My Lombok issue 46

mylombok VOLUME 046 JULY 2019

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Welcome to the latest feature-packed issue of My Lombok! This month we are marking a game-changing development for Lombok’s tourism industry. AirAsia’s much-vaunted launch of direct flights from Perth finally kicked off, followed by more great news as the budget carrier announced upcoming routes to Bali, Jakarta and Yogyakarta. It bodes well for an expected boost in travellers from both the domestic and international markets. This month we profile our favourite ‘Secret Gilis’ destination Gili Asahan, and take the plunge for ‘Corals of Asahan,’ a freediving photography conservation project by Pepe Arcos, as well as featuring a new luxe staycation option Sisoq Villa.

ON THE COVER Image by Swen IG: @nesw_exposure

Our ‘Through a Lense’ photo this month story comes from Swen from Mallorca who showcased the beauty of South Lombok, while we were back in Kuta to highlight the stylish resort of Rascals. We talk food with Chef Nick of Nico Boulangerie and showcase the enticing global menu at Sengiggi’s SPICE restaurant. We also sat down with expat Adelina Tate, and don't forget to take a look at the Experiential Dinner held at Terra restaurant in Kuta and the good work of the Invest Islands school project.

ENQUIRIES Telephone: +62 (0)8191 600 1539 E-mail: info@mylombok.co.id Instagram: @mylombokmag Facebook: /mylombokmag

THE BAD GUY NOTICE No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of PT Tujuan Indah. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the authors and My Lombok disclaims any responsibility for any errors, ommissions or complaints arising there from. The publisher will not be held responsible for copyright infringement on images supplied by advertisers and or by contributors.

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contents

PLAY

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Destination Gili Asahan

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Activity AirAsia Lombok Hub

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Activity Slow Food & Yoga Festival

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Helping Hands Corals of Asahan: A Freediving Photography Conservation Project

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Meet the Expat Adelina Tate

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Through A Lens Lombok Vibes EAT

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Chef Interview Nick van Rijn, Chef of Nico Boulangerie

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Superfood Yard Long Bean

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Restaurant Review SPICE Bar & Restaurant STAY

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

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Luxury Living Sisoq Villa

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Hotel Review Rascals Kuta Lombok

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Social Batu Bangke School Construction

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Guazzetto

Spaghetti Marinara

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Spaghetti Luciano

Sinfonia

Prawns Carpaccio

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PL AY

Gili Asahan

Adelina Tate

Lombok Vibes

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ACTIVITY

GILI ASAHAN Beat the summer crowds with an off-the-radar island experience

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ombok’s high season is upon us, which means more people and a little less space to stretch out on the sandy shores. Still, there is always enough pristine sand to go round for every serious beach bum. So where to find a back-to-basics unhurried tropical island experience without the crowds? Of course it has to be the ‘Secret Gilis.’

We’ve extolled the beauty of Sekotong’s little island gems on many an occasion, but the super-chilled seclusion still rings true even today. The pace of progress is still thankfully slow in this corner of Lombok.

The perfect example of this is the laid back charm of Gili Asahan. Just a short hop from the Sekotong mainland, it is still every bit a castaway’s dream destination. It literally feels a world away from the more buzzworthy Gilis of the north. You’ll be sharing this secret with a flotilla of day trippers here to snorkel and island hop, but trust me, there is enough space for everyone. It’s just the idyllic spot to unplug, unwind and experience tropical island life as it really should be.

Keen to explore? First up, you’ll not be able to take your gaze away from the white sandy beaches the moment they come into view. Take your pick as sugary white sand beaches fringe the entire coastline and numerous snorkelling spots lie just offshore. Reefs are still pristine and brimming with fish, various sea critters and turtles.

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With a few days to kill Gili Asahan is a great base to learn the basics of scuba diving on uncrowded reefs throughout Sekotong Bay and beyond. For most of the island hopping daytrippers, frolicking in the water is the main attraction before heading off to explore other islands, but Gili Asahan has many more secret experiences up its sleeve.

@ANTOINERAD

For such a small island it has remarkable natural diversity.

Aside from the aforementioned beaches, there are shady coconut groves, dense tropical undergrowth and undulating hills which unlock awesome ocean views across to the other Secret Gilis. Small mammals hide in the undergrowth while a look skyward may be rewarded with a sighting of a sea eagle swooping down for food. Being so sparsely populated the starry night skies are as bright as anywhere in Lombok.

Apart from just a handful of resorts spread around the coastline, the main hub of local life is the small village.

Other than a gaggle of smiling kids keen to say hi, life revolves around fishing and a little boat building. Fishing nets hang up to dry in the sun while goats and chickens nonchalantly wander past. Gili Asahan also has a small but important pearl farming industry. It is a friendly local community eager to welcome curious visitors to share in their way of life. Days can be filled with a yoga session, kayaking around the islands or venturing a little further afield on a fishing trip. Everyone needs some time to unplug this busy summer season, and Gili Asahan certainly ticks all the right boxes for the quintessential desert island experience.

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@WANDERINGSPARROWS

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ACTIVITY

AirAsia Lombok Hub Up and Running as Perth Flights Take Off

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irAsia’s new Lombok hub has now officially taken flight. June 9 saw the launch of the eagerly awaited first flight to Perth, opening up arguably the most important foreign market in the region for tourism.

Bali has always been tops for travellers from Western Australia and now a direct flight enables Lombok to take some of the limelight. The budget airline is committed to Lombok and sees it as a game-changer to propel Lombok’s roadmap to recovery after last year‘s earthquakes. It will certainly stimulate tourism growth across the island and showcase Lombok’s incomparable charms to a wider international market.

It’s a landmark launch as it is only the third direct overseas route after AirAsia’s KL service and Silkair flights to Singapore and the first for several years. The nearly full aircraft departed on time while the evening return leg back to Lombok was just as busy with a host of Australian media onboard keen to sample Lombok’s natural beauty for themselves.

With a successful launch under its belt, AirAsia isn’t about to rest on its laurels just yet. More flights are in the works with a wave of domestic routes already announced for early August. It will start flying to Jakarta direct from Lombok, to Yogyakarta and the short hop over the Lombok Strait to Bali. It’s a big expansion in super quick time for the new hub and should spur some much needed competition on the Lombok-Jakarta route in particular. Fares on this route have spiked in recent weeks, causing a downturn in domestic travellers to Lombok. Another affordable flight option is definitely a big boost for everyone. With these new flights the sky is the limit for Lombok!

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© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

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@SHARNIQUINN_YOGICOACH

SLOW FOOD AND YOGA FESTIVAL

ENJOYING LIFE AT A DIFFERENT PACE Crafts and culture. Food and festivities. Stories and song. And yoga – lots of yoga

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etween June 15th and July 15th, Gili Air was the place to be, as the island hosted the month-long Gili Menggawe Festival – when local and overseas stakeholders worked together to showcase the very best of what Gili Air has to offer.

A key part of the event was the Slow Food and Yoga Festival, which was held from June 20 th–24th.

Yoga instructors and celebrity chefs from around the world came to Gili Air to offer festivalgoers the chance to enjoy a taste of Indonesian culture and beautiful local food, and a full schedule of activities and inspirational yoga classes or sheer barefoot luxury.

Yoga enthusiasts were excited to immerse themselves in a 5-day yoga paradise with classes available for all levels. Each day of the festival began with Sunrise Yoga sessions. Then, at stunning locations around Gili Air, visitors could choose classes in AcroYoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, Restorative, or Slow Flow Yoga – and take as many sessions as they wanted. They also had the opportunity to try sound healing baths, meditation and chanting, or to join women’s circles.

At lunch time the main festival venue came to life as visitors and locals were invited to 'eat and shop' as they explored local Sasak food stalls, the community market, and small eco-friendly shops selling organic and sustainable products. In keeping with the festival's unifying themes – Eco-Warriors and Sustainability – the focus was on slow food and zero waste.

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

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ACTIVITY

Celebrity chefs were on hand to inspire cooking enthusiasts.

Chef Ragil, owner of Nusa Gastronomy (Jakarta) and nominated ‘Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year, 2018’, showed visitors the right way to prepare tempeh. Others took cooking lessons with Chef Arif Springs, Jamu Guru and raw food specialist, who taught them how to make inspirational meals with local Indonesian ingredients.

Communities put their skills on display, offering workshops in coconut carving and silver crafts.

Children weren't forgotten. In the dedicated 'Kid Space', they were shown how to grow their own food, and how to be 'Trash heroes' and get involved in environmental clean ups. Some attended music and circus skills workshops.

