tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21373659840189838622024-02-08T00:30:15.088+08:00Everything BaliInteresting info of BaliiStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-18267269436718503272009-11-12T14:05:00.005+08:002010-01-07T16:01:05.448+08:00Glass, Globes and Glory Holes<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSycjgz_JDfM81ZsmVuoKuOoZm9oROwflhXfMsAS5Had6uqN8AQTI5oyXeqO2pCy-aOxWhI2U87aFdkhFfffNeVo62Y3PONhDRZflqE71NZp_ggpAzBhJ_rPRhcC60PUkLRK9TIAXvOY/s400/Mr.Ron.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Glassmaster <a href="http://www.horizonglassworks.com/">Ron Seivertson</a>, transforms fluid matter into sophisticated solid art in the form of sculptures, paperweights, vessels, vases, goblets, light fixtures, genie bottles, rondelles and bowls, each piece is unique, enhanced by swirls, dots, speckles, shards and threads of colour.<br /><br />He reminds me of a Vietnam Vet-shirtless, tattooed, dripping with sweat, Cigarette in mouth, he is wearing dark glasses, a sweatband around his head, and what appears to be a bandage, but is actually a heat shield, on his right forearm. He is shouting instructions to his squad above an incessant roar emanating from two mighty furnaces. The team spirit is powerful, the tension is extreme, the adrenaline is tangible, and the heat is merciless.<br /><br />I am at ‘<a href="http://www.horizonglassworks.com/">Horizon Glassworks</a>’ near Sayan. Arriving in the late afternoon, I am just in time to witness the closing stages of the creation of a huge glass platter known as a ‘rondelle’. American-born Ron Seivertson typically spends eight hours a day, six days a week, blowing and sculpting glass at his studio. The furnace is on all day every day, “We’re burning fuel all the time – two large bottles of gas per day – so we don’t want to waste it!”<br /><br />Sculpting glass is not a common practice, it isn’t easy to work with; molten glass is very elusive and it normally takes years of practice, diligence, discipline and dedication to even come close to mastering the material. Furthermore, it isn’t easy to melt glass either; it requires tools and special equipment, which is very costly to build, and on top of all that it is exceedingly expensive to run and maintain. Glass is an everyday thing, but people are still amazed at how it is made. A very definite order takes place in the sculpture of this medium, “Everything is pre-planned and orchestrated,” process, and with the help of his artisan team of five, <a href="http://www.horizonglassworks.com/">the glassmaster </a>gathers and winds some hot molten glass onto the tip of a long iron pontil rod. He must be careful to judge the correct amount.<br /><br />Using the age-old implements of his trade, and continually maintaining the temperature of the piece in the blast furnace known as the ‘glory hole’, Ron blows, stretches, pulls, twists, rolls, presses, coaxes, moulds and manipulates the hot malleable material to yield a globe, until he is ready to transfer it from one blow pipe to another, known as a punty. This is the most crucial point in the procedure, and the team’s joint sense of timing must be honed to a fine edge, if a piece is going to fail this is when it is most likely to happen.<br /><br />Using tiny droplets of water to cool the glass sufficiently to break it off, the transfer to the punty takes place, enabling Ron to work on the other end. What was the coldest part of the piece is now the hottest part and, using a torch, Ron’s assistant has to maintain the heat on the other end. The technique is immediate. Ron only gets one chance to make the right move, so there is a very small margins of error, nothing can be corrected, and the tension builds as the finishing stages approach.<br /><br />The globe has taken on the form of a bowl, which is then opened up and flattened in the mouth of the furnace. Finally, like a fire-fighter or a nuclear scientist, one of Ron’s assistants dons protective headgear and huge oven gloves, and the giant rondelle – the biggest that the team has ever made – is transferred to a cooling oven, where it will remain for 30 hours. If the cooling process is too fast, the glass will crack. It has taken 70 minutes to produce the finished piece – a long time for a such acute concentration!<br /><br />Glass is a powerful vehicle for self expression, it is a magical substance, caught somewhere in time between a solid and a liquid, but it is also a very demanding substance, requiring both confidence and abundant respect. Ron’s story is different to that of most glass sculptors. He discovered his talent late in life, after walking away from a successful career in real estate and construction. “I wanted to do something that meant more to me.”<br /><br />Already an artist, working with pencil, charcoal and paint, he admits, “I approached hot glass as an incredibly passionate naïve person who wanted to create.” Ron set up his own intensive course at the Seattle Glass Blowing Studio, hiring two instructors for one month, and after just two weeks he managed to create something that most newcomers could never have achieved. His mentor was glass maestro Aaron Tate, who cautioned him, “Listen, you have to understand this right now, this medium is like no other medium in the world; the most beautiful art you are ever going to make will hit the floor. You will be pushing your talents to the limit, so don’t get emotionally attached to a piece of work because it will break your heart.”<br /><br />Ron moved to Bali and some time later, in April 2005, he opened <a href="http://www.horizonglassworks.com/">Horizon Glass Studio</a>. He is so proud of his team. “We’re a family.” None of his staff, including Wayan, his second-in-command, had any previous experience in working with glass, he recalls, “Two of the guys who now work on the floor with me, used to be my security staff, yet they have the natural creative aptitude of the Balinese. I hand selected them and trained them from zero. Everyone’s talent developed and within just a few months I realised I had a great team. “He continues, “In glass making, there are nuances in temperature, and what I teach my staff is the comprehension of these nuances; how to reheat the glass and work it in certain places at certain times. Just one centimeter can be crucial and we teach this by demonstration, intuition and an almost invisible language that you can either understand or you can’t. All of that takes time and the experience of failure.”<br /><br />Ron concludes, “Glass has taken a hold of me, the fact that I’m able to do it at all is pretty phenomenal and I feel very privileged that I have such a gift.”<br /><br />Story by Rachel Love<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-6040950776967440222009-08-26T17:19:00.001+08:002009-10-07T09:50:54.559+08:00NORTHERN LIGHT<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHEa3xj1p0JSWGNTA5o3DRJJusbj3xVBpPofZX0V-_dwkevwC3i2qZmtwQQCFb1DYwx5uCXCWwpETW7EbTADv7LHiui23YYccZJCX3Yivq-AAWszPLruh2Hu87Us9av6oHjmeV6osa8c/s400/Spa+Village+Resort+Tembok+Bali.jpg" border="0" alt="Spa Village Resort, Tembok" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389669517982111250" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">There are two ways to the northeast coast of Bali and Spa Village Resort, Tembok. Drive east, following Bali’s coastal road past the riotous bougainvillea and mango groves of Amed and Tulamben’s dive resort and the salt panning beaches of Tianyar, or drive due north over the misty ridge of the Batur crater and through the scented clove and coffee plantations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Descend to sea level and arrive at one of the island’s prettiest properties. Set in a coconut grove accented with pungent frangipani and a manicured lawn, the Bali sea laps along the length of its black sand shoreline. Twenty-seven rooms, two signature suites and two villas – each with private plunge pool and pavilion – create the hardscape of this wellness resort, alongside the separate room, ideal for couples, is tailor-made with flowing curtained verandahs and interiors individually themed around wood, coconut, glass, ceramic or sandstone.<br /><br />Ensuring its name – Spa Village Resort, Tembok – the spa experience starts on entering the lobby, as guests are greeted with a refreshing foot scrub and a relaxing neck and shoulder massage before being escorted to the rooms. Once unpacked, these health devotees enjoy the pre-treatment cleansing ritual – Segara Diri – between mountains and see. Seated, feet are sunk into gently steaming black sand – detoxifiying – and covered with a towel, then comes the cleansing in the form of a mountain water fountain footbath, completing the link between mountain and sea.<br /><br />Their signature oils (Purifying, Relaxing and Create) and treatments combine Malaysian, Chinese and Balinese therapies – this is the uniqueness that the YTL Hotels bring to Bali. Body wraps use herbs, papaya or cucumber and aloe; body scrubs use ground rice and coffee and a myriad of roots and barks.<br /><br />The next experience is dining which can be enjoyed in the Wantilan Restaurant, by the pool or in a private gazebo. Even as individual dietary needs can be discussed with the chef in residence, the menu offers a wide range of Asian and European favourites and delicacies during using fresh imported and local ingredients. And though the accent is on health (an Australian herbologist was consulted to create the delicious blended juice menu that cleanses, energizes and boosts the immune system) wine and alcohol is also available.<br /><br />There are a couple of pointers, however: no smoking is permitted in the resort – if needed the beach or the car park is suggested – the only television is in the library and you must enquire prior to your arrival if you are accompanied by children of under 16 years of age.<br /><br />Bringing a closer understanding and a more intimate experience of the island, the resort also offers a number of special daily activities.<br /><br />The garden’s Taman Gili pavilion hosts Balinese crafts such as offering making, lontar writing (ancient palm leaf texts) even traditional weaving; then, in addition, there are cooking classes, yoga with the onsite yoga teacher, gymnasium workouts, treks and excursions to the nearby hot springs. Visits to other local sites are also part of the programme.<br /><br />Occasionally artists in residence are on hand to release the creative side of those looking for a complete wind-me-down.<br /><br />Many guests also come to partake in the Spa Academy, which imparts massage classes and instructs in the art of boreh (body scrubs) and jamu (Indonesian health drinks)-making. All activities are individually tailor-made for each guest on request.<br /><br />The uniqueness of Spa Villa Resort is that each experience available at this exclusive retreat imparts wellness of mind and body, and by being located in Bali, soothes the soul.<br /><br />Jl. Singaraja-Amlapura No.100<br />Desa Tembok, Tejakula, Buleleng, North Bali.<br />Tel/Fax: +62 362 32033<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-40275037906637030232009-08-25T09:03:00.002+08:002009-10-07T09:46:04.165+08:00Tiger Lily<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYz3V-8exudQCKG7-fX41DgPdhXooL5KY3ChRr7MTo19YVv_4y3-tgjuxr52oJ_GkCmq9r6ir29Ox0FzBBISiN7IhKYBJuWyj7NjGUpAynpLHevgSskwZ70dZOVBPrw1iBSPyj-I9Jug/s400/Made-de-Coney.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389667713192317314" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Made de Coney is the name behind Bali fashion label Lily Jean</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s your name?</span><br />Made de Coney<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you do?</span><br />I’m the designer of Lily Jean<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you love it?</span><br />Yes!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where were you born and how did you grow up?</span><br />I was born in Bali. I lived most of my life between Bali and Brazil… I studied fashion in the US and moved back to live in Bali permanently in 2000.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you didn’t do what you’re doing, what would you do?</span><br />I would probably be working in the fashion industry; I suppose as a stylist or managing shops… which is what I did to pay for my studies…<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s the worst thing about the fashion business?</span><br />Greed and envy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s the best?</span><br />The creative part. To make your vision materialize itself. The whole process of making materials, colours, finishings etc… and last but not least, seeing people wearing the product of your imagination.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What would you define as a classic Lily Jean style?</span><br />Timeless, classic and sexy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How did you come up with the name?</span><br />My daughter’s name is Lily Jean. I named her after my two grandmothers. When I decided to create a label, I thought it was the perfect name for a fashion line.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">And there times when you think, to hell with the expense. I could use a cheaper fabric but I’m going with this expensive cloth instead?</span><br />Of course, always! We prioritize quality all around.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s your favourite material?</span><br />Tencil and all types of silk and all mixtures of rayon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How many countries are you in, as a business?</span><br />We’re in twelve countries.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How important are the Bali boutiques to your business?</span><br />Very important. They are the door to the rest of the world for me. From my shops I showcase my product, the feeling and the look.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have a fashion icon? A model, a singer during a certain period… who you think, yes, that’s us, that’s Lily Jean.