competition. Each of the artists joined different residency programmes in Tasmania and Thailand, during which they conducted a research on diverse media which was developed into artworks that will be showcased at Salihara Gallery from 10 February to 11 March.
15. Treat your Valentine with Michelin-starred cuisine by Chef Paul Walsh
In honour of Valentine’s week, Raffles Jakarta is bringing the Executive Chef of London’s City Social restaurant, Chef Paul Walsh, to Arts Café, where the world-renowned chef will be serving an exclusive wine-pairing five-course dinner set menu from 12 to 14 February. His own restaurant in London was granted a Michelin star in 2014 and has retained it for four consecutive times, so this exceptional dining special is definitely a can’t miss experience if you want to surprise your Valentine with an extraordinary cuisine.
The exclusive five-course dinner set menu at Arts Café is IDR 1,395,000++ per person. For reservations, call +62 21 2988 0888 or email dining.jakarta@raffles.com.
16. Get loved up this Valentine’s Day
Couples, get ready to impress your better halves this month for Valentine’s Day! After keeping up with all your antics, don’t you think he or she deserves more of your love – and more flowers and chocolate, please! – during this special day? There are lots of things you can do this 14 February to give your S.O. a special time, from enjoying the dining deals at these romantic and fine dining restaurants to having a free romantic staycation at Alila Jakarta. If a candle light dinner isn’t your thing, try out these unique, fun date ideas instead, which will surely put a smile on your face and also an extra spark on your relationship.
17. Sing along to love songs during the Intimate Night with Tulus
What’s your idea of a romantic Valentine’s Day? For some of you, that may be an Intimate Night with Tulus. Famous for his soothing, romantic love songs, Tulus will perform on 14 February at Soehanna Hall, accompanying not only lovebirds but also single ladies and gents with his hit songs “Jangan Cintai Aku Apa Adanya”, “Gajah”, “Teman Hidup”, and many more.
18. Get ready to book your Black Panther movie tickets
Marvel fans, get ready to welcome a new superhero because Black Panther is coming to the theatres on 14 February! The movie, which is the sequel to Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War, will follow the story of T’Challa, a young king of the African nation of Wakanda, and how he uses his power as Black Panther to defeat his enemies and secure his people.
19. Reunite with Adit and Tita on Eiffel I’m in Love 2
After 14 years of waiting, we can finally watch our favourite couple Adit and Tita on the sequel of Eiffel I’m in Love on 14 February. Much loved by teenagers and adults alike in the early 2000s, this famous Indonesian romantic drama, which is set in the romantic city of Paris, will continue the story of Adit and Tita, who has now become upset as his boyfriend still hasn’t proposed to her after 12 years of long-distance relationship.
20. Participate in the insightful Artpreneur Talk about millennials
Who says you can’t be productive on Valentine’s Day? Join Artpreneur Talk at Ciputra Artpreneur, which will have its first edition of seminar on 14 February. Speakers, innovators and and thought leaders from various industries like Tokopedia, Go-Jek, and Unilever will share their insights on the current hot topic titled “Converting Millennials into New Brand Lovers”.
21. Celebrate Chinese New Year with the family
Another month, another new year celebration! Let’s welcome the Year of the Dog this 16 February with an abundant reunion dinner with the family and loved ones. From tossing your Yee Sang high to donning your prettiest cheongsam and – unless you’re married – preparing yourself to receive lots of red packets, these celebrations can go on for as long as three days because lucky for us, Chinese New Year falls on a Friday this year! So whether or not you’re celebrating, don’t forget to enjoy a festive long weekend with your loved ones.
22. Catch Paramore in concert
We don’t know what makes February the perfect month for artists to hold concerts, but all we know is that major concerts are happening in Jakarta at this time of the year. It’s still the beginning of the year yet we feel like our money is already flying away to pay for all these music events, but to be honest, we’re not really sorry if the performing band is as awesome as Paramore! After seven years, this American rock band will finally return to the city on their series of Tour Four, held at ICE BSD on 16 February.