In the evenings, there was the chance to experience local Sasak culture. Professional photographer and co-founder of the Indigenous Film Festival, David Metcalf, presented movie screenings, and the founder of Mother Jungle, Sanne Van Oort, showcased the local people of Lombok and told the story of the indigenous mothers. Wetu Telu tribal members from Bayan Village, North Lombok, attended the festival and watched the documentary for the first time. With local live music, traditional stickfighting, and dancing the festival had something for everyone.

This was the first edition of the Slow Food and Yoga Festival, and the organisers were grateful to everyone who took part in the event. More than 200 tickets were sold, by donation, and all proceeds went to the Soraya Foundation, a local NGO on the island. The next festival is planned for October 2019.

For more information about the event, you can follow the Slow Food & Yoga Festival Instagram page: @slowfoodandyogafestival, or visit our website at www.giliairfest.com, or email us at sorayafoundationgili@gmail.com.

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© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

© ARMAND ARDIANSYAH

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HELPING HANDS

CORALS OF ASAHAN

A FREEDIVING PHOTOGRAPHY CONSERVATION PROJECT

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ow do you connect with people on an emotional level and deliver a strong conservation and awareness message? Photography is sometimes about challenging yourself to look at things from a new perspective. For my first project dedicated entirely to conservation, I was completely out of my comfort zone— and I faced a big creative challenge ahead.

I was invited to visit Gili Asahan, a small island located off southwest Lombok and near to my base in Bali, to see for myself a coral conservation project led by the team at Deep Blue Sea. The idea was to show, through my work, the beauty of the area and the efforts that the local communities are making to preserve their reefs and rehabilitate the corals. Of course, I jumped at the chance.

My freediving photography colleague Naomi Bergau was in town, so following the first rule in freediving—“Never freedive alone”—the two of us headed to Lombok and spent three days in the water visiting the area’s different islands and getting a proper overview of the whole project.

Each day, we spent around six hours diving and capturing different perspectives of the reefs, with Naomi focused on video while I concentrated on stills.

Shooting shallow coral reefs was the first major challenge, as we wanted to avoid touching the fragile corals by accident at all costs. Due to the excessive buoyancy, I couldn’t take a full breath to do my dives, and as a result,

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most were done on exhalation in order to be less buoyant from 10 to 25 feet. Doing this for hours was exhausting but still totally worth the effort, as freediving gives you the ability to be in the water as long as you want as well as complete freedom to maneuver the camera.

Tragedy Inspiring Art After returning home to Bali, a little time later, Lombok suffered dozens of small earthquakes with magnitudes of over 4.0 on the Richter scale. Then, on August 5, a destructive, shallow magnitude 7.0 quake hit the island, so strong that it was also felt in Bali. Several hundred thousand people were displaced, many were injured, and over 500 were killed.

The quake was a catastrophe for our neighboring island, and it was then that I decided to try do something bigger with the images I’d shot at Gili Asahan. My idea was to create a fine art exhibition showcasing the beauty of the corals, shown in a way that it hasn’t been seen before—

almost like precious pieces of jewelry. There were two main goals for the exhibition in my mind: to show the beauty of nature without human influence and to raise funds to help the coral conservation work in southern Lombok.

Reviewing the material I’d captured, I selected specific close-up details of different types of corals, those I found most interesting from an aesthetic perspective. As the images were shot in RAW with the high-resolution Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, it was possible to crop generously without loss of quality, even though the prints had to be rather large (around 4 feet by 3 feet) for the gallery. The number of prints would be limited to just seven.

The images were taken with dual strobes (with white 4900K diffusers), working carefully with multiple different strobe positions to accentuate the three-dimensional forms of the corals. A fast shutter speed allowed me to have black backgrounds so that all the attention could be focused on single pieces of coral. Using a 16–35mm f/2.8 lens, I

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was able to shoot large corals, but I worked as much as possible at the longer end of the focal length range to avoid excessive distortion.

Showcasing Corals Once the final selection was made, I spent some time in postprocessing further enhancing the clean, black backgrounds and adjusting the balance of color—essentially removing any reference to the underwater realm in the images. As well as giving the set of photographs a coherent style for the exhibition, the idea was to focus purely on the corals as beautiful natural works of art—displayed like luxury objects.

A small brochure was also put together, explaining the project and introducing the conservation team and the other people involved, and containing some of my other pictures showing the coral restoration work and its successful outcomes.

During the opening of the exhibition, friends from Gili Asahan and the Deep Blue Sea team from Lombok gave

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a talk on the importance and fragility of the ecosystem as well as the impact of the recent earthquakes on the island.

It was a wonderful gathering of friends, with the exhibition space filled to capacity, and the sales of the prints raised a good amount of money, which was donated to the conservation project led by Gili Asahan Eco Lodge.

It was most gratifying to witness the reaction to seeing corals showcased as pieces of art in a gallery, and observing how the attention of visitors was captured by the delicacy and sensitivity of the images. My hope is that the exhibition made not just a positive impact on people’s perceptions of the role of art in conservation, but also on the importance of active participation in the conservation work taking place around Indonesia and the rest of the world.

@pepearcos Pepe Arcos www.pepearcos.com

www.giliasahan.com giliasahanecolodge Deep Blue Sea: +62 81949609638

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MEET THE EXPAT

INTERVIEW WITH ADELINA

NO LIMITS, NO WORRIES

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delina was born in Kigoma, a small town in the beautiful country of Tanzania. Now she’s in Lombok, bursting with ideas and planning projects where she can use her skills in hospitality and business, and work to make a difference in her adopted community. She spoke with My Lombok about her latest ventures and plans for the future.

Can you tell us something about your background and training?

My early education was in Tanzania but for my professional studies I went to Kenya, in East Africa, which is well known for its quality education. I studied Hospitality, Sales and Marketing, Business Management, Catering, and Hotel Management.

And your early career?

I started as a magazine stylist for Bang! It’s a magazine with a very wide circulation in Tanzania, and targets executives, professionals and entrepreneurs. I also worked as a cabin crew member for an airline, where I sharpened my skills in customer care and hospitality.

The fashion industry had always been a hobby, and two days a week I was involved in modelling and fashion, in Nairobi. I had a small agency, and did some modelling part time. I appeared in a couple of billboard advertisements, catwalk fashion shows, and was a judge in various fashion shows. A few years ago I also had my own fashion label ADE KIPEPE. I’ve had to put it on hold for the time being, but I will definitely go back to it early next year.

How did you start out in business?

I opened my first business enterprise in Kenya. It was a medium-sized restaurant and hotel. I had a little experience of business back home – a couple of farms, not huge but big enough to get tons of crops each year. My mum is in charge of the farms now, and some small, long-term rentals

villas in Tanzania. I plan to have more, but it’s small scale, compared with what I plan to do in Lombok. I am a dreamer, with so much belief in myself.

Why did you decide to come to Lombok?

I lived in Malaysia for a long time, creating my fashion label, and during those years I had the privilege to interact with some local fashion designers. I knew Indonesia was one of the places you could do handmade leather stuff, as well as Vietnam and China. And Bali was one of the ‘dream places’ where I wanted to live, so I felt happier about moving to Bali than anywhere else.

That’s when I met Neil. And the dream changed. Everything changed. Quite frankly, I moved to Lombok because of my husband, Neil Tate.

How did you find the experience of starting work in Lombok?

After settling in Lombok, I was loving it! And I loved being a Lombokian. The people were so welcoming, I forgot about everything else. The idea of setting up a business in Lombok came much later. It seemed that my future was already taking shape. My training in a wide range of fields had prepared me vey well for what I am doing now – and where I live now. And I have a business mind! I was able to start up in Lombok quite easily, as an entrepreneur. Having embraced racial diversity, ethnicity and different cultures, I feel at home living among the people of Lombok. It’s my second home.

Can you tell us about the ‘Women Who Brunch’ group?

This is a group of serious, well-informed professional women, who live in Lombok and understand the challenges women face in their day-to-day activities. The group is committed to facing them and tackling them head on! We are not a bunch of bored, idle expatriate ladies. We work hard and meet once a month to share our challenges and achievements. But we do it in style – dressing up and dining well.

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MEET THE EXPAT

I created the group so that women could empower each other. It’s about style, support, love and care.

Why is it important to you?

The people of Lombok have welcomed the ‘Women Who Brunch’, and our families, with open arms and very warm hearts. We feel it’s our duty to show our appreciation, and so we continue to take part in socially responsible community activities.