</span><br />I’m inspired by many people: my grandmother, by Audrey Hepburn, Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna, and many more.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s the worst fashion faux pas, in your opinion?</span><br />A lack of creativity and sense of style.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How important is it for you to be seen out on the town?</span><br />Most people don’t know I’m Lily Jean. I like the label to stand for itself. I think it’s important for the image of Lily Jean to be out there, by using marketing tools.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Is Lily Jean going to places, as a brand?</span><br />We’re expanding every year, at a healthy rate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s your most precious item of clothing, or most beloved accessory?</span><br />An antique belt my father gave me when I was 16. And Jimmy Choos…<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Have you ever thought, I’ve had enough of the competition, the egos and the crap that many people say goes with the rag trade, and just decided to say, sod it, I’m going to do something else for a living?</span><br />No, I think every industry has its futilities, it’s just part of the game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">When was the last time you thought, my life is fantastic, I wouldn’t change it for the world?</span><br />Every day!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Are you religious? Do you believe in reincarnation?</span><br />That’s every person’s individual search.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If we asked your friends to sum you up in there or four words, what would those words be?</span><br />I don’t know, you must as my friends!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?</span><br />What you give is what you get. Payback is a bitch.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How can fashion make the world a better place?</span><br />It can’t make the world a better place but it can make an individual feel better for a moment in time in this crazy world we live in.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I need to wear something fab for a party tomorrow night. What should it be?</span><br />One of our elastic dresses…<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-38456133206606903742009-08-24T10:15:00.000+08:002009-08-24T10:59:49.529+08:00Great Stone in Bali<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP3543vT4l-9HAy_0KMYITaH6SOkY0YKkyatraVQRY_dWQFDuCgMZFXcIB4lSlj9pmWCpG32J7LNMhUZEfrhhjS66RG83fwmIdnYFAiXw3z0MTlsXJvWT-y6MJGUAd50LMiqDnv19wMM/s400/bali-stones.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373356432387849058" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A rose may be a rose but a stone isn’t just a stone, at least when it comes to stones in Indonesia. Each island in the archipelago’s myriad of volcanic and coral atolls seems to generate its own style of natural stone. The end result is a decorator and landscaper’s dream. Everywhere you look in Bali are examples of magnificent stonework, statues and sculpture, fountains, exquisitely carved relief and rock-laden gardens. For every construction, decorator and landscaping purpose, Bali is a great magnet for stones from across the region.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.balistoneexport.com">Indra Bhuana Abadi</a> focuses on seven or eight types of stone for statuary and reliefs at its three outlets in the Ubud area. Business owner Ni Wayan ‘Yunni’ Maryani rattles them off like a shopping list:<br />- There’s limestone, which is also called paras, that soft, porous stone often used for wall murals and relief carvings<br />- Paras is not to be confused with Jimbaran stone, which is cast cement, layered with a veneer of cement and stone to look like paras carving, but at half the price<br />- Greenstone is like paras but much stronger, and is quarried from the hills rather than limestone pits<br />- Bali stone, on the other hand, is a soft paras stone in grey color<br />- Then there’s Taro stone, from the region north of Ubud, which is grey but more porous like pumus stone.<br />- Black Sea Stone, which doesn’t actually come from the sea and actually is lined rather than black, like a cue lapis layered cake<br />- Black lava is hard and difficult to carve<br />- Lombok stone is a fossilized variety, less difficult to carve<br />- And there’s just plain old cement casting, with no frills about it.<br /><br />The list becomes even more comples when you’re ready to choose stones for flooring or landscaping the garden, as Rudy Laurens of <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rudyart.com">Rudy Art Stone Center</a> explains, natural stone, marble and pebbles each have different origins and characters.<br /><br />From Timor come white, pink and tan stones. Alor islands produce black stones. Those from Flores are a moss green. Maluku islands and Sumatra produce black striped stones known as Zebra. There’s even a speckled variety from Rudy’s native Sumba Island, which looks like bird eggs.<br /><br />Many of his loose stones and pebbles start out as ugly river rocks, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rudyart.com">Rudy</a> says. “They wash down a stream and to the sea. There, they are tumbled by the sea in the sand until they smooth and rounded. Many remote islanders make their livelihood by collecting these “naturally processed” stones for export to other islands, such as Bali. Without this, they’d have no hard cash income.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.rudyart.com">Rudy</a> sells stones in bulk for all kinds of construction and decorative work. However, the stones are sliced and diced into layers and formations so they can be uniformly mounted on a mesh base and easily laid down like tile work. Many of the same stones described by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.balistoneexport.com">Yunni</a> are sliced into uniform tile sized or diced into shapes to create designs when mounted on mesh backing for floor tiling or wall clouting.<br /><br />While most of Rudy’s sales are local for villa and hotel construction, exports are increasing to Australia, the US and Europe. “The tile works well for regions where labour costs are high,” he notes. “In Indonesia, it is cheaper to buy a saw and cut your own stones by hand, because labour is cheap.” Yet the prefabricated stone tiles provide a higher consistency and quality. Marble, originating from Java, and onyx from Bawean Island, off northeast Java, are crafted into sinks, baths and decorator items for Rudy’s warehouse.<br /><br />Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.balistoneexport.com">Aussie Garden’s Yunni</a> is always looking for new sources for stones. Her crew or carvers – mostly from Bali, Flores, Lombok and Central Java – work on site at the shop special orders from their homes. She recently makes terrazzo. This means the company’s home village in Karangasem to train and employ many more workers.<br /><br />Aussie garden sells a significant portion of its indoor and outdoor products from the 1,300 items on its website, exporting an average of 10 containers monthly. Yet a portion of their business come through local projects, among them Tampaksiring Palace, Intercontinental Bali, Ramayana Hotel, and Taman Kupu Kupu Villas. Fountains are high on the popularity list these days, notes Yunni.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-47215163455118122042009-08-22T09:47:00.000+08:002009-08-22T09:57:37.750+08:00Mozaic Restaurant<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Fl3eLQ0CeWFYDSz-biJo9Sbzzo0EiFLXv7iCDMOGYhSjFSfvw5jwljy-iPY7xiDTgQhJffMa_YKr58Rm7V_spqxlnYSmCNbZhHodicS6mahG3sBWLLf45D8EPANus593lhjeNZSCuTU/s400/mozaic-restaurant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372600252305295026" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mozaic-restaurant.html">Mozaic Restaurant</a> in Ubud regularly fêted as the best in Bali, has been voted 5th best restaurant in Asia by the first international Miele Guide Awards. It’s not the first scoop for chef-owner, Chris Salans – who has for a long time been hailed as a culinary genius – his gastronomic restaurant has been the recipient of numerous accolades including Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2006, 2007 & 2008, Grandes Tables Du Monde (Best Restaurants of the World) 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 & 2008, and Tatler Best Restaurant in Indonesia 2007.<br /><br />Asked how he felt, Chris said, “It’s definitely an honour to be one of the top 5 in all of Asia. The voting system of this guide is what makes the top 5 so impressive to me: judged by culinary journalists, F&B professionals and confirmed by the public, the result is really an honour.”<br /><br />So was the award unexpected? Chris admitted, “When you know you are a contender for a prize or an award, it’s always in the back of your mind that it could actually happen. But the fact that it was for all of Asia and voted by the public throughout the region, I did not expect that we would be so high up in the ranking…”<br /><br />Chris also maintains that none of this could have been achieved without the efforts and support of his wonderful team of staff at <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mozaic-restaurant.html">Mozaic</a>. “They come and go, come back, move on to Singapore or Australia, but are still part of the family. Most of the staffs have been at Mozaic since the beginning and they are all part of our success, from the multilingual parking attendant who welcomes you, to our Sommelier Cook, our Chef de Cuisine James, and the waiters who diligently explain each course in detail – often in French!”<br /><br />Chris Salans’ dazzling cuisine attracts discerning gourmets from all over the world; his innovations are bold, enticing and intriguing; not just in flavour and texture but also visually. Nothing is prepared in advance; each individual portion is ‘a la minute.’ Promising to take his guests on “an evening of culinary discovery,” Chris terms his definitive food as “experimental cuisine using modern techniques”; contemporary rather than classic, heavy sauces with cream and butter are not featured. He experiments like an alchemist, producing amazing flavours, complex oral sensations and eclectic combinations by mixing and matching premium international and local ingredients that might never have been previously paired. Dishes evolve, disappear and return with seasonal changes.<br /><br />If you’ve never been to <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mozaic-restaurant.html">Mozaic</a>, you can look forward to a rare experience, encompassing top quality ingredients, perfect execution and a multitude of flavours. The activities at Mozaic in 2009 include foreign Guest Chefs and wine pairing events. The newly launched Mozaic lounge is perfect for pre and post dinner drinks with live jazz and a cocktail list to compliment the cutting edge cuisine on offer in the restaurant itself and is another good reason to visit Bali’s most revered dining establishment this year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Address</span><br />Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar - Bali 80571, Indonesia<br />Email: reservations@mozaic-bali.com<br />Phone / Fax. +62 361 975768<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-11089969005600265592009-08-21T16:54:00.000+08:002009-08-21T17:02:20.866+08:00Rebalance at Desa Seni<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzmJ4ewYgmD5gBfO56AIRwpamTYOpmKTB2RhZtMp8jaKGMcRILXKPj59kuAsGI7cl7CZS1p8UZUpUInZ3LdoEz8rMUY4auaKe_fGX_uEQUcLCg-oL_cgB7AtFGRZ_3Gk8i3xwh47QrHw/s400/Desa-Seni-hotel.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372339660497615970" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The breeze that ripples through the rice fields feels like a gift from God as the scattered students increase their breathing in an effort to work through the discomfort of holding the yoga pose for the few remaining seconds. The large wooden platform shaded by a vast roof, overlooking a sea of waving green fields, seems to move with us on this brilliant morning at Desa Seni as we move through the poses of our kundalini yoga class. <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A wooden chime rattles in the distance as this group releases the pose and settles on their backs for deep relaxation. The class is nearing its end, but not before a long sat and a brief name rings out over the small resort in Canggu. Desa Seni is a small, beautiful resort that rests so gently on this former rice field that it seems to have risen organically, a joyful juxtaposition to the latest rash of hi-rise apartments that appear to have landed from outer space.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yoga is an integral part of the life in this resort, made up of a collection of buildings; aged Joglos, brought from Java and given a stylish, new lease on life. It is not its only reason for existence however: the yoga bale, and other public areas are also used to retreats, meetings, meditation, even weddings and birthday parties. The modalities offered cover the gamut from classical styles like Iyengar Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Kundalini to more modern styles of yoga, meditation and breathwork.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the partners (a former chef) has created a beautifully simple menu in the restaurant which, despite its obvious nod to healthy, organic produce and fresh preparation, offers a good variety of delicious meals from light and healthy to more decadent choices. The resort comprises ten original houses, sleeping a total of 26. Each has been insulated for air-conditioning and the bathrooms are delightful combination of the rustic features of the original buildings with modern amenities. A living museum and picture perfect example of recycling old buildings and artifacts and re-designing them.