The Yak #51

F A R A H K H A N . C O M

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T 0361 474 1819

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www.theyakmag.com

Volume fifty one june/july/august 2016

The Yak Magazine Sophie Digby, Agustina Ardie, Nigel Simmonds Creative Director Stuart Sullivan Sales & Marketing Peta Johnston, Amik Suhartin Production Manager Evi Sri Rezeki Graphic Designers Irawan Zuhri, Ida Bagus Adi Accounting Julia Rulianti Distribution Made Marjana, Putu Widi Susanto, Gede Swastika, Kadek Eri Publisher PT. L.I.P Licence AHU/47558/AH/01/01/2011 Advertising Enquiries Tel: (+62 361) 766 539, 085100431804, 085100431805, 085100431796

on the YAK cover: photography: amberly valentine. styling: the O. post pro: nick slade. model: lexi matsuk. hair & make up: tomas moucka. Dress by Mauricio Alpizar. Bracelets and brooch by The Prisoners of St Petersburg. Earrings by Erika Peña Designs. Shoes by Dolce and Gabanna.

e: info@theyakmag.com, sales@theyakmag.com The Yak, Kompleks Perkantoran Simpang Siur Square, Jl. Setia Budi, Kuta, Bali 80361, Indonesia

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contents 26

Yakety yak

Dark Numbers

28

Fridge Magnets

30

Charity First

32 36 50

dates with destiny

one world

15 minutes

Saddam Hussein

new in the hood

Out There Round Here

out of the box

Must Haves

58 24

54

passions

Dress Up Drag

58

Julian Lennon

64

Pure Goldie

culture vulture

people

68

Lee Stone

72

Erika Pena

74

people

people

people

Nehanda Nyanda

84

78

people

Jamie Aditya

80

Michael R. Lorenti Jr.

84

Cedric Herbaut

86 104 108

128

people

people

fashion

Movement

feature

Happy Glampers

feature

The Oberoi

54

contents P98: Omnibus: speaking in tongues.

112

Slip Down South

114

Ubud Gets Real

suite life

oral pleasures

118

Batu Bolong

122

Sip Celebrates

128

Edible Audio

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

78

130

Big Six: Hits The Streets

132

Cocktails Ahoy

oral pleasures

taken not stirred

136

Shaba

138

Maja Authentic

140

Client Clobber

venting in a villa

152

Yak Invitational 2.0

154

What’s What

156

golf

ad directory

astro yak

Horror Scope

ministry of interiors

fashion freestyle

74

108

64

Surrounded by the current trending jargon of ‘Friendscaping’, ‘Lumbersexuals’ and something that either sounds ominous or could be the name of a new Yak watering hole – The Dark Social – we at The Yak sometimes wonder where we stand.

So where do we stand?

Well, ‘Friendscaping’ is what you do when you need to offload a few of those pesky trolls who either stalk you or upload what they are selling at discounted rates to any one of your platforms . . . FB, Instagram, LinkedIn, be your online podium what it may. Less of you ‘tweet’, possibly because we are all a Twitter within our own social circles at our selected pubs, clubs and sunsets.

A ‘Lumbersexual’ – ah, well that is a well-manicured, barbered gentlemen that has no clue how to swing an axe – yet looks like he possibly could in some forest fashion shoot or other.

And on to our last, The Dark Social. The term ‘dark social’, which was coined in 2012 by editor Alexis C. Madrigal in The Atlantic, refers to web traffic that can’t be tracked through web analytics programs . . . which just goes to show that all our web analytics so painstakingly sorted are actually a load of cods.

So whilst our online presence is growing like Jack’s beanstalk, we are thrilled to have a very physical, bigger-than-your-average, printed magazine version of The Yak. . . guaranteed no cables or electricity needed.

And with the above in mind let’s take you on a quick tour of this, our print issue, which covers our beloved platform of Bali [erm, we are severely online too – Ed] First up, a global-trotting Yakker purloins Saddam Hussein’s pool cue, of all things, before we head off and fill you in on what is New In The Hood, our hood!