The group is involved in children’s charities. I love children, and they are very important to me. I will always go an extra mile for them, and the things I do for kids make me happy, so I am blessed. I love to share – that is my spirit. Also, as a businesswoman, I know the importance of giving back to the community. And what better way to do this than to look after the community’s less privileged children? They are part of the future of Lombok. They are tomorrow’s potential leaders if they are given equal opportunity as they grow.

What else can you tell us about your involvement in the expat community?

My training background in customer relations and hospitality has made it easy for me to blend with the expat community. I am a hands-on lady, involved in coordinating events and activities and making sure the group is alive and fun. I’m not a very social person, but I like to provide support, and I love to see businesses growing and people succeeding.

What prompted you to start up your latest venture?

A good businessperson doesn’t just concentrate on expansion, growth and profit. Diversity is also important, to provide security and assurance.

I love Lombok, and I have a background in hospitality training, so with tourists flocking in to Lombok, it was just natural for me to start up an accommodation business, in partnership with my husband. It’s called Hakuna Matata and it provides homestays for backpackers. We manage selected properties in Lombok, which is a fantastic tourist attraction but without a good host and a warm welcome it's not the same.

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Why did you choose the name Hakuna Matata?

I decided to bring a bit of my language in to my second home. It's Swahili for ‘No worries’, and it’s also my motto.

You are also starting a property business. What progress have you made so far?

Yes. The Mrs Tate Cottages. I am managing two properties in Kuta, Lombok, and I’m in the process of inspecting others. I have a plan to start building luxury villas soon – it's creative and individual, and offers something different.

We already employ a number of local people and will continue to do so as the business expands.

Have you had support or inspiration from anyone in particular?

Yes, from my husband, Neil. He is my role model, who’s taught me a lot, and still does. He has lived in Lombok longer than I have, and has a good relationship with local people. He works very hard and when I ‘grow up’, I want to be like him.

What would you say were the most important skills in building a successful business?

Having lots of patience, and taking no shortcuts.

What are the most difficult obstacles or challenges?

As a foreigner, I think it's the challenge of identifying the right business and getting the start-up capital. And there's always the fear of the unknown!

What do you hope for in the future?

For success. I definitely hope the business will grow, and that Mother Nature will behave herself.

Doing business in Lombok right now is particularly positive.

There is nothing as good as watching the city grow with you.

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THROUGH A LENS

LOMBOK VIBES ‘Lombok is one of my favourite places in Indonesia and I fell in love with the island as soon as I took my first steps on it.

The good vibes of the local people always inspire me to take these beautiful pictures. What you can't smell, taste or feel, is what I try to capture behind my lens, so everybody can enjoy and feel what I feel when I am on this island even if they just get to feel a small part of what I feel. It is such an amazing peaceful world.’ Images by Swen, Mallorca (IG: @ nesw_exposure)

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E AT

Nick van Rijn

Yard Long Bean

SPICE Bar & Restaurant

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CHEF INTERVIEW

NICK VAN RIJN, CHEF OF NICO BOULANGERIE

A Life in Bread

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ick van Rijn began his life, and his career in bread making, in Holland. Now in Lombok, he runs a business that combines everything he loves – his wife, his friends, working with people and, of course, baking.

They say bread is the food of life, and Nick would agree. He spoke to My Lombok recently about the huge role (or should that be ‘roll’?) of bread in his life.

Is there one dish you love and remember from your childhood?

Yes definitely. I grew up in a big family, and as a kid, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother's house. Every Sunday morning after church the whole family went there to drink coffee. On Saturday afternoon we always needed to prepare cakes and pies for Sunday morning.

I loved to help with that. I have a lot of happy memories of making apple pie with my grandmother.

How did your family react when you told them you wanted to become a baker?

It wasn't really a big surprise for my family. I always wanted to be a baker – never a policeman or a fireman, or anything like that. My mother’s uncle had a bakery, and from the moment I was big enough to see what was on the tables, I spent almost all of my free time with him, helping in the bakery.

Tell us about your career and some of the places you have worked.

As I said, I started helping out in my mother’s uncle’s bakery – first in the school holidays, and then on Saturdays as well. It got to the point where I was skipping school to help in the bakery, making chocolate eggs for Easter. My mother wasn’t too happy about that.

But she loved the fact there was always something sweet in the fridge when she came home.

After college, I worked for a couple of years in different bakeries in Holland. After I left Holland, I worked my way up to head chef in kitchens around Europe. I ended up in Switzerland, where I had two restaurants of my own. For a few years I was working myself almost to death, doing 18-hour shifts, so I sold the restaurants and moved to Indonesia.

For a while I worked as a dive instructor for Blue Marlin, on Gili Trawangan, and I also managed the restaurant for a year. That was

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the year I married my lovely wife, Lina, and together we started NICO Boulangerie, with Cinzia and Giovanni.

How would you define your style of cooking?

I think I have a very classical style. I like to resurrect old recipes before I make something; I always try to go back to the beginnings.

I think about how bakers and chefs made things 100 years ago, without all the fancy equipment we have today. I find having this knowledge helps me understand more about what I’m making.

Tell us about the concept for NICO Boulangerie.

It all started with four friends wanting to eat good bread – so we started making it for ourselves. Then we had requests to make bread for others, and in a matter of months we were baking bread on a daily basis.

We always make our bread from quality ingredients – almost all imported from Europe. The flour comes from France and Germany, the butter from Belgium, and the chocolate from Switzerland. We believe that you can only make quality products when you start with quality ingredients. We give the dough a lot of time to develop; a long developing time gives the bread flavour without the need to add any artificial substances. It's just like bakers did it in the old days.

Which type of bread or pastry do you most like to cook?

I don’t have a favourite product. What I like most is trying different techniques and having some variety in my work.

I love the process of bread making, and the structure of it. To produce the same bread every day the process must be the same every day – the same dough temperature, the same resting time.

Everything needs to be structured.

For making pastry there is freedom and creativity; I need to be more ‘in the mood’.

Which do you think are the clients’ favourites?

One of the front-runners is multigrain bread; multiseed rolls also sell very well. It’s obvious that people are looking for healthy bread – sour dough bread and rye bread are good examples. Not so long ago we started to sell pastries as well. I was really surprised at how much everybody likes our citron and chocolate tartelette.

Do you have particular ingredients you really like to cook with?

Yes, quality ingredients.

In a bakery a lot of the ingredients are the same. It’s really what you do with them that makes the difference. And that's why it’s so important that the ingredients are good quality, you can’t hide anything in bread. I think that’s also part of the success of NICO Boulangerie; we take the time and the effort to find the best ingredients.

Which is your ‘must have’ kitchen gadget?

A good scale. Without a scale, baking becomes guesswork. Knowing your ingredients and knowing how much to use is the basis for really good bread. You can spend hours making bread; being sure that you are working with the right amount of ingredients is essential for success.

Describe a typical working day.

My working days are never the same. I always start my day in bread production. Lots of afternoons I spend working on new recipes, or improving old ones. A lot of costumers ask us to make specific products for them; developing them takes up a lot of my time.

Baking bread is so different from the usual Indonesian way of cooking, so at least once a week I like to sit down with the staff and talk about the theory of the baking process. This helps a lot with maintaining the quality of the products.

What do you like most about your job?

If you had asked me this question a month ago I would have answered: making new products and recipes. But three weeks ago, six students started a 3-month practicum in the bakery. I really like teaching. We do the theory sections outside in the berugak *, with Lina as translator. I really try to take the time not only to teach the doing but also the understanding.

What is your biggest challenge?

For the bakery I think it’s to find the quality of ingredients that we need to make the bread. Almost all the ingredients come from Europe, and it’s always a challenge to get everything to Lombok.

It was especially difficult in the beginning but now we have found some reliable partners to work with.

For me personally, probably the biggest challenge is to remain patient, because I’m not a patient person. In Europe that was never a big problem, but here in Indonesia being impatient doesn’t help at all.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Lina and I like to go to the movies. We see almost every new movie there is. I also like to go diving but I’m not too often underwater these days.

What foods do you really love to eat? Anything you would never eat?

I’m a big fan of home cooking and street food. We chefs like to overcomplicate things sometimes, but the ingredients are the stars of any food. I will try anything. As long as someone else is eating it too, I will try it.

If you hadn’t become a baker, what do you think you would be doing right now?