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The active partners overseeing Desa Seni are Howard and Tom. “We built Desa Seni in 2006 after having lived in Bali for 15 years and seeing so much modern development. We felt that people who are coming to this island are looking to experience its rich culture and history and we decided to create somewhere they could experience a traditional village and learn some Indonesian history,” they explain. “Desa Seni is also about lifestyle choices: slowing down, eating fresh home grown organic produce, and taking the time to breath. This is where the practice of wellness and yoga comes in.”<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The mini resort offers a variety of different classes, trying to incorporate the likes of this diversified world. In addition, they also hold workshops and retreats where people can intensify their practices and evolve into their affirmation. Desa Seni, which translates as art village, is about creating a space where the whole place is a spa, a place to enter, relax, better yourself, experience, and even add to.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It puts paid to many concepts about ageing as this is place that exemplifies how over time layers are added: which practice, focus and attention to not only old buildings but ourselves, we can improve, grow and evolve. For a current calendar of classes check the website at www.desaseni.com or simply drop in for a swim, a meal, and a warm welcome.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-70990630460044526622009-08-21T08:51:00.000+08:002009-08-21T09:12:06.814+08:00Kite Surfing: Interview with Mario Bari<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rsERQ-gcTnb3OyR0tCyvEO-PEus7HMNQxd6QbWoJFqRApRKSDpJt8_Wbrskq404tKUsr8Ycr3FOeFzf1W9-tXgK4ZQtnGz1rvOL16hj5fpAFAN0UeadhM1cO9lrg_3wKbd9CI96JLlA/s400/kitesurfing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372217436073597602" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The idea of using a kite to boost speed and gravity for the surfer may seem like a novel challenge, yet the art of kite surfing actually dates back to 13th Century China, when the fundamental idea was used as a simple mode of transportation. It was in 1992, however, that two Breton brothers – Laurent Ness and Raphaël Salles – began kite surfing in Languedoc-Rousillon, France. The popularity of the sport skyrocketed, and by the late ‘90s, Laird Hamilton and Manu had taken kite surfing to the Hawaiian coast of Maui. Today, more than a quarter of a million people engage in Bali’s latest craze. In this blog, we had the interview with Mario Bari, from the Rip Curl School of Surf in Sanur, to find out more…<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So what is the lifestyle or philosophy behind kite surfing?</span><br />Kite surfing allows you to travel; it’s very mobile because you only need a small bag. The equipment doesn’t require much space. You can easily go around the world. Before, when there was only windsurfing, you had to carry a board which was about two to 2.5 metres with a mast and a boom and sail, so there was a lot of weight. That’s the life. Travelling with wings in your bag.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How has the sport evolved over the years?</span><br />In the beginning, everybody was using a wake board, but then it spread into different styles of riding. These days we have foot straps instead of bindings, so that you can perform tricks by removing the board, enabling you to jump very high in the air. Later, it became more like a surfing phenomenon, because you could do kite surfing on the waves. Now everybody wants to ride waves with the kites, so they just use a surfboard with four straps. It gives the surfer more possibility to enjoy many waves. The experience of doing the kind of sport that utilises the wind is just amazing.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How long has kite surfing been around in Bali?</span><br />It’s been here for the last eight years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Is it dangerous?</span><br />Kite surfing is considered to be one of the dangerous sports in the world. It was even more so before, because the quality of the equipment wasn’t really safe. Because it’s a very new sport and it has attracted so many people, manufacturers have started making improvements to the types of material and quality of construction of the kite. Every three or four months over the last six years, they’ve been coming up with new equipment. At the moment we’ve reached a level where it is kind of safe to kite surf, if you learn in the proper way. It is definitely not a sport to learn by yourself. That’s when people get hurt.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How did you learn to kite surf?</span><br />I taught myself how to kite surf and nearly killed myself twice. Some people are not as lucky as I am. When I started to kite surf, there was no kite surfing in Indonesia, so I went to Italy and saw this guy kite surfing on TV. When I saw that I knew that I had to have it, so I bought it and brought it here six years ago, but nobody could teach me. There was no instruction manual and there were no teaching methods at that time, so I had to teach myself.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What kind of equipment do you need?</span><br />Before we used two-line kites. You can steer with this kind of kite, but you can’t change the power. Now we have a four-line kite that allows you to steer and change the power, so it’s more reliable in gusty wind conditions. This is connected to a control bar. There is also a board, which can be one of four kinds: a wake board, twin tip or bidirectional board (exactly like a wake board except with four straps instead of bindings), and a directional board, which only goes in one direction, and then there’s a mutant board, which is in between a twin-tip and a directional. It’s got a front and a back so, if you want to, you can ride it backwards. There are also two types of harnesses, either a waist or a seat harness, which you hook yourself to. It’s also good to have sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun and the splashing water. Some people think it’s a good idea to wear a helmet, because the board can hit your head or you can crash on the reef. Many riders wear impact vests, because when you land the wrong way from a 10-metre high jump, the water can be pretty hard.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What kind of board would you recommend for a novice?</span><br />That would depend on wind strength. For example, if there’s a very light wind, I’d prefer to give you a directional board because it gives you floatability. If the wind is strong, a directional board becomes difficult because you can’t edge much and will end up getting dragged downwind, so you need a smaller board. It really depends on the wind situation and what you want to do. Basically when you start, you learn first to go in one direction and then how to perform turns. It would be easier for you to start on a directional or mutant board when you go in one direction, but when it’s time for you to improve your turns, it’s better to use a twin tip.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How does kite surfing fit into the range of other water sports on offer in Bali?</span><br />Unfortunately Bali isn’t the best wind destination in the world, so kite surfing is limited to those months when we actually have wind. This is usually from the middle of May until the middle of September, when we have more constant wind, so we can do it on a daily basis. Whereas with surfing, rafting, snorkelling and other water sports, you can do them every day. You can still do, for example, wind surfing, if you have just one or two knots of wind, but with kite surfing you need at least eight knots. If you don’t have eight knots then you’re kind of struggling. To really enjoy it you need 13 knots or more.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What can someone expect to experience when kite surfing?</span><br />Excitement, very good fun and a lot of action from the first time you get into the water.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is the story about the local ‘fly boys’ who are into kite surfing?</span><br />I have a lot of staff working for the club and they have started to learn because they see me going out and are excited to do it. The sport is kind of expensive because of the board and kite, so it’s not really affordable for many people. But now that kite surfing has become more popular, there are many people kiting, so there’s lots of people second-handing. Many people come to Bali and when they leave they just give their kites to the local guys. Thanks to this club, lots of locals started getting into this sport.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How many competitions do you hold throughout the year at your kite surfing schools? </span><br />In the last three years we’ve managed to do one a year. This year, we’ve already had a ‘Hot Air Third Edition’ and another one for the Sanur Village Festival in August.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is the best thing about kite surfing?</span><br />You can learn very quickly and you can enjoy yourself from the start, because without trying you’ll be performing jumps.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-76127511778411518742009-08-20T14:25:00.000+08:002009-08-20T16:02:40.206+08:00Bali Beachwear<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgyQoaAzPjOPw0aNWZEVVyCrehgv037vH0JEEuL9kMuQi5EtM-evUOhMewlJFtO-Mu8UxFRhMuRUlbKmsKj2OxWEnKpESwRY_v2eIwQQcoLpstmaPRoaKGzZfGxklkex4Iy-HDnhKsrs/s400/MagaliPascal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371952667573365170" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Said_Fred">Right Said Fred</a> may not be the only ones “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Too_Sexy">too sexy for the catwalk</a>”. The fashion crowd in Bali too have their very own take on the international fashion trends, refusing to stick only to what’s hot on the catwalks in Paris, London, Milan, Miami and New York, focusing instead on what’s hot, and cool, in the tropical heat of Bali.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Given that Bali doesn’t have any real seasons to speak of – it’s just a question of degrees of heat on our island paradise – the designers who ply their trade on the world-renowned shopping streets of Kuta and Seminyak could be forgiven for ignoring the various trends coming out of the seasonal <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/search/label/fashion">fashion</a> weeks all over the world.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Take the fashion trends to come out of the Spring 2009 New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Things like high cinched waists on trousers, skirts and shorts would make life fairly uncomfortable in a climate where cooling sea breezes need room to be effective. And as for the harem pants, ideally “paired with belts, chunky heels, and drapey tops,” as one <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/search/label/fashion">fashion</a> blogger put it, and Cleopatra-inspired, heavily jewelled necklines… well, there’s little room in Bali’s easy, breezy beach culture for such fussy additions to our wardrobes.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A sentiment again echoed when viewing the most recent trends to come out of the Autumn 2009 fashion weeks worldwide… Big shoulder-padded shoulders a la the 80s? Matching 80s-Madonna neon colours? Murky mustard from top to toe? These are all fashions that just don’t cut the mustard, so to speak, in sunny Bali.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then there were such lovely floaty designs as asymmetrical, flowy dresses and tops; Grecian goddess white maxi-dresses; draped, sheer fabrics; hippie chic peasant blouses, flowery prints and loose-fitting tops and bottoms; floaty ruffles and bows… All these translate beautifully onto Bali beaches, although, if truth be told, all of the abovementioned are things Bali-based designers have been doing for years already.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, no designer can truly remain immune to the suggestions of such style mavens as Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren, BCBG Max Azria, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Diane von Furstenberg and co. Biker chic, for example, has made it off the ramp onto the sweltering streets of Bali – minus the leather pants… that would just be too sweaty! “I would say the trend is going both romantic and rock this year,” explains Magali Pascal, a revered <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/search/label/fashion">fashion</a> name right here in Bali. “Shapes are fitted close to the body, very sexy, and lots of frills mixed with metal studs, fringes, zippers a.k.a. Biker Chic,” she said.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Made de Coney of Lily Jean, another name worshipped here in Bali by the fashionable set, too has her own take on the trends. “As far as following trends, that’s inevitable. It’s and energy in the air all over the world, with all the visual information we get putting us designers on a global track. I am certainly influenced by what I see and hear, but I most definitely don’t limit myself to ‘trends’. I like to follow what feels right for the Lily Jean label. I am inspired by a lot of things: my daughter, lover, friends, nature and books,” she explained. “Everything goes: bright colours, shapes, loose, tight, long, short… you name it, it’s all good.”<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">How does all this translate into the summery <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/search/label/fashion">fashions essential</a> for keeping cool, and avoiding looking unfashionably sweaty, here in Bali? “Obviously, for Bali, we won’t sell our more ‘wintery’ designs created for the international market. But, equally, some pieces would be too sexy for, say, the Australian market, while they are great for a special Bali crazy night out,” muses Magali. “I just finished designing Spring 09, which is a mix of baby doll rock, with some very sexy rock and roll pieces, and into deep Sahara summer… things like long pants jumpsuits,” which come straight off the Milan catwalk.