Bali, Indonesia - Part 2

Places to visit

Kuta Beach
 
Along Kuta beach is home to some of the best resorts in Bali, there's also "Potato Head", a favourite among tourists to watch the sunset while sipping on drinks and dipping in the pool. But if you want to go to potato head you will need to book in advance as the seats fill out extremely fast. The beach itself is very long, the sand is a bit course but the water is very clean and a beautiful shade of blue during the day. We walked for ages along the beach, there were fishermen mending their fishing nets and dogs running around, it was picturesque and idyllic. Watching the hues of the sky change as the sun was setting was a memorable moment.

Bali Water Sports

Bali is famous for it's beaches and water so they offer a whole bunch of water activities, from the pretty tame to the extreme, depends on what you're looking for I guess. "Bali Water Sport" is the one we went to. We chose to do the "Banana Boat", you lie in a rubber shaft which is dragged along by a boat at high speed so the shaft flies into the air. It's exhilarating and a bit scary at the same time, I think I screamed my lungs out for the first 2 minutes because all you're holding onto is these 2 rope handles when you're almost vertical in the air. 
They also offer this thing called the "Sea Walker" where you walk along the sea floor and feed the fishes with bread (ok so maybe that's a bit bad since bread doesn't exactly grow in the ocean but oh well..). We were fortunate enough to see a clown fish hiding in the corals. All the while you're down there, instructors follow you and film you, after you're on the surface, they will ask if you want to buy the video. Bring your waterproof camera if you have one. 
 

Turtle Island

One of the activities offered is the glass boat to Turtle Island, a conservation type of place that breeds sea turtles. The island also has other animals like snakes and exotic birds, you have to pay a contribution and that goes towards the conservation (I hope it does anyway). I guess this isn't one of those places that I think is extremely worthy of visiting, but they do let you hold their turtles which I thought was really cool anyway. 

Tegalalang Rice Fields

The rice fields are a interesting sight, you can climb them if you want or you can chill in one of the cafes perched along the path overlooking the fields. It's surrounded by a forest but there are paths which makes it a lot easier to get around, we got down to the bottom of the rice fields but decided not to climb any further as the heat and humidity was just too overbearing.






Goa Gajah

Also known as the elephant cave, it's the only temple we managed to visit during our stay in Bali. The temple is surrounded by some forests, you can stroll the maze-like paths which takes you to waterfalls and rock carvings throughout the forest. It was extremely humid when we visited the site, if you don't have your own sarong, the temple staff will make you wear a polyester one which does not help with the heat. As with most attractions, you need to pay an admission fee to the temple, if you like Balinese culture then this place is worth a visit, just bring a hat and sunnies.

Monkey Forest

Don't be fooled by the cuteness! These monkeys can be quite ferocious. Before going in, make sure you buy some bananas from the ladies at the entrance to the forest, you can hold a banana up in the air and a monkey will climb on you. As with any wild animals, don't act stupid and be respectful. It can be quite tempting to try to get close to them especially the baby monkeys but remember that they are territorial animals and their mothers are always around. Tina got scratched by one lol. 

Kecak Fire Dance

Get a local or tour guide to take you here,  they need to buy the tickets for you which can be quite chaotic. The stage is up on a cliff and you need to climb up a series of stairs pass through some really nice scenery. The dance starts off pretty slow, 50 guys huddle together and sing in this very low, trance like voice which was pretty impressive. It's a old Balinese tale of love, revenge and friendship, all against the beautiful backdrop of the sunset. Near the end where the battle between the white monkey king and the evil guy occurs, they lit a big fire, I think the people sitting at the very front got quite a scare as the fire was kicked around. I would say that this was an experience like no other, well worth the trek up the cliff.

To be continued...

Bali, Indonesia - Part 1

I went to Bali with my best friend Tina last year in October, we planned to stay there for a week but one week is just not enough I say! Bali is one of those places that Australians love to go because it's relatively close and also cheap as chips. So I will be sharing some of my experiences and recommendations on Bali this week :)

Accomodation

We stayed at Amana Villas in Seminyak, which is a very tourist heavy place. We opted for a private villa, it came with a private swimming pool, daily breakfasts and your very own butler. Amana also offers a airport pick-up service for an extra fee so you don't get hassled by taxi drivers who will most likely rip you off if you don't know how to negotiate. The villa is simply gorgeous, immaculate, clean and beautifully decorated with dark woods and white tiles throughout. The service is tailored for your needs and likings but never intrusive. Our butler was very well informed and friendly, always called us by "Miss Tian" and "Miss Tina". The bathtub was filled with rose petals when we arrived, that would've been a nice surprise if we were a couple lol. The pool was so refreshing as the weather in Bali was very hot and humid. I was quite surprised at just how quiet and tranquil the villas were because if you walk 50m down the road to Seminyak, it's full of cars, bikes and noise pretty much 24/7. Seminyak is a good place to stay if you want to be close to everything, there are heaps of really funky bars, shops and restaurants around this area and it's also very close to the beaches. 