I have no idea. I literally grew up in my profession. I’m not an office person at all, and I like to work with people. I loved being a diving instructor, so if I couldn’t work in the food industry anymore, I would probably do that again.

Other than creating great food, what would you say are the most important qualities that make a successful chef?

We are team players. One great chef is nothing. Kitchens and bakeries really are places where everything is a team effort.

That is why restaurants get stars, not chefs. The dishwasher is just as important as the head chef. The most important skill is communication; you need to communicate with the cooks and chefs around you all the time.

Do you have a favourite celebrity chef?

I like Gordon Ramsay, probably because we are both very impatient.

He found a way to make that work for him, turning a negative into a positive. I like that.

Any tips for budding chefs?

Switch jobs often. Try to work in big kitchens. Learn from the people around you. Don’t ever give up. And never make concessions on quality; if you mess up, just start again.

*berugak - an outdoor shelter for meeting, dining, relaxing

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Croissants Ingredients

Method

• 500gr french type 55 flour • 140gr water • 140gr whole milk • 55gr sugar • 40gr soft unsalted butter • 11gr fresh yeast • 12gr salt • 280gr cold unsalted butter for laminating • 1 egg • 1tsp water for the egg wash

DAY 1 Combine the dough ingredients and knead for 3 minutes, at low to medium speed, until the dough comes together and has reached the stage of low to moderate gluten development. Shape the dough into a ball, before refrigerating it. Place the ball on a plate, cover with plastic and leave in the fridge overnight.

DAY 2 Cut the cold butter (taken directly from the fridge) lengthwise into 1.25cm thick slabs. Arrange the pieces of butter on waxed paper to form a square. Cover the butter with another layer of waxed paper and with a rolling pin pound the butter until it’s about 19cm x 19cm. Trim/straighten the edges of the butter and put the trimmings on top of the square. Now pound lightly until you have a final square. Wrap in paper and refrigerate the butter slab until needed.

Take the dough out of the fridge. With a rolling pin roll out the dough ball into a square. Get the slab of butter from the fridge and fold the butter slab into the dough square. With a lightly floured rolling pin start rolling out the dough, on a lightly flour dusted surface lengthening the dough. Fold the dough into 3drs, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding two more times (ending up with 27 layers of butter in total). After the third turn leave the dough in the fridge overnight.

DAY 3 Remove the dough from the fridge. Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough into a long and narrow strip of 20cm x 100cm.

• With the pizza wheel cut the dough lengthwise in 2 pieces. Than cut both halves into eight triangles.

• Role up the triangles in to a croissant.

• Arrange the shaped croissants on baking sheets and apply a thin coating of egg wash.

• Proof the croissants for 1 hour.

• Bake the croissants at 195ºC for 18 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

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Mini Apple Pie Ingredients

Method

Dough • 100gr sugar • 200gr butter • 1 egg • 300gr flour • 3gr salt • 2gr cinnamon • 6gr baking powder

1. Mix sugar and butter together.

2. Add the egg and intergrate it in the butter and sugar.

3. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder together.

4. Add the flour mix to the butter, sugar and egg and mix together to a homogeneous dough.

5. Place the dough in the fridge and leave to rest overnight.

6. Next day roll the dough 3mm thick and line a buttered baking pan and cool in the fridge.

7. Wash and peel the apples. Remove the seeds and dice into 1cm by 1cm cubes.

8. Add the sugar, maizena, cinnamon and lime juice to the cubed apples.

9. Fill the lined baking pan with the apple filling.

10. Roll the remaining dough to 3mm thick and cut into 1cm wide strips.

Place these on top of the pie to decorate.

11. Brush the dough ribbons with egg.

12. Bake the pie in a 160°C oven till golden brown.

Apple Filling • 300gr jonagold apple • 30gr sugar • 10gr maizena • 8gr cinnamon • 12gr lemon juice

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It's ‘Bean’ A Long Story

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ard long bean, asparagus bean, snake bean... this bean, by any name, is still pretty much the same length. And despite the name, the pods are actually only about half a yard long (50–80 cm) on average. In French, there’s some serious misrepresentation going on, as it’s known in that language as haricot kilomètre, meaning ‘kilometre bean.’ Try putting a bunch of those in your shopping basket! In Indonesian, there’s less of an attempt to brag: the beans are known as kacang panjang, where panjang just means ‘long.’ You might not want to know this, but a popular variety grown in Indonesia is usus hijau, which is roughly translated as ‘green intestine’ (sorry).

Yard long beans originated in East or South-East Asia, and most likely developed from related species in the south of China. They are not only among the most popular green vegetables in this region, but have spread virtually worldwide. Apart from very cold and dry climates, they can be grown in a wide range of conditions, and tolerate humidity very well, as they have a high capacity for resisting fungal disease.

Generally the seedlings are quick to germinate from seed (usually less than a week), and fast to grow to maturity. Yard long beans love to cover trellises, and young pods can be harvested about two months after sowing, which making them an extremely popular garden vegetable.

You’ll generally see the beans sold in bundles of about two dozen pods. Choose the firmest and greenest pods that will snap when bent. They are naturally paler than green beans, but as they get older, they dry out, become even paler and softer, and quickly lose their flavour. Store them in the refrigerator, and use them within a few days of buying.

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Yard long beans are best when cooked. Only very young and tender pods should be eaten raw; the young leaves and bean shoots are also good to eat. Although some legumes are used for their seeds – for example, lentils, peas, edamame and soybeans – this is less common in the case of Yard long beans. If pods are left on the plant too long, though, the dried beans can be salvaged for cooking or re-seeding.

Great nutritional value...

Yard long beans are about 89% water, but they are low calorie, low fat and a reasonably good source of protein (about 2.8%) – about 5% of the average daily requirement.

In terms of vitamins, 100 grams of fresh pods provide useful amounts of the recommended daily amounts (DV): vitamin A, for healthy skin and eyes (5% DV); the vitamin B group – particularly B5 (11% DV) and B9-folates, for health in pregnancy (16% DV); and especially Vitamin C (23–30% DV).

You will also benefit from their mineral content – iron, zinc, calcium and potassium (each 4–5% DV), phosphorus and manganese (each 8–10% DV), and magnesium (12% DV). ...and a versatile cooking ingredient You can use yard long beans in any dishes where green beans or French beans are suggested. They are brilliant in vegetable soups, curries, stir-fries and other spicy dishes – often served with rice as a main dish, or as an accompanying side dish. Young, crisp pods – fresh or cooked – are brilliant in salads (lalab), and complement other ingredients, whether tropical fruits or salad greens.

Delicious ideas and flavour matches Hint: the longer yard long beans are fried, the sweeter and more intense the flavour.

• Try them stir-fried with dried shrimps (or shrimp paste) and, of course, chillies (Kacang panjang tumis udang kering).

You can use any protein, instead of shrimp. This dish is also outstanding with tofu, or tempeh. Add any other vegetables you want to. Topping it with toasted peanuts or sesame seed makes it even more appealing.

• Perfect with egg dishes. Cut the beans into 2cm pieces, fry them lightly and then add them to your omelette mixture

• Fry beans with chopped onion and black pepper. Add brown sugar, a little fish sauce and vegetable stock, and cook until liquid has reduced by half. It's beautiful served with rice.

• Cook them with small cauliflower florets, in oil infused with your favourite flavours (sesame, chilli, or mustard oils are excellent). Top with toasted almonds. This mixture can also be cooled and added to a salad.

• They also taste great with galangal, shallots, miso paste, oyster sauce, mango or pawpaw.

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REVIEW

S P I C E BA R & R E S TAU R A NT At this Senggigi foodie haven variety really is the spice of life

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breezy beachfront vibe with tables on the sand overlooking Senggigi’s awesome ocean sunsets is an obvious lure in itself, and few places in town create a better sense of island style than SPICE Bar and Restaurant. Nestled at the back of Senggigi Art Market, this is the place to get a dose of chic lounging Lombok-style.

Yet for me, the food is first and foremost. Thankfully, it ticks that box with flawless ease too.

Like many upscale eateries in town, the comprehensive menu spans the globe. But that’s where the similarities end.

The SPICE culinary journey is a unique one, taking in under the radar flavours rarely, if ever, seen before in Lombok.

The full-colour, extensive menu is an exercise in how to be creative and just a little unconventional with locally sourced ingredients. There is a tangible French flavour to the international offerings (the menu is in French too) but goes well beyond its Gallic influences. Signature French beef tenderloin and classic ratatouille sits beside Kerala style chicken curry, tuna sashimi, Mauritius chicken, pasta and Italian seafood casserole, oriental wild mushroom dumpling soup and a smorgasbord of other global treats.