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Made too thinks ‘sexy’ has found a great home in Bali. “We’re coming in with a new collection by June/July with some very sexy elastic dresses, lots of maxi dresses, geometric prints and some very cool modern beaded party dresses.”<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The trick is to be both original and commercial,” Made firmly believes. “Fashion labels like <a href="http://www.magalipascal.com/">Magali Pascal</a>, <a href="http://www.biasaart.com/">Biasa</a>, and of course, <a href="http://lily-jean.com/">Lily Jean</a> are getting that right here in Bali.” Magali too rates the designs found in Bali as holding their own on the world stage. “Lots of designers in Bali are now more and more trying to follow the international trend of fashion. There are some great shops where you can find high fashion items on Jl. Raya Seminyak and Jl. Laksmana in Oberoi”. The bottom, or hem, line of the matter, though, is that Bali designers ‘adapt it in their own unique way to the tropical climate’. And therein lies the rub of cool cotton, silk and satin against sexy, tropical, sun-warmed skin.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-86778283021848517862009-08-19T14:54:00.000+08:002009-08-20T15:46:35.376+08:00Mixed Blessings<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwSc6iFmRNROlBHlGAjIQZgHvbTXjakNjv5rD7eOqFwUGfbsq4X9zqgevPUNIi6wJ80rzhrPI7SlA9xQb4wdsGoHYSGEMHiev-qn1m3Vk6tEyTyw1F8TcJePluNNEKnwGXxPdW2tQhuM/s400/mix_blessings.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371948885102956258" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Relationships between foreigners and locals have been happening since the first outsiders arrived on these shores. But, as these people tell us, <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixed-blessings.html">mixed marriages</a> are not without their challenges.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >[ The Kuta Cowboy and the Hippy Traveller Chick</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> ]</span><br />“We got married because it was something to do. Something neither of us had done before,” says Fran Putrawan. “We met on May 9 and were married on July 11. We would have married sooner but Ketut’s sister said it wasn’t a good day.”<br /><br />Fran met Ketut, an original Kuta cowboy, in Bali in 1977 when they were both 24. “He was this gorgeous super skinny, long-haired beach boy calling himself ‘Funky’ (foon-key)” says Fran. “We started seeing each other and that was that. I had no money so he asked me to move in with him in Denpasar.”<br /><br />“A friend told me there was this new girl in town who played guitar so I went to check her out. I sat outside on the street playing my guitar and waited for her to walk by,” says Ketut. “That was 31 years ago and we are still together today.”<br /><br />Two weeks after the wedding Fran went back to Sydney where she worked three jobs to save the money for a ticket to get Ketut to Australia where they stayed for 24 years. “It was hard,” says Ketut. “It was so bloody cold! Fran was pregnant with our first son and I applied for a job in a timber yard. I had never worked before in my life and it was so hard, working in the pouring, freezing rain. But a made a promise to myself. I was here and I had a family to support so that was it. When Leo was born, I cut my hair. I was going to be a good father and take the responsibilities properly.”<br /><br />“A big problem was the racism,” remembers Ketut. “Australia is a very racist country and I used to get stressed from always being called a ‘black bastard’, and all those kinds of things but I learned to retaliate and then it eventually stopped affecting me.”<br /><br />Twenty four years and two children later they came back to Bali in 2002 after the boys had grown up and moved away. Fran now runs the Kuda P riding stable in Canggu and Ketut is a fully certified sports therapist, a certification he picked up during his life in Australia.<br /><br />Ketut reckons that one of the main reasons why their marriage has worked is because they started the relationship away from the <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Balinese</a> community. “It would have been much harder if we stayed here because this culture is so patriarchal. We couldn’t have lived the life we lived in Australia. Fran would have had to really go deep into the Balinese way of life and I would have had to become so heavily involved as well. We would have been very different people.”<br /><br />“I suppose the thing we have learned from each other is tolerance,” says Fran. “We never analyzed our relationship at all, how long it would last or even <span style="font-style: italic;">if </span>it would last. We just got on with it, just being us, together. It’s all we’ve ever known.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >[ Java-Japan Jive</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> ]</span><br />Ronnie is from East Java and Mayuko is from Osaka, Japan and they have been <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixed-blessings.html">married</a> since March of this year. Both work at Studio 5 in Bali, a company specialising in Japanese weddings and the place where they both met. Ronnie speaks fluent Japanese.<br /><br />“I had just started working here in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a> and when I had to get my visa there were many problems. Ronnie was helping me via email and telephone, both here and in Japan and we just grew closer and closer,” says Mayuko, describing how they fell in love.<br /><br />“My parents were very happy with my decision. I had always said to them that I would never get married, so they were happy that I was getting married at all,” says Mayuko. “My family were also very happy,” adds Ronnie. “My brother is already married to a Japanese girl and living in Tokyo, so they are quite used to the mixed marriage thing and having a foreigner in the family.”<br /><br />“The big challenge in our <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixed-blessings.html">relationships</a> is that I had to become a Muslim to marry Ronnie,” says Mayuko. “It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I can’t eat pork any more and I miss it. Pork is a very big part of the Japanese culture and diet and it is seen as very good for your health. It was a part of my daily life. My first Ramadan is coming up in September so that will be a big challenge for me to fast all day as well I have always lived freely, it’s in my nature. I decided to move to <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a> to live and work here because I had that freedom. I was very happy with that free life, so it’s not mentally easy to follow the rules set down by Islam for praying and diet, etc. But, I am trying.”<br /><br />“It would have been difficult for me, as well as for my parents, if she had not converted to Islam,” says Ronnie. “I am quite a devote Muslim and it is important for me that my wife is too. However, I cannot force her too strongly then she may get crazy or be unhappy and I don’t want that. So if she wants to do it, then I will be happy.”<br /><br />The challenge for Ronnie is how to make Mayuko comfortable to become a good Muslim in her heart. “I hope that she can really believe from her heart eventually, but for now she is still very new to it.” Mayuko reckons, “the good thing is that I now have a choice to live here or in Indonesia or Japan. If I wasn’t married to an Indonesian man it would be difficult for me to live here for a long time.”<br /><br />“And as for me,” says Ronnie, “I am just happy that I met such a beautiful, generous and wonderful woman as Mayuko.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >[ George and Putu</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> ]</span><br />George and Putu (not their real names) are restaurant owners in Bali. They met 11 years ago and were married in 1999 in a Balinese ceremony. “My father was afraid that George was going to take me back to England and he would never see me again. But I explained to him that George wanted to stay here forever in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a>, and he gave us his blessing,” says Putu.<br /><br />“The biggest problem we face in our marriage is the Indonesian bureaucracy,” says George. “The foreign man gains no rights from marrying an Indonesian. I still have to have a work permit despite the fact that I have two half Indonesian children. Last year when we went for a bank loan for our business, Putu had to get the head of her village to re-issue her KTP national identity card to say she was single so we could get a loan. If it says she is married and the bank manager finds out the husband is a <span style="font-style: italic;">bule</span>, then the loan would be denied.”<br /><br />“Everything we own: the house, the business, are all in Putu’s name, so there has to be a lot of trust on my part,” he laughs, “and because of a bureaucratic cock-up with our wedding certificate, if anything was to happen to Putu, then the house would go to the government and our children will miss out. The notaries told us we could get divorced and married again in the same day to rectify it but that’s laughable. We have to put everything in her brother’s name to ensure that the children get their inheritance. I have no legal recourse to family rights in Indonesia as foreign man married to a national.”<br /><br />“But culturally the hurdles are tiny for us. I think that for every mixed couple it depends upon the length of time you have been here before you get married,” reckons George. “I think I had covered most of the adjustment to the culture shock before I even met Putu. I had been coming here since 1986 and didn’t meet her until 1998, so I had a good 12 years to get to now the place and spoke pretty good Indonesian.”<br /><br />“In a bicultural <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/mixed-blessings.html">marriage</a> there are two ways of doing everything, so you can pick and choose the best aspects of each. For example, we participate in some ceremonies but we don’t let it take over our lives. We just do the ones we feel are most fun and worth doing,” says Putu.<br /><br />“Being a <span style="font-style: italic;">bule</span>, I am involved in the family to a degree and I participate in certain ceremonies but don’t have to get involved with the village council, which would take up a lot of my time. I also get to have trilingual kids,” says George. “At home we speak a three-way pidgin language of Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Bali, and English. It’s great and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-69738008579559400492009-08-18T15:17:00.000+08:002009-08-18T15:31:55.559+08:00Turning Visions into Reality<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipjQvyTqILzTOtJDqQZEZzflNBiaDpNHD38URbdo2zuZpaT7qyf2D5wg1LsL5iqBsrl0YDZpQAA-4gotrlhbXRAGob2CJHqg7sCREXjNLigteZwLi7j3BLg8YXwf_4JXcoJiL9yLZrUXM/s400/cempaka-interior.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371202284920513426" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">“Most people have got an eye for how to put together a room,” says <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/turning-visions-into-reality.html">Lesley Campbell</a>, “but there is a huge difference between being an interior designer and being an interior decorator. Interior design requires a very different skill set, it involves looking at the electrical plans, the lighting plans and the floor plans, maximising space and natural light, and in many cases working with the architect.”<br /><br />Lesley and <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/turning-visions-into-reality.html">David Campbell</a> are the founder-owners of ‘<a href="http://cempaka.biz/">Cempaka</a>’ – which is a concept showroom, a remarkable retail outlet and interior design service that customize ideas, brings plans to life and turns visions into reality.<br /><br />The store showcases a stunning collection of innovative furniture created from materials such as woven aluminium, solid tamarind, teak, rattan and leather, together with soft furnishings, fabrics, and accessories in shell, lacquer ware and wood. Modern artwork complements timeless tableware, while funky lamps flank authentic antiques, demonstrating the graceful union between new and old. Luxurious silk and ikat cushions, tasselled throws, hand-embroidered linens, hand-blown and hand-spun glassware, decorative boxes, and many other stylish trimmings are elegantly arranged in vignettes that reflect tropical lifestyle, from resting and relaxing, to indoor and alfresco eating and entertaining. Many of the products are the work of some of Bali’s most exciting, contemporary <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/search/label/artisans">artisans</a>. This includes Chen, a Javanese-born stainless steel sculptor, who is the creative energy behind ‘Chenergy’, as well as Ann and Ron Seivertson of ‘Horizon Glassworks’, a hand-blown coloured glass studio and glass art gallery near Sayan, Ubud.<br /><br />“About six months after the store opened,” explains Lesley, “we started getting people asking us if we could do some design work, rather than just supplying furniture and accessories, so we hired a specialized team of highly qualified Indonesian interior designers.” The team’s role is to conceptualize and realise, managing every step of the design process for private homes, high end villas, hotels, resorts and residential developments.<br /><br />Lesley elaborates, “We have just finished the suites at ‘Melia Bali’, and we are going to be doing a full room renovation for them this year. Other recently completed projects include ‘Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel’, as well as a room renovation for a 400-room hotel in Jakarta, and some fabulous huge luxury villas including ‘The Arsana Estate’ in Tabanan Regency and ‘Puri Bawana’ at Canggu. Right now we are working on the interiors of ‘Batubelig Villas’ and another villa complex on the Bukit, among others, and we have a number of private clients in Singapore. The furnishings we use are all our own products, the majority of which we now make because we have a manufacturing capability as well as furniture designers based in Java. We also have an office in Bali and an office in Jakarta”.