A Day That Rose Higher Than the City

This Thursday was one of those days that felt like three days folded into one. Full, warm, surprising, exhausting, and in the most unexpected way, deeply meaningful.

The morning started with something mundane yet necessary. My husband and I squeezed in a quick visit to CIMB Niaga, the kind of errand you hope goes smoothly. And it did. Everything was taken care of without any drama. Let’s just say that after today, I probably won’t need to queue anymore if I ever go back there. A small victory, but a satisfying one.

Time was tight, so we drove straight to Agora Mall for lunch at Su Wah. We didn’t expect much, but the food turned out to be genuinely good. A comforting meal for two at a reasonable price, the kind of lunch that makes you pause and think, Oh, this is nice. Simple joys.

Right as we were about to enter the restaurant, we ran into Mba Lurus Ledyati, Director of Arkbase, who had invited us to the Business Network International event that day. After we finished our lunch, she picked us up again to head up to Nine Space for the event.

My husband was one of the speakers at the Business Talk themed Connect, Create, Conquer.

• Connect was represented by Pak Eddy Sugiri, BNI National Director, with a keynote titled From Network to Networth.
• Create was my husband’s segment, Natali Ardianto, CEO of Lifepack and Co-founder of Tiket.com, with his talk From Idea to Empire.
• Conquer was delivered by Donny Donata, CEO of Orang Tua Group, speaking on The Art of Being Heard in the Loud World.

It wasn’t just a series of keynotes. There was engagement, questions, conversations. And the best part was the unexpected reconnection with good friends. Agus Subroto, my miles mentor. Ari Handojo, my NLP and TLT teacher. It felt like rediscovering old chapters I once loved reading.

We also met so many new faces. Business owners, entrepreneurs, decision makers from enterprises and multinational companies. People who build, lead, and create. People whose names come with stories of their own. Just to mention a few: Steven Lie of FOGO Group, Alamsyah Sunandar of CMA Labs, Marchella Purwanaika of Jambuluwuk, Lenny Aziz of NAVA+, Felix Dharmaputra of Prima Solusi Group, Jonathan Tuhirman of Investasikaya, and many more. Everyone carried a spark that made the room feel like it was buzzing with potential.

And for anyone unfamiliar with Business Network International, it’s a global business referral organization where members meet weekly, exchanged structured referrals, and grow through trusted professional relationships. Very intentional, very supportive, very community-driven.

When the event ended, did we go home? Of course not.

We were invited by Pak Thomas Sugiarto, co-founder of FP One and host of the venue, to go all the way up to the top of Indonesia’s tallest building. Yes, the 109th floor. The elevator alone felt like a scene from a sci-fi movie. So fast my ears popped like I was on an airplane.

At the top of the Autograph Tower in Thamrin Nine, the world opened up. The observatory deck, the panoramic 360-degree view, the glass floors, the outdoor terrace, the breathtaking horizon stretching far beyond Jakarta’s chaos. The sky swing, the edge walks, the quiet corners overlooking a city that never really sleeps. Some parts weren’t even open to the public, but Pak Thomas and his son toured us around with the kind of enthusiasm that made us feel like honored guests. Treated like VVIP, shown views that not everyone gets to see. It was beautiful, surreal, and humbling all at once.

After soaking in the sky, did we finally head home? Still no.

We went back to Agora Mall because Mba Ledy invited us to dinner at Kimukatsu. A warm, hearty meal with stories shared across the table, business journeys, life chapters, lessons learned. The last time we ate there, we treated a friend. This time, Mba Ledy treated us. Life has its own way of making circles feel complete.

And then, finally, surely, we were going home.

But not quite.

We made one last stop at our MNV co-living in Benhil. We had promised the keeper we’d deliver a mirror to be installed on the third floor. The plan was to meet him at 7 PM. He arrived at 10. By then, all I could do was exhale, laugh a little, and wait it out.

Only after that final errand did we truly head home. A long, winding day. But a joyful one. A day filled with people, connections, reconnections, unexpected views, shared meals, and small miracles disguised as good timing.

November 26, 2025

Nuniek Tirta Sari