Food

My favourite topic! All the food we've eaten in Bali has been so delicious not to mention dirt cheap. After we took a dip in the pool we decided to go out and explore the streets and also get some light dinner (paddling around in the pool is hard work). We found this place called "Sambal Shrimp" on Oberoi St and thought we'd give it a try. The staff here were so friendly and they actually remembered us the next day when we walked past. We got their signature sambal shrimp and also a fried rice with shrimp paste grilled on lemongrass. I'm so glad that we chose this place because the food was heavenly, the shrimp was extremely fresh and bursting with flavour, it was moderately chilli probably due to the fact that it's mainly tourists that come here. The rice was fragrant with the smell of lemongrass, it wasn't too oily and was a nice accompaniment to the shrimp. The cocktails were also fantastic, I think all Tina drank on the trip was Mojitos. The total for food, drinks + tip: $10 AUD

We booked a Ubud tour with the villa and our tour guide took us to "Bebek Bengil" or "Dirty Duck Diner". Surrounded by rice patties it was a very pleasant place to relax and eat a slow lunch. They specialises in duck dishes so we got the duck in Balinese sauce and also some chicken satays. The duck was so tender and just melted in your mouth, a little spicy and very fragrant. Even though it was almost 40 degrees outside it was so cool inside the restaurant without fans, Balinese architecture is amazing.   

Across the road from Sambal Shrimp is "MAMA San", a very hipster looking joint that reminded me of places in Surry Hills. It's a fusion restaurant that combines various asian cuisines. The bar upstairs the dining hall is also very funky, they serve some of the best cocktails I've had. We ordered the buns ( I forgot what was actually in the buns..), Pork hock, Eggplants in chilli sauce, Mung bean cake with coconut ice cream, Black sticky rice with coconut cream. The pork hock was huge, we could not finish the whole thing. The dipping sauce was really nice though, the acidity from the vinegar and chillis really cut through the heaviness from the pork. The pork itself was crispy on the outside and fall off the bone tender on the inside. The eggplant was ok, I don't think it was anything spectacular. My dessert which was the black sticky rice was awesome, creamy and sweet, if I wasn't too full I would have finished all of it. The mung bean cake was a bit too dense for me though.  

The next place I'm going to talk about would have to be the coolest place I've been to..ever.
It's called "El Kabron", a Spanish tapas restaurant that is situated on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. We went during lunchtime but it would be the coolest place to watch the sunset. There is a minimum spend if you want to sit near the pool but seriously, for this kind of view why not?  
The infinity pool is the coolest, you can rest at the edge and take in the magnificence of the ocean and horizon.
Not only is the view specatular, the food is also mouth-watering and authentic. We started off with a jug of sangria, Tortilla De Patatas (Potato and onion omelette, toasted bread drizzled with tomato & olive oil),
Croquetas De Marisco (Prawn and lobster croquettes), Almejas Al Vino Blanco (Fine clams deep steamed in a white wine sauce),
Crema Catalana ( Vanilla & cinnamon caramelised catalan cream) and
Sacher Chocolate Cake. The potato and onion omelette is surprisingly good, it's smooth and creamy with the texture of a potato cake. The clams were juicy and flavoursome, the toasted bread that sucked up all that juices were awesome. The Catalana cream was very similar to a creme brulee but with a hint of cinnamon, it was lighter than a brulee and not as sweet. The cake was what you'd expect a chocolate should taste like, rich and sweet with slightly bitter notes. This would be a must try if you're thinking of going to Bali, not just for the food but for the whole experience.


I had the best iced coffee at "Anomali Coffee", situated in Seminyak, it seemed like a cool place to relax and have a light lunch so we went in. The atmosphere is pretty cool, lounge music playing in the background and a lot of people around. We had the pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) and iced coffees. The pho was a little funny, having had quite a few in Sydney this one tasted like a tamrind based soup instead of beef broth.
The iced coffee was just amazing, the best I've had for sure.

To be continued...