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cempaka.biz/">Cempaka</a> has supplied some of the UK’s finest shops and restaurants, including Fortnum & Mason, Thomas Goode, Harrods, and Selfridges. Cempaka’s branded products include white linens, bath accessories, table linens, candles and incense. Personal items include silver jewellery. Purchases are custom boxed and can be beautifully gift-wrapped; bulky items can be packaged for carriage; furniture and complete room set-ups can be shipped worldwide.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-73052497551903667462009-08-18T09:52:00.000+08:002009-08-18T10:07:42.395+08:00Seiki Torige and the Art of Glass<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0c8Cz4Atb0uj0brwbxctmUm3PDBe66fqkPXcEo_xxfcCuqLM03bET6cjeC5hxnpamBSN7mQYFRBSSA0WlI_RYzOcB975GltquQ2_Dan2zQbL29kM4J1au1pJFq0htQMLUnV17yCAgc4/s400/seiki-torige-artworks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371119617814500978" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.esoklusa.com/">Seiki Torige</a> is smiling; he smiles a lot, maintaining that it is an essential spark to his creativity. This Japanese glass master’s hand had blown glass vases, statues, and gargantuan sculptures – some of which have weighed in excess of 1000 kilos and measured up to 40 metres in length – are coveted by collectors worldwide.<br /><br />A glass-lined pathway leads to Seiki’s beachside home and studio in Gianyar Regency on the southeast coast of Bali. Ice-like pedestals, swords, a desk and chair, and a life-size go-cart, all fashioned in his trademark colour of aqua green, are just a few of the astonishing solid glass sculptures that just happen to be dotted around his garden. Dogs and cats – the living, breathing, furry variety – are equally at home here. <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/seiki-torige-and-art-of-glass.html">Seiki</a> explains, “I need to be happy in order to feel inspired, so I therefore surround myself with the people, the animals and the things that I love.” He owns a 24-metre Phinisi schooner, which he berths at Pemuteran in northwest Bali and sails regularly. He has seventeen dogs and four cats, and when he feels like sharing a bottle or two of <span style="font-style: italic;">sake</span> with his friends, there is certainly no shortage of handmade glass drinking vessels in his kitchen!<br /><br /><a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/seiki-torige-and-art-of-glass.html">Seiki Torige</a> was born in Kyoto, Japan, and his curiosity for glass design led him to Italy in 1970, where he studied the art of stained glass at the ‘Lindo Glassy Studio’ in Milan. He then went on to study glass mosaic technology, and the skills that he has since acquired have all been self taught. He established his first studio in Tokyo in 1978, and moved to Bali in 1995; building not only his workshop, but also highly skilled team that he has personally trained in the techniques of blowing, laminating, spinning, fusing, chiselling, slumping and casting. Committed to creating novel and extraordinary pieces of art by utilising revolutionary designs and techniques of manufacture, he works primarily with soda glass that has been recycled from plate glass windows. The green tint is its natural colour caused by the iron content in the fine, white, Australian ‘silica’ sand, but coloured materials are now coming into play, with the recent introduction of hues such as pink, blue, orange, emerald and red. Each fragment of colour is converted into a molten mass before being shaped and transformed to create or decorate a sophisticated vase, a unique ornament, a tactile block, or an exquisite bowl.<br /><br />You only have visit Seiki’s exclusive ‘<a href="http://www.esoklusa.com/">Galery Esok Lusa</a>’ in Seminyak and his new gallery, ‘Open Space’ in Sanur, to get an idea of the sheer volume and scope of his work, which ranges from cast Budha heads mounted on wooden panels, to laminated discs and giant whale tails, inspired no doubt by the artist’s passion for sailing. Architectural features, glass walls, counters, laminated pillars, tables, bars, doors and window decorations have been commissioned by restaurants, hotels, corporate offices, and public buildings across the globe. In Japan, he was responsible for the three 18-metre-high glass walls in Nagoya’s subway stations, and a water-themed, 3-metre-high, 40-metre-wide, wall decoration in the lobby of the Kanazawa Tokyo Hotel. He is currently working on the features of some lakeside apartments not far from Osaka, with interiors not dissimilar to a Bali-style resort.<br /><br />In Bali, his creations – such as the glass stupa at PJs restaurant at Four Seasons Jimbaran, the translucent fibre-optics-lit glass bar at Ritz Carlton’s Martini Club, the remarkable sculptures at Ritz Carlton’s Tresna Wedding Pavilion, and the 2.4-metre-high tower at The Calyx – are instantly recognisable as his craftsmanship. Nevertheless, he is much imitated on this island where copying is common practice. “There are at least eight other glass studios, most of which are small scale home industries, operating in Bali,” he explains, “and many of the artists are copying my style and technique. It would be very easy for me not to change, but I believe that it is essential to continually stay ahead of the game.” Most of Seiki’s weekdays are spent designing, while on Saturdays he works his craft with his hands.<br /><br />While his colossal pieces may command colossal price tags, the pieces that <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/08/seiki-torige-and-art-of-glass.html">Seiki </a>has designed and subsequently taught his workers how to hand-produce is considerably more affordable. The tableware of Bali Gelas Artistry is favoured by some of Bali’s most sumptuous private villas, together with trendy restaurants such as KuDeTa, and prestigious hotels including The Oberoi, The Legian, Maya Ubud, Como Shambhala, Bali Hyatt and Grand Hyatt.<br /><br />Thirty three artisans are involved in the manufacturing process at the Gianyar workshop; a semi-open air factory and design laboratory, where the temperature in the huge kilns reaches 1000 degrees Celsius, and the cooling down process may take as long as three months! Every technique is different; slumping, for example, is where a sheet of glass is placed upon a block in an oven and left to melt, like cheese on toast! The spinning technique is accomplished with fine, 10-metre-long threads of glass. At one time <a href="http://www.esoklusa.com/">Seiki</a> experimented with a machine to create spun glass, but realised that it was more efficiently achieved by hand. Each technique is practiced within a dedicated area. The blowing team must learn to work in cohesive unity while speedily anticipating each other’s needs; slumping might be combined with chiselling; blowing is fused with a bit of everything! These fascinating processes produce chiselled rectangular and circular plates, latticed squares, leaf platters, goblets, wine glasses, champagne glasses and sake glasses, chiselled ice buckets, water jugs and chunky ashtrays, in addition to sandblasted, spun, and blown vases enhanced by swirls, shards and threads of colour.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.esoklusa.com/">Seiki</a> is busy designing a new masterpiece, a 10x10-metre, single-storey glass house, with glass walls and pillars, an onxy-like black glass floor, a glass bathtub and an alang alang roof. When pressed for details, he exclaims, “The rest is a secret.” Seiki’s lips may be sealed, but he’s definitely smiling!<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-61952910212521576642009-08-15T09:35:00.000+08:002009-08-15T09:44:45.241+08:00Dive Center Bali<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32211VCYFFK12pwSLlzqxM70_QQEPul293MjXW8aRHIavHfqDJhvITxOplarK_hQrkU3gFtnr00HZ7YjEy9Io4sCMdD0QGbqM2VPe4-ED4k1ELbzZeszvEKqCAm3C4tqdwToUBCPhJOc/s400/diving_bali.jpg" alt="diving Bali" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369999485872296866" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The warm, crystal clear, tropical waters surrounding Bali make it ideal for water sports. The coral reefs and variety of marine life in these waters makes it among the world’s best diving destinations. With more than 50 different charted diving sites, underwater adventurers can enjoy an endless sport diving or even a professional dive career in the waters surrounding and near Bali.<br /><br />Diving is safe and enjoyable for the entire family. Children as young as 8-years-old can experience diving and from age 10 can certify as Junior Open Water Diver. Diving is a sport that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, at any age, while in good health. And, with Indonesia’s most highly ranked instructors at <a href="http://www.divecenterbali.com/">Scuba Duba Doo Dive Center</a> and Scuba School in Bali, there’s no reason why not to enjoy-or learn to explore-these underwater wonders.<br /><br />Indonesia hosts more coral varieties than any other place on earth and Bali has its share. Among the world’s most beautiful coral garden walls are on display at Menjangan Island, in the West Bali National Park, off the north shore. The historic USS Liberty shipwreck, also off the north coast, is a protected historic monument. Acting as an artificial reef, it attracts a wide variety of marine species and is rated among the world’s best and most accessible wreck dives. It is enjoyable for divers of all experience levels, and even snorkelers.<br /><br />The waters surrounding and near Bali host migratory sea life, including giant mola mola, sunfish, and the occasional whale shark. These seas are home to all species of creatures including giant manta rays, giant clams, sea horses, moray eels, and reef sharks. Even a short and shallow shore dive will reveal a multitude of species to enthrall even the most jaded underwater adventurer. And due to Bali’s weather conditions, you can always find a spot for diving off Bali-365 days of the year.<br /><br />Most dive destination holidays focus purely on diving. Day trips and dive safaris combining multiple dives over as many days have a district advantage in Bali. While there are sufficient varied dive locations and chartered-live-abroad dive safaris for even the keenest diver, the casual diver can enjoy interspersing top flight diving with other activities, including golfing on championship courses, world class spa therapies, unlimited shopping and spectacular culture, to mention only a few.<br /><br />There’s no time like the present to dive or learn to dive. And there’s no reason to do it with anyone but the best. <a href="http://www.divecenterbali.com/">Scuba Duba Doo</a> offers a full range of beginning, advanced and professional training classes, equipment rentals and retails a full range of the latest, state-of-the-art, imported diving gear at prices lower than the US or Europe.<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWEv1p0eHS6_o78Evu2A0rG1L8Ty1GpX5H_y0uIy8d4oRO0qYElAX0va_CMVUZyAXORQDAwe-64Ujx5ZCAJkowzlgqfZMB1eKirO4bgx824yJFiHdNYlYNQDSwGMX61b0myLN46NfcxA/s400/coral_bali.jpg" alt="coral Bali" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370000291747842674" border="0" /><br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-12466837520805984972009-08-06T15:33:00.000+08:002009-08-06T15:46:34.799+08:00Fingerboard<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKBhhKsGL6SRFYGCkrnF5alny69vlHA1CIw0Wry4CCGqjV64eFOijhRAjbGUWX1akipje7rk6_ccb4UKLvuDA-j3DyR1U6UFZqP2TmDJcDiyFPoFqEFypLkZCeIsfT3ygGtmTn7UB1u0/s400/Fingerboard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366751381991345362" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Complete with moving wheels, graphics and trucks, a fingerboard or finger-skateboard is a miniature version of a skateboard in 96 – 110 millimeters long with a variety of widths. Instead of feet, skateboarding tricks performed using fingers. First created as homemade toys in the 1970s using cardboard, coffee stirrers, and Hot Wheels axles, fingerboards have been a peripheral part of the skateboarding industry since the late 1980s and were originally marketed as key chains in skate shops.<br /><br />Fingerboards are now available as inexpensive novelty toys as well as high-end collectibles, complete with accessories one would find in use with standard-size skateboards. Fingerboards are also used by skateboarders as 3-D model visual aids to understand potential tricks and maneuvers; many users make videos to document their efforts. Although barely rideable, they were improved upon by the Tech Deck brand which mass produced a rideable miniature skateboard.<br /><br />To use a fingerboard one's middle finger goes on the "tail" (back end), and the index finger goes on the middle of the board or vice versa if it does not feel comfortable to ride in the fashion that was previously stated. Many people though, find it easier to start with 3 fingers. A variety of innovative tricks from classic, so-called "old-school", to more original and creative maneuvers can be envisioned and done on a small scale either for the enjoyment alone or as a precursor to one's skateboarding experiences where individual style and diversification of tricks is rewarded.<br /><br />In England, Germany, Austria, and United States, fingerboarding is really popular. Fingerboarders even have regular contests, fairs, workshops and other events. Teri Werner, owner a skateboarding shop in San Pedro, California, promotes fingerboarding by holding contests on the store's fingerboard ramp with one contest having 175 entrants in two categories, plus another hundred spectators. In 1999, fingerboard-product sales were estimated at $120-million. This proved that fingerboard is now become more than just a collectible toy but a practice into a form of mental skating.