The local offerings are also ramped up a few notches quality-wise, with modern interpretations of Sate Lilit, Nasi Goreng and Beef Rendang. There are numerous finger food selections for a quick afternoon bite or to accompany a sunset mojito, plus quirky ice cream flavours among a host

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of tempting dessert options. The menu is forever evolving but the inventive presentation is consistent with a touch of arty flamboyance.

Despite the diminutive size of SPICE, you get an option of three very distinct experiences, be it sundowners with a social buzz or a classy meal for two. Apart from the alfresco option by the water’s edge, SPICE’s interior spans two levels. The lower level has a white crisp décor replete with chic artwork adorning the walls. Stylish table settings in white offer an upscale vibe, while the bar serves as a laid back haunt for a refreshing pre-sunset tipple or two. Get there early for from 4pm the daily happy hours.

Upstairs has an elegant, loungey feel, which makes the ideal spot for a group gathering or even an intimate private event. It’s a surprisingly expansive space that catches the breeze and the mood lighting perfectly complements the radiant hues in the sky as the sun drifts below the horizon.

Senggigi’s fiery red sunsets never cease to amaze with a show-stopping symphony of colour and cool breezes. It should come as little surprise that the few tables and comfy sofas on the sand are in high demand nightly. They are spaced out on the beach just steps away from the tide’s ebb and flow, which serves as a calm soundtrack to wining and dining under the stars. It all creates a very cosy, romantic vibe beneath lanterns nonchalantly swinging in the breeze.

Art Market Senggigi‚ Mataram 83355 +62 370 619 7373 www.spice-lombok.com booking@spice-lombok.com spice.restaurant.lombok spice.restaurant.lombok

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STAY

Sisoq Villa

Rascals

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LUXURY LIVING

SISOQ VILLA A Private Beachfront Haven Exuding Rustic Charm

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he peak tourism season in Lombok is just around the corner, and it’s always a pleasure to escape the crowds for a new off the radar adventure. The laid back charm of the ‘Secret Gilis’, complete with spectacular reefs and abundant soft white sand, is an irresistible lure for a staycation. But how to find a castaway utopia and not have to compromise on the luxury creature comforts of a private villa haven? Compromise no more and head to Gili Asahan. The island ticks all the right boxes for the quintessential laid back island experience, and the private beach villa scene has now arrived, thanks to the rustic charm of Sisoq Villa.

It has the unmistakable look and feel of a quintessential beach house abode, albeit with a tropical twist. The stately A-frame structure is unlike any other in Lombok, complete with light modern touches and rustic design which quite literally takes its cue from the surroundings. It has been built mostly from wood which came from a boat beached on these very shores, as well as locally sourced natural materials. And it shows too. There is a host of unique touches curated from period window frames and exposed beams to eye-catching lighting fixtures, artwork and accessories.

There are two bedrooms but Sisoq can comfortably accommodate up to seven guests with a convertible couch and extra bed. Dubbed the ‘stargazers room,’ the master bedroom is on the upper floor looking out onto the water and the red and orange hues of an ocean sunset. It catches the cool onshore breezes from the spacious verandah. Kick back on one of the bean bags and enjoy the lazy, hazy days of life in the secret Gilis. This upstairs haven has an extra bed in a separate private alcove, ample storage space and a light and airy ensuite bathroom.

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The ground floor features a second cozy bedroom with storage space and a desk area. The adjacent lounge, kitchen and terrace is artfully laid out for enjoying a hassle-free indoor-outdoor lifestyle, with comfy couches, a hammock and a large dining table, all overlooking the shimmering water. Shelves filled with books and games, and the farmhouse-style fully equipped kitchen give off a warm and welcoming aura just like a real rustic home. The size and layout is just perfect for low-key socializing among a small group of friends seeking a hideaway steps away from the ocean’s edge. The enclosed lawn out front enables the little ones to run wild while you sink into one of the chillout sofas with a cool cocktail or swing nonchalantly in a hammock with a good book.

image by @fabiankiby

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Beyond Sisoq Villa’s smart creature comforts, the main village community of Gili Asahan is just steps away. Of course you haven’t come here for the bright lights (apart from the shimmering stars in a cloudless night sky) but there is nevertheless a vibrant local village vibe. A leisurely twohour trek around the island bears witness to the rituals of daily life unfolding with time to sink into the sand on pristine beaches and of course, sublime snorkelling on uncrowded reefs. Gili Asahan perfectly reflects that back to basics island life we all crave every once in a while. There are few more pleasing places to unplug and reconnect with the surroundings than your own rustic beach house haven at Sisoq Villa.

Gili Asahan, Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia +62-859-3506-5889 sisoqlombok

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Rascals, Kuta Lombok Leave the kids at home for a stylish Kuta escapade

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he summer is here and we are all itching for a refreshing change of scenery. Who can resist a short staycation with a little spa pampering and sundowners to escape the usual routine? Of course we all love and cherish our offspring but just once in a while you just need to break away from the brood. That’s the beauty of Kuta’s newest resort playground Rascals – its kid-free. No getting woken up at an unearthly hour, being dive bombed in the pool, or those incessant ‘are we there yet?’ moans; if you’re a frazzled parent it’s an adult-only paradise.

Rascals serves up a stylish beach club vibe of cocktails, cabanas and sunsets while you nonchalantly lounge around an inviting pool. The style is all its own, featuring a subtle Arabesque flavour amid traditional tropical design.

Dazzling white and turquoise hues frame the resort beneath alang-alang thatched roofs, surrounded by tropical plants and manicured grass.

There is a trio of room choices, each with their own unique character. The Dream Room is just that – a cosy romantic haven in crisp, elegant pearly white with more of the familiar aquamarine hues. There is a timeless feel with period style carved fixtures, soft lighting and a touch of rattan. It’s just the perfect hideaway for a long overdue romantic weekend.

There is a more vibrant splash of colour to the Superior and Premium Rooms, with vivid artwork adorning the walls and eye-catching contemporary furnishings. It’s a haven of rich décor and no shortage of modern artistic flair. Interiors are spacious, as is the outdoor terrace with comfy seating to sink into. The semi open bathrooms are arguably the standout feature, catching the eye with marble tops and natural stone amid lush tropical foliage.

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The quintessential Rascals experience is one of lounging poolside, fruity libation in hand and kicking back to a smooth soundtrack. Whether soaking up the rays in a lounger or taking a crafty snooze in the cabanas, its laid back luxury all the way. The mellow tunes continue once you take the plunge in the pool thanks the unique sensation of underwater speakers. Grab an afternoon poolside bite or hangout for pre-dinner sundowners and watch the last rays of sunlight drift beneath the horizon.

Rascal’s new restaurant is a large airy space serving up local flavours infused with a little Mediterranean-Middle Eastern flair. Traditional Lombok curry sit alongside pasta, pizza, wholesome wraps and cool poolside bites. It’s a compact but intriguing menu ticking all the boxes for the well-travelled palate, from homestyle roast chicken to Moroccan style poached eggs. There is an enticing cocktail selection including espresso martini for a caffeine fix with a kick, Mai Tai and more, plus a few dreamy desserts.

The resort’s spa is a tranquil oasis of mood music and aromatic scents to get pampered with a skilfully administered manicure, pedicure or reflexology treatment.

Naturally, there are also couples’ treatments for a blissedout shared spa experience.

Jl. Sawe-Batu Riti, Kuta, Central Lombok Regency, Nusa Tenggara Barat 83573, Indonesia +62-823-5953-3045 www.rascalskutalombok.com www.rascalsspa.com

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Terra Experiential Dinner with Chef Mamiko Eda Ever heard of the ‘experiential dinner’? It is a Foodies craving for more than just a unique menu. They are looking for a new and exciting dining experience and this is exactly what Pop-Up Dinners deliver. It’s no wonder, then, that the popularity of Pop-Up Dinners has exploded over the last year.

No matter what type of food and drink event you organize, the popularity of these onetime dining experiences reveals a lot about what foodies want from an event. Terra is the first restaurant in Lombok which offers you pop-up dinners, and more. All the food served at the pop-up dinner is 100% plant based and gluten free. There is a limit of up to 12 guests only. The Set Dinner consists of: 1 x starter, 1 x main, 1 x dessert & unlimited healthy drinks. Booking is essential & the cost is 175k per person. Phone: +628593663-3130.