Autumn Black

Black to me is sexiness and power, especially when paired with other black items. It's a very good colour for layering, you can break it up a bit by using gold or silver jewelry and accessories. Autumn also calls for outerwear like trench coats, a good trench coat instantly adds cool and edginess to any outfit. Make-up wise, think porcelain skin, nude lips and cat eyes. Pick a good liquid eyeliner, it takes a bit of practise to get the flick right but don't get discouraged, experiment with the angles and height of the flick until you find the perfect shape for your eyes.

For all the items and the prices click on the image.

Created using Polyvore

Meet Wilhemina & Friends

This is Wilhemina, she's a little girl who accidentally found a magical hat in the forest one day. After putting the hat on her head, she was cursed with a beard (lol, that's really terrible and funny at the same time). The hat made her the queen of the forest creatures known as the Tomos. She can never remove the hat or she'll die, oh the cruel fate!

Wilhemina & friends is created by the talented Mr Julian of course. It's about a group of very unique and quirky characters and their little adventures.Speaking of web comics, I normally read the horror genre (look up Bongcheon-Dong Ghost by HORANG and be prepared to scream like a little girl!!) but this really appeals to my inner cutesy girly stuff liking side. I must say, Jules really has put a lot of time and effort into these comics, I wish I had the patience and persistence to do these kind of things but I don't :(

They remind me of childhood and the silly little things kids get up to, ah the innocence and wonder...

There's also a alternate universe where everyone are K-Pop stars aka [Angel-6], so if you're into k-pop then you'll have a blast reading the stories around these ladies and more.

If you like anime and have a quirky sense of humour then do check out the website for all the comics and artwork.

http://wilheminaandfriends.com/

Sweet Treats - Part 2

The Choc Pot

A lot places that specialises in chocolate is popping up around Burwood which is awesome for me because I love chocolate! The Choc Pot is one of them, situated across the road from Burwood Plaza it's a bright and cheery place to have dessert. Their signature is the choc pot, a warm and gooey chocolate souffle-like dessert served in a ceramic pot accompanied by a strawberry and vanilla ice cream. When done right, the choc pot is quite a feast for the senses. Visually it is magnificent to look at, the warm melted chocolate oozing out of the pot literally makes your mouth start to water. The smoothness of the oozing chocolate sauce accompanies the souffle and the cold sweetness of the ice cream, delivering a combination of textures and that hugely satisfying feeling of "oh my god, this is awesome!". They also have a large range of other desserts like waffles (which is also fabulous) and drinks (Choc peppermint milk shake, yum!).

7/1 Railway Parade, Burwood

Hello Happy

Another cafe/bakery that's similar to Tom n Tom's, I think perhaps it's because they're both Korean? Anyway, Hello Happy offers more variety in terms of cakes and breads. They also whip up a really nice green tea latte. Their cakes are also worth a mention, especially their souffle cheesecake (pictured left). Light and fluffy, melts at the tip of your tongue with a mild cheese flavour. The cake goes perfectly with coffee or any other kind of sweet drinks on offer. The other cake pictured is a white chocolate and raspberry cake which is less memorable than the cheesecake, but tasty nonetheless. Their breads are also worth trying, from savoury to sweet you can be sure that you'll find something that tickles your fancy.   

22 The Boulevarde, Strathfield 

Chocolates Del Mondo

Another chocolate place in Burwood, this one has a HUGE menu. I've been here a couple of times now and there's still a long backlog of things I want to try. Pictured is their magic popping waffle. It comes with waffle balls on top of the waffle and fruits and ice cream, finished off with a drizzle of their pure Belgian milk chocolate. While the waffle is not the best waffle I've had It's still very delicious. The chocolate sauce however is smooth and rich, like molten chocolate lava. I have also tried their crepes with bananas and straberries, their pancakes and also french toast. I really love their Belgian hot chocolates though, nothing like the instant crap you find at other places. Definitely a place to come with large groups of friends so you can sample each dessert. 

5/258 Burwood Rd, Burwood

Sweet Treats - Part 1

I'm definitely a desserts person, there's nothing better than sitting down with your friends after a satisfying meal and chat over a cup of coffee and dessert or what I like to do is on my day off, go buy a book or magazine and just sit for hours listening to my favourite music on my ipod while drinking and eating at one of these places. Here's a list of my favourite places to go for coffee and dessert, each have their own charms and quirks, however I'm always on the hunt for new places to add to my list as well.