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Bali, this toy can be purchased at Xtreme Toys:</span><br />Jl. Legian, Kuta | Ph: 764 476<br />Kuta Square #D28, Kuta | Ph: 756 291<br />Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai #774 Nusa Dua | Ph: 848 0471<br />Bali Collection Blok B1 #2, Nusa Dua | Ph: 772 539</span></div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4t_D5gY1fI-9Tgauvq6lFjzGy3F151X_YxLnvf55VYbRJlYtHc-cTyJEttsrp8ME3nuL7hlFnOSPcjDh9v8s0ufmNb0U6AY7nPcvosAc3T9DIsemsTeBTWUjRSxeN2IKWkFdIP5DpS8/s400/800px-Fingerboard.jpg" alt="fingerboard" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366752865168982850" border="0" />iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-63147108905368219032009-08-04T09:17:00.000+08:002009-08-04T09:29:34.403+08:00Gill Wilson Interiors<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkYUC7Y3El7StZF8cU5hKvSQZJcaHhEGPSLc1QI4aBDOyelpRIyj4oKkeJfqA2YW4hf-WpjtnCVtkbc79N3OM9wLc5BktUdHBeSWB8jKHN-7YOnPR9z3JqgrzWMf_Z4JXFGMR_eRRfr8/s400/gwinteriors.jpg" alt="Gill Wilson Interiors" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365914526924599282" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">“Designers in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a> are different from their big overseas competitors in that we tend to be very boutique,” says Gill Wilson, the owner of <a href="http://gwinteriors.com/">Gill Wilson Interiors</a>. “Everything we do is a one-off. If people are paying a design fee they want it to be original. A client may come in and say they want something they have seen but we won’t make it unless it can be changed somewhat. We will say that we have already used this on another villa and it was exclusively for that client,” she adds showing her passion for the original.<br /><br />An art school graduate, Gill is deeply passionate about art and has always had a special love of interiors. She and her husband have spent the past 21 years moving around Asia from country to country and from city to city in his capacity as a hotel general manager, and she has been collecting antiques and beautiful objects d’art throughout her travels the whole way around.<br /><br />Gill’s first foray into interior design came while she and her husband were living in India at the Hyatt Regency in New Delhi in the 1990s. “We had to move out of the Presidential Suite and into an apartment that was built for the general manager. The furniture was shocking. I hated it so much, and at the time there were huge furniture; old pillars, chests, tables and other things, so I started buying pieces and taking them right back to the bare wood, re-polishing them and then I started selling from home,” she says, would wow her stuff and kept on at her to produce something special for them. Before long she was doing a thriving trade and her interior world was opening up. The transient nature of international hotel management though, meant that she was never in one place long enough to make starting a business worthwhile.<br /><br />The move to forming her own company eventually came when her husband became the GM at Bali’s Ritz Carlton. They made the decision to cease their corporate-gypsy lifestyle and settle down, and having finally put down roots she was free to create Gill Wilson Interiors; a company she describe as, “Contemporary with a twist, creating one-off masterpieces. It combines the modern with the antique, which is pretty much my style.”<br /><br />In the beginning, the company acted as a middleman providing soft furnishings and accessories for villas, sourcing all their materials from local suppliers in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a>. In the early days her boys could be seen doing deliveries on a motorbike with all manners of materials; from sun umbrellas to curtains, carrying them precariously to job sites. But in the 2.5 years since its inception, Gill has taken it from only four staff to a full complement of 11, including designers, fitters, a manager, an accountant, five additional computers and, much to the joy of the delivery crew, a little blue truck.<br /><br />But caliber of her clients has kept pace with the company’s growth and includes Bali’s Oberoi, Bvlgari and Hyatt hotels, and she has recently completed work on the Elephant Safari Park in Bali, outfitting their restaurant, spa and 27 luxury villas in Taro just north of Ubud.<br /><br />A self-confessed ‘time Nazi’, Gill made her name by getting things done on time. There is no outsourcing and they never use subcontractors. “If anything goes wrong, the onus is on me, so I have to keep on top of every situation.” What makes Gill Wilson Interiors stand out? “Under promise and over deliver,” says Gill. “We never take on more than we can do.” By not outsourcing the maintains-control over anything that could go wrong: and conversely can take the credit for everything that goes right!<br /><br />Since copying in rife in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a> they have no showroom. “Basically the only way to copy is if they go into your home and see it. What we try to do is create artworks. For example, our bed heads are all art pieces. I might see a sculpture or a building and then I will incorporate it into the design. We also do things like special features on wardrobes to make them stand out, like terracotta or marble finishing, something that transforms it into a central feature,” explains Gill.<br /><br />There are a few things however that she won’t do unless the client really wants it; commissioning artworks, carpets and electrical work are forbidden ground since everyone has such individual tastes, and with artwork it can run to many thousand of dollars – a lot of money to waste. If the client decides they don’t like it. She does, however, have a lot of art on her books to show clients what is available and she showcases local artists wherever she can.<br /><br />“With our own house I was able to do exactly what I wanted to do, how I wanted to do it and with the materials I wanted,” she says of her large, newly-built Sanur home. “We built something functional and airy and did all the things we wanted, like building a gym, large walk-in robes where you can actually see everything, etc.” As the house was being built she was able to visualize where pieces of work would fit and what she would have to make new. An opportunity to display and surround herself with all the beautiful things she has collected in her travels; Japanese Edo prints, antique furniture, Chinese porcelain, and all her cherished artworks and paintings. Fortunately she had sold her most of her old furniture with the former house so she was able to start afresh with the soft furnishings. “It is a great place to bring clients when they ask ‘what is your style?’ I can say, <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span>!”<br /><br />“A lot of other designers are popping up in <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/">Bali</a> but I think the difference is that everything is done by us,” she claims. Gill is a large part of the design process which is also why she does it. Partially for the money for sure, but mainly for the joy of creating something unique and beautiful each time she takes on a project. Gill’s success is totally of her own making. Her service is personalized and customized and entirely made to order. No showrooms, just examples <span style="font-style: italic;">in situ</span> of the style and class that she calls her own. It appears <a href="http://gwinteriors.com/">Gill Wilson</a> is going to need a bigger truck.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-74852623623907405792009-08-03T09:06:00.000+08:002009-08-03T09:15:12.848+08:00The Song of Birds<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMXn9uakkrp-uf27NkuvPirItl44hlW0iKXUFkEOJASvPNPxu9rC-vhL09uUG2DkACDiLm1JxmlgKihDG0JLPSVK7dCsmWCkICXFFwlaUs-52bbOgiPndFMqSS3_oy_q8b_hsgNxzyp0/s400/gending+kedis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365539193892898706" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Bird Song – <a href="http://www.gendingkedis.com/">Gending Kedis</a> in Balinese language – is indeed one of the wonders of the natural world. It has brought merriment to humans for as long as history has been recorded and its alluring character continues to charm us more than ever. Although we are privileged to enjoy the species’ musicality, bird song is merely a means of communicating with other birds. We fortunately just happen to be around.<br /><br />Appropriately chosen, Bird Song is the name of the soon to be completed <a href="http://www.gendingkedis.com/">Gending Kedis Luxury Villas & Spa Estate</a> in Bali’s southern peninsula. The resort is an inspiring paradise for avid birdwatchers and its nineteen delightful one, two, three and four-bedroom villas – each named after a tropical bird, with large private swimming pool and second or third floor – match up to feather lined nests. Your private enclave along the island’s exclusive Golden Mile, Jimbaran Bay.<br /><br />Gending Kedis Luxury Villas & Spa Estate’s individuality and distinctiveness stems from more than its naturally beautiful location on a forested ridge of land. The generosity in space and flowing design, handcrafted interiors and the use of the best of materials and fabrics are equally stunning. Hints of Java and Lombok authenticity, Chinese artwork, Indian silk curtains, oriental carpet, Egyptian stone carvings and clever colour schemes blend in flawlessly with the russet hardwood floors and Balinese ‘sirap’ roofs. In the bathrooms, glossy black and cream-coloured marble and mahogany wood utter magnificent splendour.<br /><br />By the end of the next month guests at <a href="http://www.gendingkedis.com/">Gending Kedis Estate</a> can plunge in the brand new carving curvy swimming pool, burn off calories in the high-tech facilitated gym, recharge at no less than two spas and a sauna, and rendezvous at Alcedo Restaurant & Bar.<br /><br />Jimbaran Bay’s refuge for a romantic encounter, Alcedo Restaurant, is to be moved to the resort’s stylishly decorated assembly of facilities, which are currently still under construction and due to be completed at the end of June. ‘Alcedo’ is the <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com">Balinese</a> name for River Kingfisher. The turquoise bird can be spotted gliding on the rising currents of unsullied air that surround the Gending Kedis Estate.<br /><br />The purity of birdsong complements the integrity shown towards <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com">Balinese</a> heritage in the restaurant’s kitchen. In addition to international and Asian delicacies, Alcedo’s native in-house chef stays true to his roots by preparing tasty Balinese feasts. Flavours so typical to the local cuisine are ubiquitous within his arty concoctions and complemented by colourful and enticing home-grown ingredients. Regional specialties such as ‘Lawar Kacang Panjan’, ‘Cram Cam’, ‘Ikan Bakar Sambal Matah’ and ‘Dadar Gulung Unti’ for dessert are boosted by the chef’s affability and obvious culinary passion. A most enjoyable treat to lovers of veracity!<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-5025685921188564052009-07-31T16:36:00.000+08:002009-07-31T16:44:57.242+08:00Gundam<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjiAjfObwNjgDtu5X00_VsfMdrxaklkpk1Pw3vhVdQwT6XGlEqTGFvDEf5Tkvb3gjN7B-yBrn3AdL9ZcZSx1YH2AH5R3gpujsIIxIHFajBxcAjNaaPMNITqVyEsCbS6nZFti2O2EvImk/s400/gundam+%283%29.jpg" alt="Gundam Toy in Bali" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364542184136689522" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Developed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, one of Hajime Yatate animators in Sunrise studio Japan, <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/gundam.html">Gundam</a> first came as an anime series in April 1979 called Mobile Suit Gundam, and later became a franchise name with more sequels, prequels, and side stories, published and aired in various media including OVA, manga, novels, and video games.<br /><br />During its conceptual phase, the series was titled Freedom Fighter Gunboy, or simply Gunboy for the gun the robot was armed with, and the primarily target demographic were shōnen (boys). Then in the early production stages, the Yatate team combined the English word "<span style="font-weight: bold;">gun</span>" with the last syllable of the word "free<span style="font-weight: bold;">dom</span>" to form the name <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gundom</span>. Tomino then changed it to the current title, suggesting that Gundam signified a powerful unit wielding a gun powerful enough to hold back enemies, like a hydroelectric dam holding back floods.<br /><br />Unlike its super robot cousins, <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/gundam.html">Gundam</a> attempted a realism in the robot design and weaponry, by running out of energy and ammunition or breaking and malfunctioning like all machines do. The technology is practical and is either derived from true science such as radar-guided long-distance cruise missiles, anti-aircraft guns, missiles, and all early warning systems, with weapons systems having to rely on human eyes.<br /><br />Academic fields in Japan have also viewed the series as a good inspiration in research fields, with the International Gundam Society being the first academic institution based on an animated TV series. Gundam's realistic scientific setting has gained a reputation in the field itself as well. On July 18, 2007, when MIT's Astronautics Department's Professor Dava Newman displayed a biosuit, the suit was referenced as Mobile Suit Gundam's Normal Suit is now real by various news agencies. On February 14, 2008, when NASA proposed research into nuclear thermal rockets, Technobahn, a scientific journal in Japan, referred to the usage of nuclear thermal rocket engines on mobile suits in the Gundam universe.