Never sure how we get to be Out of the Box (but we always manage it) before we go drag racing with Deus, a very, very social gathering that one. Meeting up in person with Julian Lennon is way better than requesting his ‘friendship’ on FB and we were lucky enough to be spared a couple of hours to quiz him on a couple of topics and get some of his images seen in this issue . . .

Heading not into YouTube territory as one might have thought, we get two of our favourite D&B boys (Goldie and Lee Stone) to sit with us for a one-on-one; so nice to actually meet face-to-face. Sticking in the physical, and with no pop-up ad distractions, we meet a whole host of other Bali notables; Erika, Nehanda, Jamie Aditya and the sensational Michael from Sensatia – a truly holistic Bali skin care and lifestyle brand. Yak Fashion is up next and there really is no comparison – you can almost feel this fabric on the page…

And on to Omnibus: speaking in ‘tongues’ is something we all do, and David Fox explains the why and the wherefores of language and Shakespeare . . . Having barely understood the enormity of language, we check into a myriad of overnight options to sleep on it, where we ‘rest on our laurels’ (is that Shakespearian, we wonder?) until gluttony sets in – or possibly not if you are one of the gluten-free tribe now populating the planet . . . it really is not that bad for you!!

Our beloved cocktails are in the spotlight next, with W Retreat and Akademi doing us proud and impressing our taste buds. Our last page-turning furlong we flit through Fashion Freestyle and to our very own AstroYak to find out if we will ever understand ‘The Dark Social’, be unlucky enough to be ‘Friendscaped’ or lucky enough to meet a ‘Lumbersexual’ – yes it’s all in the stars or on Instagram . . .

May The Yak be with you!

28

yakback Dear Yak, You are our favourite mag – congrats on your 50th edition! Big snobby cheers to the team at The Yak. Rgds, the_seminyak_snob Many thanks Ms Snob we appreciate your discernment.

Cocktails on us!

Dear Yak, A big congrats on the 50th edition. It is indeed awesome! Here’s to your next 50! Have a super weekend.

Rgds, Simon Dornan Bali Mandira Beach Resort & Spa Cheers Simon. We’ll see you soon at Azul.

Dear Yak, Just wanted to say what a hoot I had at The Yak Golf Invitational 2.0. Great day, great game and great entertainment. I was unable to drive home!

Rgds, Richard Simmonds Sanur

We’ve seen you drive well Richard – must have been a good day!

Dear Yak, Thanks so much for your recent invitation to the Creative Connections lunch event at SIP. The food was sensational and I was happy to close a deal at the same time. Keep the events coming!

Rgds, Mavis Purser Seminyak Dear Yak, I was wondering if you have a position for an intern at your company? I am finishing college in August and I would like to learn more about your online business. I noticed your recent website revamp and I must say I was impressed.

Is there anything I could get involved in?

Rgds, Ruby Colleridge England

In The Lap Of: Johnny Depp The Deppster made an unannounced visit to our fair isle we hear – sans teacup doggies escaping their 50-hour death threat from the bogan bosses in Australia’s wildlife ministry. All was not well with the misses it turns out – she filed for divorce soon after, and we hear it may have had something to do with Depp’s love of his alter-ego. Spotted at Shanghai Baby we approached bearing a copy of our great organ only to be told: “ I think you are very much mistaken, sir, my name is Brian.” Ok then.

calendar

stephanie mee’s guide to festivals around the globe.

Bali Arts Festival Big, bold, colourful and cultural, the Bali Arts Festival kicks off the second Saturday in June on the 11th and will run until July 9th with a wealth of performances by dance troupes, musicians and visual artists from across the archipelago. This year the theme is Pasak Wetuning Bhuwana (Maintaining Spiritual Balance and Synergy), and you can expect to see festive parades throughout the streets of Denpasar and spirited events like traditional dances, shadow puppet shows and gamelan concerts going on indoors and at the outdoor pavilions at the Taman Werdhi Budaya Arts Centre in the heart of Denpasar.