Tom N Tom's Coffee

I've walked past this place many times before without going in because I thought it was some sort of rip off Starbucks, that is until Jules told me about their sweet potato latte. I'm a big fan of lattes (would be pretty obvious by now), especially flavoured lattes, green tea (matcha) being one of my favourite flavours. So when I heard that they have sweet potato latte I was very intrigued to see what exactly that would taste like. I'm a bit 'meh' towards sweet potato nowadays, but when I was a child my grandma used to roast them for me, skin on, until they're almost burnt. The natural juices would seep out of the skin like golden syrup and the flesh sweet and creamy, it was the best treat ever. Then I came to Australia, the sweet potatoes here are just not up to par. The sweet potato latte is so fragrant, the scent of sweet potato and foamed milk lingers in your mouth after the first sip. The taste? Like sweet potato of course, not so much coffee, but more like hot frothy sweet potato milk. Their sweet toasts are also very popular, pieces of thick toast buttered and toasted, topped with cream or ice cream and sauce. The next time you're in the city, stop by and try their sweet potato latte.

97 Bathurst St, Sydney NSW 2000

Black Star Pastry

Black star pastry is famous for their watermelon cake and is rightfully so. Tucked away in a quite street in Newtown (hipster central in Sydney), it attracts large crowds to its doors with decadent cakes and pastries and some of the best coffees in town. The strawberry, watermelon cake with rose scented cream is truly a work of art. The cream is light and delicate, the watermelon and strawberries are fresh and bursting with moisture giving the cake a really refreshing taste and texture. The sweetness is just right, the fruits themselves are already sweet and juicy so the cake itself is actually quite light in taste. I also tried the Zen garden cake which is made from layers of pistachio ganache, white chocolate mousse, lemon curd and pistachio dacquoise. The taste is also very light and pleasant, the taste of pistachio is not as strong as the taste of lemon in this one which I didn't really mind. If you want to sample their cakes I strongly advice you to go early in the day as most of their cakes and pastries are sold out in the early afternoons. 

277 Australia St, Newtown NSW 2042

Cheeky Chocolate

This place is actually owned by Adriano Zumbo whose macarons have caused quite a stir among the people. This is also the place where Jules and I had our first date haha. We had the royal high tea for two which included a selection of macarons, tarts, scones, cakes and fruits. It was certainly delicious to look at as well as taste. He ordered a cappuccino which came out with a bunny on the froth which I found to be extremely adorable to say the least. Some of the tarts were too sweet for my liking but the scone was heavenly. In the end it was just too much for the both of us and we couldn't finish all the desserts. I think I would've liked to try some of the other desserts on offer too, like 'Will You Pash Or Dash' (chocolate fondant with passion fruit center, toasted white chocolate & orange soaked Pineapple) or the 'Read My Lips Or Kiss My Cheeks' (cheeky chocolate sundae with honeycomb, Crème Chantilly, peanut caramel, raspberry gel & banana Gelato topped with cheeky chocolate sauce). I really liked interiors too, decorated with different kinds of chandeliers and vintage accents, it reflects the decadence and richness of chocolate. 


11 George Street, North Strathfield

I just realised how long this list is going to be so I will end this with to be continued...

  

Fav Finds - April 2014

And welcome to the 2nd edition of Fav Finds! Today is the first day of April, aka April fools day, hope everyone has had a big ol' laugh pulling pranks. The weather is getting cooler as we are into the second month of autumn and that means sweater weather! Sweaters are versatile pieces that can be layered as the climate gets colder, pair it with a shirt underneath or wear it on its own with jeans or tights. Changes in season also means it's time to moisturise, moisturise and more moisturising! 

1. "Cray Cray" Mason jar scentless candle from Primitives by Kathy - Too bad it's unscented, I would've loved to know what "cray cray" smelt like.

2. Be my pet watch from Nasty Gal - Dawwww, look at that lil face.

3. Cameron peeptoe bootie from Forever New - Autumn also means it's time to stock up on boots girls. This one is a peeptoe so it's perfect for autumn.

4. Illuminating BB cream from Klairs - I've used quite a few BB creams, my favourites so far would have to be this one from Klairs and skin 79. This BB goes on very natural, so would suit girls who's looking for sheer to light coverage. Plus it also has SPF 40 which is perfect for the harsh Australian weather. Highly recommended for everyday wear.

5. Rewind & Replenish facial serum from Napoleon Perdis - I stumbled across this by accident actually, I was looking for a serum to combat the dryness that is approaching and found it on sale. It's very light and a tiny bit goes a long way, I did notice a difference in the appearance of my skin after using this. The pores are smaller and my skintone appears more even. Use after toner and before moisturiser and eye cream. 

6. Mini spring check jumper from Topshop - Sweater weather! This is a must have, checks never goes out of style, wear this with a white shirt and jeans for preppy chic or swap for leather pants and biker boots.