<br /><br />Bandai, the primary licensee of the <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/gundam.html">Gundam</a> trademark, makes a variety of products for the Gundam fan. Categories of products include the "Mobile Suit In Action" (MSiA) action figures, and Gundam Model Kits in several scales and design complexity. The most popular line of action figures in recent year is the "Gundam Fix" series. As of January 21, 2008, the Gundam franchise is a 50 billion yen trademark. Gunpla's (Gundam Plastic model) income is 90% of the Japan character plastic model market's income.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Gundam action figures can be bought in:<br />* Kidz Station:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Mall Bali Galeria, Kuta. Ph. 767003</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Bali Collection, Nusa Dua. Ph. 773807</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Discovery Shopping Mall, Kuta. Ph. 769538 </span></li></ul></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-40289943629454128802009-07-30T17:15:00.000+08:002009-07-30T17:24:34.617+08:00Dazzling Pizza<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6111XgFWRH58-ml-K0EJGn-O12SN0rzPXXFbtdGuK0z4RwquIIOrXlRvydP89aH1IqPgLMBWhQDSNthlD5GyF4Lx4bD56gPwn0z_LhfKSeC3fhyphenhyphenO5UUBQ3rKNWOZWr2UDW8EaIHE1RY/s400/volcano-pizza.jpg" alt="Volcano Pizza" title="volcano pizza" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364181245527688082" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For those who have been familiar with the concept of pizza just like what they see in many of television ads or popular restaurants, please think again, since a volcano-like traditional pizza is ready to satisfy not only your hunger for food but also for sensation.<br /><br />The dramatic part took place when a waiter pour alcohol all over the pizza dome and then ignited a fire on it. As the dome exploded the customers have a chance to behold the blazingly fun side of this cuisine.<br /><br />Once the nearly 20-centimeter-high flour-based dome that covered the surface of the pizza, which trapped a unique flavor originated from the unity of cheese, flour and meat that are baked in a European traditional oven, cracked open, it would unleash the tempting fragrant all over the table, which made one more eager to take it.<br /><br />This unique pizza is inspired by Calzone; an Italian turnover (pastry) made from dough and stuffed with cheese, ham or salami, vegetables, or a variety of other stuffing. The dough is folded over, sealed on one edge, salted, and then fried. Though calzones are similar to stromboli, but traditionally the two are distinct dishes. Stromboli usually contains mozzarella cheese and is served with marinara sauce on the side. Moreover, stromboli is rolled into an oblong loaf (similar to a burrito) and sliced to serve, whereas a calzone is folded to resemble a semicircle.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">In Bali you can found this pizza at:<br /><br />Papa's Cafe<br />Jalan Pantai Legian, Kuta<br />Email: info@papascafe.com<br />Tel: +62 361 755055<br /><br />Napoli Pizza Pasta De Cecco<br />Bali Collection B12#4-5, Nusa Dua<br />Email: contact@dececcoitalianrestaurant.com<br />Tel: +62 361 778920</span><br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-23647168759899760422009-07-30T14:45:00.000+08:002009-07-30T14:51:09.975+08:00Chocolate Therapy<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgswh442TrLbhKfUzvpOl08mBeevrt800qC_J1N7ziBYxbozI0xRBYA4AQw_GsvYP3prw528Jka2hdDO2oX4lCWsZzGZ3SSo6lbDr_bPIZBNYs5El4uz4Q-NcMJzYeWw3NimKrDaD_fmYw/s400/chocolate+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364141658132400242" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Most of us, at some time or another, have craved chocolate. It’s a treat, and a treat that’s brought out to celebrate all kinds of special occasions - including Christmas, Easter and Birthdays. Though eating chocolate is a luxurious and indulgent pleasure, nowadays, we can smooth, slather and slap it all over our bodies too.</span><br /><br />Chocolate is a great source of energy and vitamins. As a food, the purer the chocolate product, the better it is for you. Go for chocolate that has a high percentage of cocoa solids – 70% plus - and you’ll be ingesting a powerful anti-oxidant. An anti-oxidant is good to protect you from the harmful free radicals. If you don’t have enough anti-oxidants, these free radicals can damage your blood vessels and your heart, and are even associated with cancer. Moreover, harmful free radicals can end up breaking down the elastin fibers in your skin. And this means wrinkles, bags and sags.<br /><br />Chocolate contains essential nutrients including iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, B1, C, D and E. Dark chocolate is effective in the treatment of mild hypertension. Chocolate also helps your body to release serotonin and endorphins - your “feel happy” chemicals. The dark chocolate even has more “flavonoids” than any other anti-oxidant rich food, including blue berries, red wine, and green tea.<br /><br />Chocolate also has many properties that make it very good for your skin. Cocoa butter is rich in fatty acids. This means that any cocoa-butter facial or body treatment can have great softening effects on your skin. It’s been a feature ingredient in body lotion for years. Cocoa contains glycerides which deliver moisturizing lipids and fats which plump and firm your skin. Since smell is apparently our most powerful evocative sense, stimulating memory and emotions, the smell of chocolate stimulates your body’s “feel happy” chemicals. Thus, indulging your body through the luxury pleasure of chocolate therapy is a complete health treatment.<br /><br />Here in Bali, chocolate therapy is mostly combined with the traditional massage technique using natural stone which have an effect to clean the bacteria from inside the body. Using organic oils made from natural chocolate and herbs, this treatment is well approved for detoxification, resulting in clearer smooth skin, better blood circulation and an overall rejuvenation.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Recommended Chocolate Spa Treatments in Bali:<br /><br />Chocolate Body Spa @ The Body Spa<br />Package: US$ 150 for 4 hours<br />Jl. Uluwatu No.99X, Kelan - Jimbaran<br />Phone: 749 7276, Fax: 764 738<br /><br />Original Chocolate & Stone Therapy @ Halo Bali Spa<br />Package: US$ 50 for 2 hours<br />Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No.491, Pesanggaran<br />Phone: 723 593, Fax: 726 266<br /><br />Pranalicious Chocolate Treatment @ Prana Spa<br />Hen’s Package: US$ 132 for 2.5 hours<br />Jl. Kunti No.118X, Seminyak, Kuta<br />Phone: 730 840, Fax: 733 751<br /><br />Chocolate Treatment @ Natalie Spa<br />Package: US$ 55.00 for 2 hours<br />Jl: By Pass Ngurah Rai No.888ABC, Nusa Dua<br />Phone: 777 278, Fax: 777 280</span><br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-38223635243430173552009-07-29T16:48:00.000+08:002009-07-30T12:15:15.366+08:00An Intercontinental Lifestyle<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHk1aOxm043PM9pXOl-WxoGhiYMZe7AzYvoILOgmr0rFRRR2LjhXmyv2KghcL8DzspUkBUEcEl6JX3K_rD8uXaQ_RzKyuwWrlbqr_EuQewx6mAvKyIEq3v8HjUB-UDoFRrFGH98FzGr4/s400/intercon.jpg" alt="Intercontinental Bali resort" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364100963597949282" align="justify" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />There’s something to be said for companies that launch international television advertising campaigns in the midst of such economic turbulence, especially when you’re promoting the luxury end of the travel market. Label their campaign ultimately, call it unwanted, and brand it bad taste if you will, but they don’t deny the Intercontinental group their due props for taking advantage of the lull in the promotional spending, upping the frequency of their advertising campaign and duly monopolizing the market for luxury vacationing all at once. Clearly someone in the PR and marketing department of Intercontinental corporate HQ has their thinking cap well and truly in place, but the campaign does leave one lasting question that deserves to be answered, do I live an <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/intercontinental-lifestyle.html">Intercontinental life</a>? Well, there’s only one way to find out if that clever strap-line applies, and that’s to defrost the credit card in the deep freeze and head over to The Intercontinental for a spot of recession expression, in the best possible taste…<br /><br />For those arriving from overseas the benefits of Club Intercontinental start at their private Club Lounge at Bali’s airport where visitors are given special immigration clearance before being whisked fifteen minutes down the coast to the sprawling grounds of the resort. That’s not to say that those already in Bali don’t get to enjoy the finer side of Club life as the private check in lounge and 24 hour butler service plus an almost limitless array of benefits exclusive to Club Intercontinental guests are there to be enjoyed. Anyone who’s ever struggled to get a decent table in a restaurant will delight in the preferential seating service offered to Club guests, whether it be a veranda table at the signature Bella Singaraja Italian restaurant or ringside during the nightly Tepanyaki performance at the contemporary Japanese restaurant KO.<br /><br />The Inspiration Space is designed for Club guests that want to escape the stress of the fast moving world and pursue personal interests with a range of resources and activities including the opportunity to be spiritually cleansed with a Balinese high priest.<br /><br />If all this is starting to sound suspiciously like a full schedule (albeit a very relaxing one) the Club accommodation is the perfect antidote to a busy day. The contemporary Club Rooms are designed to anticipate every need of the modern traveller with plasma television, elegant en-suite bathroom with adjacent dressing area and spacious living room overlooking the exclusive Club pool, manicured tropical gardens and water features.<br /><br />With every modern convenience available, two top restaurants and a standard of service that surpasses expectations, <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/intercontinental-lifestyle.html">The Intercontinental Bali Resort</a> is one of the island’s leading properties and an experience that should not be missed<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-85262729349476032932009-07-28T15:28:00.000+08:002009-07-30T12:27:21.378+08:00Laguna Spa<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmjQh-Ewi9oXNWB9DFfTfpyQCjZWK02CRSHSMye8x-3wocDe-TAkj0CZX_bPVmqRcykG2sLG3sE0c92OA39i4PlfQQo5VPVNoERUpE_-cPovruzLMM6L1P0HEXHAjb2NaZ7vCMEQ4Qvw/s400/Image+courtesy+of+Pevonia+Botanica1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364104795649189874" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It is well known that Nusa Dua has a great selection of luxurious spas located at its various five-star hotels, resorts and villas and therefore there are plenty of places to sample as you unwind and relax after a busy day. A good place to start your pleasure seeking adventure is with <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/laguna-spa.html">The Laguna Spa</a> at <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=277">The Laguna Resort</a>. The resort itself has already been presented with a multitude of awards (including Hotel of The Year 2007 courtesy of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific Division), and it’s clear from the recent improvements to their spa products and treatments that there are grand plans for the spa too.<br /><br />The resort is located within the exclusive Nusa Dua enclave, only a few steps away from the tranquil beach. Spa guests can enjoy selected treatments in the privacy of the single spa villa, but the majority of treatments are carried out in the standard spa rooms in the hotel main building. Although on the whole the <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/laguna-spa.html">Laguna Spa</a> is not as well appointed as some other spas in its league, the sheer range and quality of treatments more than make up for any shortcomings in layout. On offer are a wide range of therapies and spa rituals, which include varying massages, body, facial and beauty treatments, as well as aromatherapy and reflexology.<br /><br />The internationally renowned ‘Thalgo’ range of marine beauty products from France have long been the staple products, along with traditional Javanese and Balinese body care essentials. However, the spa have recently made an exciting new addition to their collection in the form of the world’s leading professional face, body and spa brand <a href="http://www.pevonia.com.au/">Pevonia Botanica</a>, and are currently the only spa in Bali to offer the full range of products and treatments utilising equipment specifically designed for this range. Using the botanical and marine extract filled products, therapists tailor treatments to your age, skin type and needs, and also recommended homecare products from the animal testing free and eco-friendly range, which are available to buy in the spa reception.<br /><br />For a full scale beauty experience, try the <a href="http://www.pevonia.com.au/">Pevonia</a> Botanica Aromatherapy Facial. Beginning with an anti-stress eye compress and proceeding with cleanser, papaya and pineapple enzyme mask and various other potions. The therapist talks you through the steps explaining the restorative properties of each product. The facial includes relaxing massage to the arms, hands, legs and feet to enhance the experience but you’ll have to wait a couple of days for the full result to be shown in the form of truly glowing, smooth, clear skin. In the meantime, you could choose a complementary body treatment such as the Aromatic Slat Glow and Moroccan Cocoon with Rassoul. Designed to restore your skin’s radiant glow, exfoliating sea salt enriched with ylang ylang, tangerine and lavender is scrubbed over your body and forms an ideal pre-treatment for the purifying and hydrating Moroccan Rassoul wrap. A warm mud, rich in volcanic ash, is applied to the skin before you are wrapped up in plastic and foil blankets to soak up the enriching minerals. After a brief scalp massage, and then a cool shower, dry body oil is smothered over your polished skin to crown the new smoother you.