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro from August 5th to August 21st, and they are already set to break all manner of records. This will be the first time a South American country has ever hosted the Summer Olympics, and record numbers of athletes are expected to attend with over 10,500 competitors from 206 National Olympic

IF YOU’RE IN THE UK… June 22 to June 26 — Glastonbury Festival (Pilton, Somerset): With over 175,000 festival goers nearly every year, Glastonbury Festival is the biggest greenfield festival in the world and the mother of all music festivals with world-famous artists rocking out on a variety of stages throughout the grounds. This year’s headliners include musical heavyweights like Coldplay, Adele, Beck and Muse, along with a slew of other popular acts like Earth, Wind & Fire, Cyndi Lauper and Underworld. Besides phenomenal concerts the festival also features fun food stalls, art installations, new age healing booths and educational stalls run by charities and aid organisations.

July 23 to July 25 — Upfest - The Urban Paint Festival (Bristol): Europe’s biggest street art and graffiti festival returns to the streets of Bristol for three days of free live painting exhibitions by over 300 artists, musical performances by some of Bristol’s finest bands, and popup food, crafts and clothing stalls. The painting will take place at venues throughout the city with North Street as the centre of all the action. Visitors are encouraged to roam the city to find out what’s happening around the next corner and chat with the artists as they create their works.

The best part is the festival is free for everybody, although visitors are encouraged to buy a programme to support the festival’s chosen charity, the National Association for Children of Alcoholics.

August 6 to August 7 — Total Warrior (The Lake District): Put your strength, stamina and determination to the ultimate test at Total Warrior, a unique obstacle course where you must tackle eight-foot walls, electric shocks, and plunge pits filled with ice. The challenge takes place over a weekend in the gorgeous Lake District with a 10k 30

Committees including first-timers Kosovo and Sudan. The events will cover 28 different sports including cycling, swimming, rugby sevens and golf, and they will take place in 33 venues across the city, as well as stadiums in Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Salvador, Belo Horizonte and Manaus.

Sanur Village Festival Now in its 11th year, the Sanur Village Festival is hitting the sand again from August 24th to August 28th at the Maisonette Area of Inna Grand Bali Beach. The aim of the festival is to showcase Sanur’s unique culture and beauty, and to give young people a chance to showcase their talents in art, sports and culinary creations. Past events have included fashion shows, food bazaars and photo exhibitions, as well as fishing, golfing and surfing competitions, and environmentally friendly activities like beach clean-ups and sea turtle release programs. Fun for the whole family, the festival is open to all and guaranteed to be a great time by the sea.

event on the Saturday and a 10k and 10-mile event on the Sunday. You can sign up solo or gather a team, and all participants will be rewarded with a finisher’s t-shirt, a victory beer, timing chip, and a Total Warrior headband.

There will also be an after party with great music, drinks and vibes for challengers and friends.

IF YOU’RE IN ARGENTINA… June 21 — The Longest Night in the World (Ushuaia): Besides being the largest city in Argentine Patagonia and the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia is also home to the Longest Night In The World festival. June 21st marks the winter solstice for the southern hemisphere and is an important day for First Nations people, who celebrate and give thanks to the ‘rising of the new sun’. In Ushuaia thousands of people descend on the city in the days leading up to the solstice to take part in lively concerts, parties and rituals including the ‘Burning of Obstacles and Impediments’, where you write down all the obstacles to your goals and toss them into a raging fire. It’s a night where dreams and prophecies come true.

August 18 to August 31 — Buenos Aires Tango Festival: What better place to celebrate the vivacity of tango than in its birthplace of Buenos Aires? The Buenos Aires Tango Festival is the most important celebration of this sultry and sensual dance form, and it attracts thousands of dancers and audiences from around the globe who come for the free performances and classes, concerts, exhibitions and world championship dance competitions that take place throughout the city. Take a lesson from the masters and watch the experts dip and twirl their way to the top, or throw caution to the wind and grab a partner and join in the open-air street dances.

IF YOU’RE IN RUSSIA… May 27 to August 2 — White Nights Festival (Saint Petersburg): The sun never fully sets in the evenings during the summer months in Saint Petersburg, and the city celebrates this endless light with the White Night Festival, an arts extravaganza where you can take in hundreds of concerts, operas and ballets at the Mariinsky Theatre, rock shows at Palace Square, or one of the festive carnivals where actors re-enact historic events in period costumes from the times of the tsars and tsarinas. The biggest event of the festival is the Scarlet Sails when tall ships ply the river and light and fireworks shows dazzle the crowds.