23. Get nostalgic at Musikal Petualangan Sherina
If you’re a 90s kid, you must have watched Petualangan Sherina growing up and loved singing to Sherina’s “Jagoan”. Now on 16 February, we finally get to watch the movie’s musical at Teater Jakarta in Taman Ismail Marzuki. 55 cast members, 23 musicians, 51 crews, and 19 members of the creative team are involved in the production of Musikal Petulangan Sherina, whose casts are mentored by Derby Romero, who played the male lead in the original movie, and Chelsea Islan.
24. Catch Locavore’s pop-up dining in Jakarta at Emilie Restaurant
If you’re craving for the food at Locavore in Ubud, Bali but not planning to visit the island anytime soon, you’ll want to book your seats fast at Emilie Restaurant, because that’s where Locavore will have a pop-up in Jakarta from 19 February to 4 March. Taking pride in using local produce for their modern European cuisine, the team of Locavore will create a special menu inspired by the seasonal findings from the markets in Jakarta, so get ready to be surprised! Book your seat at Locavore’s pop-up by making your reservation online.
25. Plan your next vacation at BCA Singapore Airlines Travel 2018
If one travel fair is not enough for you, don’t worry because there’s a second one also coming up this month on 23-25 February. The much-anticipated BCA Singapore Airlines Travel Fair will finally return to the main atrium of Gandaria City on 23-25 February, where you can get special fares on Singapore Airline tickets, cashback, 3x KrisFlyer miles, a 0% installment using BCA cards, and other perks like special rates on attractions in Singapore and pay-1-for-2 Sweet Escape session.
26. Make your own jewellery with From Tiny Island at Indoestri
Do you love the jewelleries made by From Tiny Island? If you do, you’ll want to learn from the experts behind the local jewellery brands themselves during their workshop. On 24 February, Nathalisa and Sasrya of From Tiny Islands will hold a basic jewellery making class at Indoestri, where they will teach you about the tools and the materials used, as well as the techniques of cutting and soldering.
27. Join your fellow toy collectors at the Jakarta 14th Toys and Comic Fair 2018
Toy collectors, don’t miss The Jakarta 14th Toys and Comic Fair 2018, where you can find lots of toys and comic shops and various communities of collectors that you can join in. Held on 24-25 February at Balai Kartini Kartika Expo, it is the biggest event for toy collectors in Indonesia. For more information, check out @jakartatoysfair on Instagram.
28. Watch the live performance of indie bands at Noisewhore Live
Noisewhore Live will return on 25 February to Rossi Musik Fatmawati, featuring Taiwanese city pop and jazz band Sunset Rollercoaster as the headliner. The mini festival’s line-up will also include two Singaporean bands Sobs and Subsonic Eye, as well as Indonesian local music producer Whoosah who will entertain the crowd with his live set.
29. Have a good laugh at Russell Peters’ stand-up comedy performance
Life is already stressful in itself, so why so serious? If you love having a good laugh every now and then, don’t miss Russell Peters’ jokes at his stand-up comedy performance at The Kasablanka Hall on 27 February. After taking a break to film his smash hit Netflix series The Indian Detective, the Canadian comedian will return to the Big Durian on his Deported World Tour this month, which will also feature comedian Jake Johannsen.
30. Enjoy the creations of Guest Chef Fei from Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou at Li Feng
One of China’s best young chefs, Chef Fei from Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou will become the guest chef at Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta’s Chinese restaurant Li Feng from 28 February to 3 March. During his visit to Jakarta, Chef Fei will be introducing new dishes at Li Feng, where he will be there during lunch and dinner to personally present his exquisite creations like Chao Zhou Braised Pork Knuckle, Deep Fried Golden Chicken Skin Wrap, Wok-Fried Lobster with Basil Leaves, and Szechuan Pepper and Peanut. For reservations, call +62 21 2993 8825 or email mojkt-lifeng@mohg.com.