<br /><br />With world-class products and talented, knowledgeable therapists, <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/laguna-spa.html">the spa</a> embodies a superb retreat: the perfect location to relax, unwind and begin the journey towards total wellbeing.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-42569383718160193062009-07-27T09:18:00.000+08:002009-08-19T16:11:05.698+08:00Waterbom Bali<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzWlENWDB3jrTrB28SPvuIYvqqITDz7RYh0c09DZ5A4LwFmGDuA2HVwf7wLQa08uBk2J0qPdlba9ldIl18j63sx0O211LSst0gv3Pzm6HE0jEp-_b0yY0vFLW-2j9q996Qj0BMueoqp0/s400/waterbom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371584305141875122" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The ‘Waterbom’ brand first established in 1993 when Waterbom Bali opened its doors to the public. Waterbom has attracted lots of attention for its international quality from both tourists and locals alike. <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/waterbom-bali.html">Waterbom Bali</a> mirrors the tropical island of which it sits in; rich palm trees, fresh ocean breeze and gallons of H2O, it makes this destination ‘Tropical Cool’. There are endless possibilities to satisfy every soul as <a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/waterbom-bali.html">Waterbom Bali </a>caters for all; little kids, big kids and old kids!<br /><br />Due to the success of the brand it was inevitable that Waterbom opened its sister company in the capital city of Jakarta. Waterbom Jakarta officially opened in 2007 and since then it has matched its sibling company in offering high quality facilities in addition to being aesthetically pleasing to the eye. With an “urban cool” theme, its signature landscape offers a truly relaxed atmosphere and its waterslides not only offer fun, but tons of thrills. The <a href="http://www.waterbom.com/">Waterbom</a> brand now enjoys its reputable position as being one of the top in the industry for service, standard and entertainment.<br /><br /><a href="http://everythingbali.blogspot.com/2009/07/waterbom-bali.html">Waterbom Bali</a> makes your vacation come alive with its high energy rides, relaxing rides and its various activities, this gem a ‘must do’ while on the island. Don’t forget to try its signature slide: ‘Boomerang’, let this adrenaline pumping adventure be a surprise waiting for you! Waterbom Jakarta is famed for having the ‘Hairpin’ slide, whereby four people can enjoy the slide all at once! Twist and turn on your raft before plunging into the pool, beware of screams and smiles! To ensure that the experience in both Waterbom Bali and Jakarta differs from one another the facilities offered are unalike, however they both share the common goal of simply being the best.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.waterbom.com/">Waterbom</a> offers the advanced salt-chlorination system that is gentle for the skin in addition to being environmentally friendly. To ensure the safety of all guests, there are always professional lifeguards on duty who follow the ‘International Life Safety Guard Standard’ regulations. Both Waterbom’s have a doctor on standby all day, a superior security system for entire Park, a spacious parking area, and to simplify life, an online booking system, moreover both parks are easily accessible.<br /><br />Being a dynamic brand the park caters for group functions with private area bookings and/or <a href="http://www.waterbom.com/">Waterbom</a> can be exclusively rented out for the entire day(s)! The unique combination of thrilling water-slides and refreshing pools set amidst tropical gardens is perfect for a relaxing or action-packed day in the sun.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-77049332671602064442009-07-24T16:51:00.000+08:002009-07-30T13:07:03.277+08:00Le Magnifique Ma Joly<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTTfDAGG9IO-XhDOV2j02CCaZ41qD814hHOSoCzN6GQXDRo_tryLxYRLmAutB3StU8FOPtOjs2YrWefRmQ0Sg5QUOQpJqfBH_reLIhv4pfwpIIme3C2wOiJD0VaAWReaJ8b11OmbhJI0/s400/majoly.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364114996156626082" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">French gastronomy hasn’t always been what it is today. The art form evolved from centuries of social and political changes in the European realm. From Haute Cuisine to Nouvelle Cuisine to Basque Cuisine in the southwest of France, the national preparation of food primarily developed in the city of Paris with the chefs retained by French royalty. It eventually spread throughout the country and proliferated overseas, all the way over here to the tiny island of Bali.<br /><br />The tasteful combination of Ma Joly’s plum-coloured materials, dark chairs, lime greens and red cushion covers are a foil for the dusky scenery embellishing the horizon. Sunset is a delightful time to visit the newly renovated restaurant as lilacs and pinks absorb the sky’s afternoon blue. With the Ngurah Rai International Airport just two kilometres away, the sight of aeroplanes landing and taking off adds the appealing views of the Bali Strait.<br /><br />A destructive tidal wave combined with the erosion of Tuban’s surrounding Segara Beach in February last year, quite ironically outlined the foundations of the restaurant’s impressive makeover. The recently appointed chef’s inventive French creations have already made a vast impression on the discerning food aficionado.<br /><br />Dutch Executive Chef, Eelke Plasmeijer transformed Ma Joly’s ultimately French menu into a more perfected miscellany of ‘Nouvelle Cuisine’ with a touch of Moroccan zest. Recognising the importance of immaculate presentation and unscathed flavours, the 27-year-old chef has become a whiz in the combining and pairing the ingredients.<br /><br />Initially, Chef Eelke aspired to become a culinary journalist in the Netherlands. He decided, however, to accept the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to nurture his gastronomic craft as Shy Restaurant in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he lingered for a good two years. Before long, his talent was spotted by Kupu Kupu Barong Beach Resort’s management and he was offered the position of Executive Chef at its evolving restaurant, Ma Joly.<br /><br />The young chef’s infectious enthusiasm and passion for everything food is apparent in his affability and distinguishes each one of his beautifully garnished plates. Fresh herbs, eatable flowers and sweet cherry tomatoes produce colours that complement tangy flavours and aromas. With signature dishes such as the ‘Lobster Bisque infused with Kaffir Lime Soup’, ‘Pan Fried Sea Bass with Mussel Jus’ and ‘Milk Fed lamb’ served with potato mousseline with vanilla and caramelized fennel, Ma Joly has become synonymous to culinary magnificence. An absolute feast for those who enjoy five star cuisine… and let’s face it, who doesn’t?</div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-70306195443867933242009-07-24T10:04:00.000+08:002009-07-30T12:31:34.713+08:00Chinnamon Fresh<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAriVHkN_JW-81EKT1aOOPpOIqEFjygMX2UR6_jBYIp8dW0gqrqlND2oCGX770RyLP5mk9vCXLi86j7tzzqP5tu4aIi56ZeHx4fLVS6GPHmNYTew4NXDlwc9t0MU6EPRVOA0ytqdKIbc/s400/kayumanis-jimbaran.jpg" alt="KayuManis Jimbaran" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364106019150951602" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Cinnamon sticks – ‘kayu manis’ – are made from long pieces of bark, customarily from the cassia tree, that are rolled, pressed and then dried. The spice in its purest form is inherent to Sri Lanka while the sort that grows on the cassia tree is found in Vietnam, China, Central America, and Indonesia.<br /><br />The sweet, woody fragrance of cinnamon has been popular since ancient times. Egyptians imported the spice from China in 2000 B.C. and the Romans considered it to be sacred. During the 15th and 16th centuries, finding cinnamon was an important motivation for world voyaging… Today, it symbolises the very foundation of the three Kayumanis private resorts in Bali.<br /><br />The resorts are intensely appreciated by travellers as an exclusive world inspired by rural beauty. Uncontrived colours, spacious villas, romanticism, considerate staff members with a great sensitivity for detail and respect for the natural scenery are ubiquitous in each one of the properties. In addition to the luxurious yet demure resorts in Nusa Dua and Ubud, Kayumanis also welcomes guests in its estate in Jimbaran. The building of another resort in China is planned in the near future.<br /><br />Perhaps the most sumptuous of them all, Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate is lavishly appointed with specially-themed villa interiors – due to the concept of building around the trees so that they would be preserved – each guest’s individual needs and preferences can be met. The unpretentious design, open living areas and quixotic atmosphere is complemented by the retreat’s idyllic location. Somewhat hidden amongst what seem to be endless rows of coconut tress, and in near proximity to dreamy Jimbaran Bay, Kayumanis Jimbaran Private Estate can rightfully be described as an enchanting haven, wonderfully different from any other.<br /><br />The villas form a serene and private complex of 14 self-contained luxury gateways, each one given the Balinese name for an element of the coconut palm. Emphasising that tropical inspiration are the cinnamon based beauty products, delicious cinnamon cookies, tea and toast. Although very much a part of Bali’s lively fisherman town, the vacation homes are a calming niche, ideal for a relaxing break with a loved one. The fully equipped kitchen, dining and lounge area represent an integrated environment that typifies contemporary yet ever-bewitching Bali.<br /><br />The master bedroom is bathed in the natural sunlight that filters through the chocolate-coloured blinds. The beautiful, spa-inspired bathroom in warm earthy tones, with floating bath tub, fashionably graces the exquisite retreat. Each villa merges flawlessly into a landscaped garden that encompasses a private swimming pool and lovely timber sundeck; perfect for entertaining or for soaking up the Bali sun.<br /><br />Recognising that this incredible resort includes an in-house spa, the alluring Tapis Restaurant – presenting a flavourful discovery of Indonesian cuisine – excellent 24-hour butler service, and an overall royal hospitality, there is no better choice for honeymooners, lovers, of guests seeking a tranquil paradise.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2137365984018983862.post-10813139028413335732009-07-23T13:31:00.000+08:002009-07-30T12:46:58.396+08:00Nelayan Restaurant<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZELRePhcibphnpO5efBztxSI-4KvkTGDp3WOe27qjUM6v8SEXtCWxMvJ2BD0KRNC8SUlqiLsaw4pAdIeVowX4BFTgQnAqtez9l_cyKX09ukdakNFYzFGb94lxKjTpBHiBql2BlKgEijg/s400/nelayan_res.jpg" alt="Nelayan Restaurant" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364109679201203954" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For no less than 25 years the Orient Express Group has owned and managed opulent hotels, trains, cruises and restaurants in some of the most enchanting locations on earth. It has assisted numerous five star hotels and resorts in reaching their prime, of which the two-decades-old Jimbaran Puri Bali Resort & Hotel is an excellent example.<br /><br />Jimbaran Puri Bali Resort & Hotel – sister property of stunning Ubud Hanging Gardens – has unreservedly met the ever-increasing demand for its cottages. Its management team has added another level to standard of accommodation by introducing 22 lavish one and two-bedroom villas. Whilst the resort’s 42 charming chalets exude indulgence, the abundant space, flourishing gardens with swaying daybeds, and the Balinese village character of the brand new villas is beyond compare.<br /><br />Home to two diverse beachfront restaurants, Jimbaran Puri Bali Resort & Hotels excellently caters to its guests. Whether they prefer Tunjung Restaurant’s Asian fusion cuisine, where well-defined Asian flavours are masterfully combined with international concoctions, or opt for Nelayan Restaurant’s outstanding French-Mediterranean specialties, quality and skilful artistry are guaranteed.<br /><br />Sincere appreciation derives from more than picturesque landscapes and scenic sea views. If the preparation of food doesn’t merge with the surroundings’ intensity and distinction, it might easily be forgotten. Veteran Chef Lionel Auvray however, surpasses all expectations.<br /><br />In 1969 – the Frenchman was barely 17 – Lionel Auvray’s noteworthy career kicked off on native soil when he attained apprenticeship at the renowned Parisian restaurant Le Taillevent, named after the most distinguished French chef of the Middle ages, Guillaume Tirel. The greatly respected Tirel, or Taillevent, worked in numerous royal kitchens during the 14th century. Ten years later, Auvray took a leap of faith by travelling abroad. He was quickly appointed by Le Meridien and stayed with the established company for 18 years. The thrill-seeking chef journeyed to countless cities and countries, such as Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok, Mauritius, Singapore and Burma, where his culinary genius developed and matured.<br /><br />Auvray has undoubtedly lent a hand in the evolution of food preparation into an art form and, after five years at Jimbaran Puri Bali Resort & Hotel, he still dazzles his guests with exciting innovations, impeccable presentation and explosions of flavours, along with a witty friendliness.<br /><br />Masterpieces such as the ‘Lobster Menu’ and an elaborate choice of fresh fish and seafood platters are astonishingly tasty. The seasoning is superb and combinations are highly inventive. Succulent meats, an eclectic assortment of appetizers and crunchy local vegetables are beautifully presented on warm plates coloured by creamy sauces.<br /></div>iStyle Magazinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270041957036059058noreply@blogger.com0