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Batu Bangke School Construction Supported by Invest Islands Foundation Batu bangke is an area in South Lombok, half an hour drive from the famous tourist attraction, Kuta beach.

With population over 200 people, this area’s central economy is roughly relying on agriculture. Growing seasonal plants like rice, corn and beans is the whole year round job for the community.

With really low economical support, people in this area are facing several major problems. One of the main problem is education. The kids in this area need to walk kilometres away down the mountain to get to the nearest decent government school. Up in the hill, there is actually one school in the area. Unfortunately, the school condition itself is far from convenient. It has two classrooms and can only accommodate no more than 40 kids.

Therefore, as an effort to deliver easy educational access to those in need Invest Islands foundation will be helping to build two decent classrooms on the current school base. This building will be able to accommodate 60 kids and will also be used as community learning center. We are hoping to finish the building by the end of June this year. We have already done the flooring and next we will move to the farming.

“We are going to make a better school for all kids to make them more excited to learn about something new.

With a bigger class, all students can fit in good facilities.

We will also create some sustainable playground, educating them to care about environment, because a lot of young generation don’t really care about how important environment education is.”

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horoscopeofthemonth Aries (March 21 – April 19) This month your life is connected to change, and as a result, you are an interesting, knowledgeable, and perceptive person. You are good at communicating, humorous, and sociable, yet you have a distinct private streak. Others can find you baffling at times, not always knowing what to expect! You are creative and are happiest when you are creating something original. Routine career positions should be avoided.

Leo (July 23 – August 22) You are at once determined and emotional, so that there is a distinct tough side to your nature, yet a deeper, more sensitive and intuitive side as well.

Your mind is very strong and powerful, sometimes to the point of obsession! You can easily become fixated on one particular thing or feeling. If you pour your focus and determination into a particular life path or goal, your chances of success are great at this time.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) While you are sociable and confident, you have a spiritual side and a strong need for privacy at this time. You are creative, unusual, passionate, and a tad mysterious, but ultimately very reliable and trustworthy. You possess tremendous business sense, and the determination to go after what you want. You are imaginative and know how to use your imagination in the business world.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22) This month you are someone who can be “hard to know” because of your fluctuations between sociability and independence–you’re friendly when others have you, and aloof or unavailable at other times. You need time to yourself to refuel. You’re highly intuitive, helpful, and a natural teacher. You are at once peace-loving and hard-working. You appreciate the comforts of home and family, but you are also enthusiastic about your work.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) You are highly intuitive – an “old soul” who can understand people from all walks of life. Not much can get past you! Your ability to communicate articulately and, at the same time, with great warmth is admirable, especially this month. You will be inconstant and contradictory at times, due to mood swings and emotional restlessness. However, you will be respected, charming, and very fair with others.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) This month you enjoy a good debate and tend to bounce ideas off other people frequently, yet ultimately you make your own choices and do your own thing. You come alive in partnership, and perhaps ironically, “find yourself” as an individual more readily if you are partnered, but you do need personal space. You are very perceptive and a natural leader. While you can be dominant and willful, you are also expert at seeing both sides to any given situation.

Libra (September 23 – October 22) You are a very fair person who is also determined and hard-working. You are a leader and a visionary at this time. You have your feet on the ground, but you are willing to look beyond what is right in front of you. You may have some troubles with people who deceive you. Although you possess an unusually strong ability to understand human nature, when you are personally involved, you tend to believe what you want to believe. Your intellect is sharp.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) This month you are passionate and loving, and very dedicated to those you love. Love and companionship are especially important to you now. Your motivation on the job is fueled by your sense of fulfillment in your personal life. If you are feeling loved and wanted, your productivity is at its peak, and vice versa. You can easily absorb the emotions of others and the atmosphere of your environment.

Set your intentions, and have a tarot reading or life purpose session with Sarah-Jane. www.thechakraspace.com

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) This is a month that you are a proud, idealistic person who is sometimes quite stubborn and set in your ways. You are more emotional than is obvious, and having a purpose and direction in life is vital to your emotional health. You need to feel proud of what you do, and the more you do, the stronger a leader you are. Your manner will be regal and respectable, you are far from petty. Relationships will define you, and many of you have a hard time being alone.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) While you are essentially conservative and of practical mind, you will have an emotional and impulsive streak this month. There is an inner restlessness in you that can sometimes be at the root of dramas in your life if you examine it closely.

You prefer to be self-taught, finding much to enjoy in learning new things through your own studies.

Poised, dynamic, and benevolent, you are an intriguing mix of intuition and practicality.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) You have a true love of beauty and harmony at this time, as well as exceptional appeal. While comfort and pleasure are important to you, you are no stranger to hard work. Work hard and play hard could be your motto this month. You go over the top for those you love. You are generous and well-liked. The spiritual and idealistic side to you is well-developed.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20) This month you’re an extremely intuitive person who will sometimes be hard to read –and hard to reach! You seem to need more quiet time for personal reflection than usual. However, when you are with others you are sociable, interested, and lively. You relate well to people from all walks of life. You will have a great need for stimulation and change in your daily routines.

Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse (July 16 in Capricorn) Lunar Eclipses are about relationships and polarities. With the Cancer-Capricorn axis involved, this Lunar Eclipse presses us to look more closely at our needs, lacks, and wants in our lives concerning the balance between our private lives, domesticity, our need for a home base, and nurturance (represented by Cancer) versus our public lives, careers, reputation, and accountability (represented by Capricorn). Attachments and love are ruled by Cancer, while achievements and rewards/punishments are ruled by Capricorn.

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(0370)

For more information please contact us

647510

or visit our website at

www.nusaalam.sch.id

We are Nusa Alam Sekolah Nusa Alam is currently the only international standard or ‘national plus’ school in Lombok.

It is the only licensed SPK (Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama). It is the only school licensed to teach the Cambridge International Curriculum in Lombok and oversee Cambridge examinations. Our national and international accreditation includes; • IGCSE Cambridge (Accredited testing centre) • ANPS (Founding member of Association of National Plus School) Accredited – “A” Rating • Indonesian Government: SPK licensed • Indonesian Government Accredited at “A” rating at every level (TK, SD, SMP, SMA) Over the years, students from Sekolah Nusa Alam have frequently been recognized with awards for achievement in the sports and the arts. Many graduates have gone on to successful academic careers in overseas universities and other international schools.

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Perumahan Grand Natura, Jl. Terusan Bung Hatta, Karang Baru, Mataram, Lombok P: +62 370 647 510 F: +62 370 647 514 E: nusaalam@yahoo.com info@nusaalam.net

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Mowies

This is Lombok!

Lombok’s time is here and now, having finally stepped out of Bali’s shadow, showcasing to the world its unique mix of adventure, pristine natural scenery and captivating art and culture. A new airport, international yacht marina and improved roads have made travel to and within Lombok much easier, but it is its untamed natural beauty and traditional charm that captivates. It is an adventure-seeker’s paradise, home to world-class scuba diving, surfing and mountain climbing yet travellers looking for a cosmopolitan beach lifestyle and luxury creature comforts will not be short of options. Experience the best of Lombok with these recommended highlights and hidden gems: Senggigi and The West Coast Senggigi, just a short drive from the island capital Mataram is Lombok’s premier beach resort, extending along a series of sweeping bays. The main beach strip is fringed by a wide expanse of sand framed nightly by spectacular ocean sunsets. It is a fairly spread out beach town that rarely feels overcrowded yet there is a broad variety of places to stay, eat and socialise. There is a vibrant expat community here with lots of opportunity for sports and leisure, business networking and searching out those hard to find imported goods. Senggigi is the best place to arrange days out and guided trips to other parts of Lombok. The beach road then winds its way north to upmarket Mangsit, dotted with hip boutique hotels and villas among some of west Lombok’s most captivating scenery. In all, the Senggigi area stretches for almost 10 km along the west coast, and away from the main tourist centre, comprises numerous palm fringed beaches dotted with colourful fishing boats.

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Gili Islands A trio of tiny tropical islands off the northwest coast, known simply as ‘the Gilis’ are the go-to place for laid-back island life and the simple pleasures of sun, sea and superb scuba diving. Each of these three islands has its own distinctive atmosphere; the smallest is Gili Meno, a peaceful tropical island haven with few distractions other than deserted white sand beaches and a couple of chilled out beach bars. Legendary ‘party island’ Gili Trawangan is largest and most cosmopolitan of the Gili Islands with no shortage of swanky boutique villas, diverse dining and plenty of action after dark. Gili Air, located closest to the Lombok mainland, sits somewhere in the middle of these two extremes and has the most authentic local atmosphere. The enduring appeal of the Gili Islands is the refreshing absence of any motorised transport making for a pleasant alternative to Bali’s congested beach resorts. Scuba diving is still the main draw and it is one of Asia’s top spots to learn the basics and get qualified. For landlubbers, there are few better places to get horizontal on a tropical beach and soak up the unique island vibe.

