The Reading Room is a new establishment in South Jakarta created by book-lover and writer Richard Oh, who is best known for opening QB World Books.
At the Reading Room, people either read or work, without being judged for having their eyes glued to a book or their faces bathed in the glow of a laptop screen for hours on end.
The warm ambience continues in the lounge corner on the second floor, where a book reading event took place on Thursday night. Author Maggie Tiojakin met with fellow book-lovers to discuss her new book, “Winter Dreams.” Among those in attendance was Andrea Hirata, who penned the wildly popular story “Laskar Pelangi” (“The Rainbow Troops”).
And the week before, the Reading Room started its Sunday Book Club with author Ratih Kumala, who just released a novel, “Gadis Kretek.”
On a good day, the Reading Room may not be able to live up to its name as it becomes too crowded to sit back and read. But on a quiet day — most weekdays, for example — it is a gem in the city.
With stacks of books everywhere, the Reading Room is not your ordinary cafe. Wandering among the thousands of books on the ground and second floors is a great way to pass the time, especially if your other option is sitting in a traffic jam.
Most of the books come with a price tag from QB World Books and range from Rp 50,000 to Rp 150,000 ($5 to $16), but you can read them for free while at the venue. Richard’s extensive personal collection, which includes books on philosophy, classic literature and fiction, is displayed on the second floor but is not for sale.
Richard said that he wanted the Reading Room to be a place that would invite people to come in and settle down with a good read.
In addition to the written word, the Reading Room is also trying to appeal to film-lovers. A screening room, which can accommodate up to 20 people, is tucked away near the stairs on the second floor.
The Reading Room has already held a few film screenings, the latest one being the Indonesian film “Kebun Binatang” (“Postcards From the Zoo”) by director Edwin. The film was also screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in the United States.
Since its opening last month, the Reading Room has generated some buzz from Richard’s friends on Twitter. It has quickly become the place to be in Jakarta, especially for those who work in the creative industry.
The Reading Room also provides free wifi. The ground floor, painted a soothing lime green, is like a common room for visitors, where people can eat, drink and read books. Make sure you bring identification, as it is required for those who wish to read the books.
The second floor, the walls of which are painted bright yellow, is where the bar, the stage, the lounge and screening room are. Unlike most bars in Jakarta, the second floor is not stacked with bottles of alcohol, but books.
It is a nice reminder that books can put you in a dreamy state of mind similar to that created by wine and liquor, especially in a society where reading books is not very popular.
The best seats are the sofas near the large glass windows on the second floor, where you can get a view of the street. But the sofa in the private collection corner is the quietest spot, and a place where you can see the whole cafe.
Other than books, visitors can also enjoy artworks from the Vivi Yip Art Room, which adorn the walls. If you are an interested in purchasing a piece of art, prices range from Rp 10 million to Rp 18 million.
Reading Room is a creative hub, where you can indulge in art, film and literature all at once. And if that isn’t enough creativity for you, there is a French furniture shop in the building next door.
The Reading Room
Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to midnight
Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Jalan Kemang Timur No. 57 A-B, South Jakarta
Sumber: The Jakarta Globe
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