Kuta and South Lombok Like its namesake in Bali, Kuta Lombok is synonymous with world-class waves but thankfully without the hassle of 24/7 traffic and infuriating beach hawkers. In fact, Lombok’s south coast surf breaks are more than a match for the best in Bali, and savvy surfers are heading here to enjoy miles of uncrowded, adrenaline-fuelled waves.

Kuta, invitingly close to Lombok’s new international airport, is the main tourist hub yet remains a fairly tranquil tropical haven favoured by both surfers and adventurous families. It makes for a great base for exploring the rugged southern coastline dotted with numerous breathtaking beaches. Scenic highlights include up-andcoming Tanjung A’an, Gerupak and isolated Ekas Bay.

The Southwest Lombok’s ruggedly beautiful southwest peninsular is largely unexplored by visitors but is now getting serious recognition with the discovery of superb offshore scuba diving and miles of deserted beaches.

The main gateway is Sekotong Bay, located just south of Lombok’s main ferry port Lembar and is the jumping off point for Lombok’s ‘Secret Gilis.’ These small offshore islands feature pristine coral reefs and idyllic tropical beaches for a real castaway experience. Heading south, the coastal road winds its way past tiny fishing communities and secluded bays all the way to the tip of the peninsular where the legendary surf breaks of Bangko Bangko (Desert Point) are found — rated among the best in the world.

Mount Rinjani For an alternative to surf, scuba and sandy beaches, a trek up the immense Rinjani volcano is hard to beat. At over 3,700 meters, this is Indonesia’s second highest volcano and makes for challenging 3–4 day trek but the views are definitely worth all the effort. The mountain dominates much of north Lombok and the caldera alone covers a mind-boggling 50 square kilometres. Most climbers only go as far as the crater rim which offers vertigo-inducing views down into the volcanic lake but the extra effort to get to the summit will be rewarded with views as far as Java and eastwards across to the island of Sumbawa. If this all sounds too arduous for comfort, the mountain’s foothills offer a wealth of leisurely hiking opportunities. Head to Senaru village for easy-going walks through remote weaving villages and dense jungle to uncover a succession of scenic waterfalls.

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THE DIRECTORY EAT Senggigi and the West Coast Cafe Alberto +62 370 693 039 / 693 313 www.cafealberto.com La Chill +62 370 693 925 www.lachillbar.com Lotus Bayview +62 370 693 758 www.lotus-restaurants.com/lotusbayview Quah Restaurant +62 370 693 800 www.quncivillas.com Quali Restaurant +62 370 693 800 www.quncivillas.com SENJA Lounge & Dine +62 370 693 333 www.sheratonsenggigi.com/senja Square Restaurant & Lounge +62 370 664 4888 www.squarelombok.com Temptations +62 812 3948 3982 The Kliff +62 370 6197 888 www.katamaranresort.com The Ballroom Restaurant +62 370 693 831 www.purimas-lombok.com The Taman +62 370 693 842 www.the-taman.com Warung Plaza Senggigi +62 878 6561 6688

Kuta and South Lombok Aura Lounge & Bar +62 812 3682 3141 www.selongselo.com/aura

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El Bazar Cafe & Restaurant +62 819 9911 3026 Horizon at Ashtari +62 811 3884 838 www.ashtarilombok.com KRNK Restaurant +62 823 4017 9854 Nugget’s Corner +62 878 6546 1505 Spice Market +62 370 6153 333 www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-0571novotel-lombok-resort-and-villas

Scallywags Beach Club +62 878 6584 7309 www.scallywagsresort.com/beach-club

Wagwan Spa +62 370 614 5301 www.wagwanspa.com

The Mexican Kitchen Gili Air +62 877 6550 3931

Gili Air

Gili Meno

H20 Yoga and Meditation +62 877 6103 8836 www.h2oyogaandmeditation.com

Karma Reef Beach Resort +62 370 630 981 www.karmagroup.com/karma-beach

Gili Meno

Mahamaya Restaurant & Bar +62 888 715 5828 www.mahamaya.co

Karma Sea Spa +62 370 630 982 www.karmaspas.com

Gili T

Adeng-Adeng Beach Restaurant & Bar +62 818 0534 1019

Retail Senggigi and West Coast

Kayu Cafe +62 878 6239 1308

PLAY

Asmara Collection, Lombok +62 370 693 619

Spas and Wellness Senggigi

Sasaku +62 899 1000 031

Divine Wax & Nail Bar +62 370 698112

Kuta and South Coast

Malibu Beach Club +62 370 619 5251 www.malibuclubgili.com Pearl Beach Lounge +62 81 337 156 999 www.pearlbeachlounge.com Scallywags Seafood Bar & Grill +62 819 17432086 www.scallywagsresort.com/bar-grill The Banyan Tree +62 878 6239 1308 Pituq Cafe +62 812 3677 5161 The Roast House +62 896 1027 3326 www.giliroasthouse.com

The Laguna Beach Spa +62 370 693 333 www.starwoodhotels.com Puri Mas Spa +62 370 693 831 www.purimas-lombok.com Qambodja Spa +62 370 693 800 www.quncivillas.com Verve Beach Spa +62 812 4640 0246

Matcha Spa +62 823 3905 0182 Nalua Surf Shop +62 819 0796 9162

Gili T Casa Vintage +62 819 1724 3808

Health & Leisure / Recreation Senggigi and West Coast

Kuta and South Lombok

Pirates’ Bay Cruising +62 821 4500 3903 www.piratesbaycruising.com

Ashtari Yoga +62 812 3892 0735 m.facebook.com/AshtariYoga

Scuba Froggy +62 370 693 901 www.scubafroggy.com

Novotel Beachside Yoga +62 812 3892 0735

Sire & Tanjung

Gili Air Coffee & Thyme +62 853 3879 4046 Mowie's +62 878 6423 1384 www.mowiesgiliair.com

Gili T Pachamama Organic Cafe +62 878 6415 2100 www.pachamamagiliair.com

Azure Spa at Pesona Resort +62 823 3910 4881

Lombok Golf Kosaido Country Club +62 370 640 137

Kuta and South Coast

Other

Ashtari Cooking Class +62 812 3608 0862 www.ashtarilombok.com

Rinjani Country Club Golf Course +62 828 9703 0270 www.lombok-golf.com

The Playground +62 811 3907 501 www.lombokplayground.com

Weddings

What Sup? Lombok +62 878 6597 8701 www.whatsuplombok.com

Sekotong DiveZone +62 819 0785 2073 www.divezone-lombok.com

White Sand Weddings www.whitesandweddingslombok.com

STAY Hotels Senggigi and West Coast The Chandi Boutique Resort & Spa +62 370 692198 www.the-chandi.com

Gili T Freedive Gili +62 858 5718 7170 www.freedivegili.com Gili Cooking Classes +62 877 6324 8215 www.gilicookingclasses.com Gili Golf +62 821 4501 6419 Manta Dive +62 370 614 3649 www.manta-dive.com Scallywag Divers +62 877 6586 7517

Gili Air Gili Cooking Classes +62 878 2157 0188 Oceans5 +62 813 3877 7144 www.oceans5dive.com

Jeeva Klui +62 370 693 035 www.jeevaklui.com Kebun Villas & Resort +62 370 692 999 www.kebunresort.com

Sudamala Suites, Lombok +62 370 693 111 www.sudamalaresorts.com

Kuta and South Lombok Origin Lombok +62 370 615 8550 www.originlombok.com Kies Villas +62 878 6553 4450 www.kiesvillaslombok.com Novotel +62 370 615 3333 www.novotel.com Selong Selo Residences +62 813 3779 1400 www.selongselo.com

Sekotong Cocotinos +62 819 0797 2401 www.cocotinos-sekotong.com

Gili T Kila Senggigi +62 370 693210 www.aerowisatahotels.com/hotel/ kila-senggigi-beach-lombok Living Asia Resort & Spa +62 370 693 519 www.livingasiaresort.com The Oberoi Lombok +62 370 613 8444 www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-inlombok Puri Mas Boutique Resort & Spa +62 370 693 831 www.purimas-lombok.com

Aston Sunset Beach Resort +62 370 633 686 www.aston-international.com/eng/ hotel-detail/244/aston-sunset-beachresort---gili-trawangan Pondok Santi Estate +62 819 0705 7504 www.pondoksanti.com

Property Amber Lombok Beach Resort www.amber-lombok.com Kuta Heights Development +62 821 4587 5594 +62 817 6673 983 www.kutaheightslombok.com Lombok Eco Developments +62 817 713 708 www.lombokecodevelopments.com Lombok Property & Investment +62 819 0797 4075 www.lp-i.co NAGAINDO +62 813 5332 9501 www.naga-indo.com Private Sanctuary +62 821 4741 9919 www.private-sanctuary.com Reef Property Lombok +62 852 3801 4269 Tate Developments +62 818 0376 0677 www.tatedevelopments.com

Charity Endri's Foundation www.endrifoundation.or.id Face This www.facethis.org

Pearl of Trawangan +62 813 3715 6999 www.pearloftrawangan.com

Gili Eco Trust +62 813 3960 0553 www.giliecotrust.com

Gili Meno

John Fawcett Foundation www.balieye.org

Qunci Villas +62 370 693 800

Karma Reef Beach Resort +62 370 630 981 www.karmagroup.com/karma-beach

The Sheraton Senggigi Beach Resort +62 370 693 333 www.sheraton.com/senggigi

Mahamaya, Gili Meno +62 370 637 616 www.mahamaya.com

Lombokcare +62 370 6194201

Gili Meno Amber Yoga Retreat & Spa +62 822 3759 6677

Pelita Foundation Lombok www.pelitafoundationlombok.org

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ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

EMERGENCY NUMBERS Ambulance Phone: 0370 623 489 Emergency call: 118 Fire Brigade Phone: 0370 672 013 Emergency call: 113 Lombok Police Jl. Gajah Mada No7, Ampenan Phone: 0370 693 110 Emergency call: 110 Tourist Police Senggigi Jl. Raya Senggigi km 1 Phone: 0370 632 733 HOSPITALS Harapan Keluarga Jl. Ahmad Yani, Selagalas Phone: 0370 617 7000/617 7009 Risa Sentra Medika Jl. Pejanggik No.115, Cakranegara Phone: 0370 625 560 New Mataram Public Hospital Jl. Bung Karno No.1, Mataram Phone: 0370 645 045 Mataram Public Hospital Jl. Pejanggik No.6, Mataram Phone: 0370 623 498 Siti Fajar Moslem Hospital Jl. Panca Warga, Mataram Phone: 0370 623 498 Anthonius Catholic Hospital Jl. Koperasi, Ampenan Phone: 0370 621 397 Police Hospital Jl. Langko No.54, Ampenan Phone: 0370 633 701 Army Hospital Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto No.11, Mataram Phone: 0370 621 420 Central Lombok Public Hospital Jl. Jen Basuki Rachmat, Praya Phone: 0370 654 007 East Lombok Public Hospital Jl. Prof M. Yamin No.55, Selong Phone: 0376 216 80 HEALTH CLINICS Biomedika Clinic Jl. Bung Karno No.143, Mataram Phone: 0370 645 137 Medika Husada Clinic Jl. Raya Senggigi Phone: 0370 664 480 Sengiggi Beach Hotel Clinic Phone: 0370 693 210 Klinik Prodia Jalan Pejanggik No.107, Mataram Phone: 0370 635 010 Hotel Villa Ombak Clinic Gili Trawangan Phone: 0370 642 336

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Jolie Sourire Dental Care Mataram Mall Jl. Pejanggik, Mataram Phone: 0370 668 1797 PHARMACIES Guardian Pharmacy Mataram Mall Jl. Pejanggik, Mataram Phone: 0370 629 921 Kimia Farma Jl. Sriwijaya No.295, Mataram Phone: 0370 633 211 Jl. Pejanggik No.48, Mataram Phone: 0370 638 502 Jl. Catur Warga, Mataram Phone: 0370 634 774 Jl. M. Yamin No.155 Selong, East Lombok Phone: 0376 220 51 TAXI Bluebird Taxis Phone: 0370 627 000 Express Taxis Phone: 0370 635 968 Narmada Trans Taxi Phone: 0370 702 5333 IMMIGRATION OFFICE Department of Immigration Jl. Udayana, Mataram Phone: 0370 632 520 POST OFFICES Central Post Office Jl. Sriwijaya, Mataram Phone: 0370 632 645 Jl. Langko, Ampenan Phone: 0370 631 642 Jl. Raya Senggigi Phone: 0370 693 711 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS Nusa Alam Jl. Pantai Meninting Phone: 0370 647 514 AIRLINE SALES OFFICES Silk Air Lombok Raya Hotel Jl. Panca Usaha No.11, Mataram Phone: 0370 628 254 Garuda Indonesia Jl. Majapahit No. 2, Ampenan phone: 0370 642303/649100 Lion Air Jl. Sriwijaya No.81, Mataram Phone: 0370 629 111 Merpati Nusantara Airlines Jl. Pejanggik No.69, Mataram Phone: 0370 636 745

TransNusa Jl. Panca Usaha No.28, Mataram Phone: 0370 624 555 CAR RENTAL COMPANIES Lombok Rent Car Jl. Raya Senggigi Km 12, Senggigi Phone: 0370 667 7887 FREIGHT/COURIER COMPANIES Tiki Jl. Anyelir No. 1, Mataram Phone: 0370 633 014 DHL Jl. Hos Cokroaminoto No.53G, Mataram Phone: 0370 639 400 PUBLIC UTILITIES Electricity (PLN) Jl. Langko No. 25, Ampenan Phone: 0370 632 182 Jl. Raya Sengiggi Phone: 0370 693 535 Water (PDAM) Jl. Pendidikan No.29, Mataram Phone: 0370 632 510 Jl. Raya Sengiggi Phone: 0370 693 886 CHURCH SERVICES Bethany Mataram Church Jl. I Gusti Ketut Jelantik Gosa No.23, Mataram Phone: 0370 625 956 HKBP Mataram Church Jl. Gili Air No.4, Mataram Phone: 0370 632 924 Kristen Tuhan Church Jl. Ekas No.47, Mataram Phone: 0370 621 811 Masehi Advent H7 Church Jl. Kom L Yos Sudarso No.16, Mataram Phone: 0370 638 500 Pantekosta Church Jl. Pariwisata No.4, Mataram Phone: 0370 631 219 Katholik Church Jl. Majapahit No.10, Mataram Phone: 0370 634 397 CONSULATES IN BALI Australia (Also consular service for Canada and New Zealand nationals) Jalan Tantular No. 32, Renon, Denpasar Phone: 0361 241 118 Brazil Jl. Raya Legian No.186, Kuta Phone: 0361 757 775

Czech Republic Jalan Pengembak No.17, Sanur Phone: 0361 286 465 Denmark Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai–Pemogan No. 852, Denpasar Phone: 0361 821 6979 France Jl.Mertasari Gg. II No.8, Sanur Phone: 0361 285 485 Germany Jl. Pantai Karang No.17, Sanur Phone: 0361 288 535 Italy Lotus Enterprise Building Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai, Jimbaran Phone: 0361 701 005 India Jl. Raya Puputan No.42, Renon, Denpasar Phone: 0361 241 987 Japan Jl. Raya Puputan No.170, Renon, Denpasar Phone: 0361 227 628 Mexico Jl.Prof. Moh. Yamin No.1, Renon, Denpasar Phone: 0361 223 266 Netherlands Jl.Raya Kuta No.127, Kuta Phone: 0361 761 502 Norway Segara Village Hotel Jl. Segara Ayu, Sanur Phone: 0361 282 223 Russia Bali Kencana Resort II Block Cendrawasih No.18, Ungasan Phone: 0361 279 1560 Spain Kompleks Istana Kuta Galeria Blok Valet 2, No. 1 Jl.Patih Jelantik, Kuta Phone: 0361 769 286 Sweden & Finland Jl. Segara Ayu No.2, Sanur Phone: 0361 282 223 Switzerland Kompleks Istana Kuta Galeria Blok Valet 2 No.12 Jl. Patih Jelantik, Kuta Phone: 0361 751 735 United Kingdom Jl. Tirta Nadi No.20, Sanur Phone: 0361 270 601 United States of America Jl. Hayam Wuruk No.188, Denpasar Phone: 0361 233 605

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