July 7 — Afisha Picnic (Moscow): It may only be a one-day event, but Afisha Picnic is Moscow’s biggest rock music festival with top Russian and international musicians, the likes of which have included Jamiroquai and Tawib Kweli.

The party takes place in a big green field next to the banks of the Moscow River in the historic Kolomenskoye Park, a former tsar’s estate. You can expect the crowds to be a good mix of hip youngsters, die-hard rockers and music enthusiasts, and even a goodly amount of families with little ones. Be sure to get there early to stake out your spot on the grass.

July 22 - July 24 — Alfa Future People (Bolshoe Kozino): Join over 50,000 EDM fans at Russia’s biggest electronic and dance music festival set in a countryside locale on the banks of the Vogel River. Everything about this three-day party is full-on from the 75 hectares of space to the six futuristic stages with innovative sound and pyrotechnic systems, and over 100 DJs including heavyweights from Europe and abroad. This year’s line-up will include Armin Van Buuren, Axwell ^ Ingross, and Dmitri Vegas & Like Mike to name just a few.

A unique collaboration that combines MoVida’s Spanish cuisine and Potato Head’s design and architectural expression. With five sites across Australia and best-selling cookbooks to its name, it is MoVida’s first international venture. Open all day, the restaurant overlooks Katamama’s exterior garden and pool.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 07:00 - 24:00hrs For reservations please call +62 361 302 9940

Jl. Petitenget 51B, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia 80361

giving back

charity begins at home.

Yayasan Dua Hati Back in 1998, there were many misconceptions in Bali and Indonesia about how HIV was transmitted. At that time many people believed that it was mainly a homosexual or foreigner disease. In fact, even the government refused to believe that HIV and AIDS was a major problem among intravenous drug users in Indonesia, so harm reduction was at an all-time low. This was the environment that Yayasan Dua Hati was born out of.

Founded by a former HIV/AIDS field worker in 1998, Yayasan Dua Hati was one of the first organisations to focus on HIV harm reduction and prevention in Indonesia. Their main mission is to implement intervention programs to change behaviour by giving information, skills and materials to high-risk groups, particularly intravenous drug users.

They started by sending field workers out to distribute clean needles and condoms to drug users and disseminate information about the dangers of sharing needles, how to use needles safely, and how to properly dispose of needles. They went into various communities including Kerobokan Prison to pass along their knowledge and materials, and the results have been simply staggering.

In 2002, statistics showed that about 73 per cent of intravenous drug users in Bali were sharing needles, but a 2014 survey showed that nearly 99 per cent of intravenous drug users did not share needles. This is in part due to Yayasan Dua Hati’s tireless efforts to work with government and non-governmental agencies to implement harm reduction policies. Today anyone can purchase clean needles at pharmacies in Bali (which is not true in many other provinces), and harm reduction is now a major part of Indonesia’s National AIDS Strategy and Action Plan.

You can contribute to Yayasan Dua Hati’s efforts to prevent HIV and AIDS in Bali by donating directly through their website or through the crowd funding site www. gotongroyong.fund www.duahatibali.org Yayasan Citra Usadha Indonesia Yayasan Citra Usadha Indonesia (YCUI) was formed in 1992 with the mission of preventing HIV and AIDS in Bali and improving the sexual health of the community through various methods including education, data collection, outreach, and networking.

In the beginning they were working with various groups that were considered highrisk including sex workers (male and female) and gay and transgender communities.

However, what their work would reveal would change the way they and many other organisations would approach HIV and AIDS in Bali.

In the early ’90s the stereotype about HIV and AIDS was that it was localised to tourism hotspots, and so YCUI began their work with young people in those areas.

However, they found that the majority of new HIV cases were popping up in rural areas.

North Bali in particular was one of the first places to show dramatic increases in HIV rates amongst both men and women in rural areas.

YCUI decided to change tactics and began focusing their attention on rural communities, where they found that the problem lay mostly with men who would travel for work, hire sex workers while on the road, and then return to their families potentially passing on the HIV virus to their spouses. In addition, they decided to devote more focus to men, as statistics showed that in Bali it is mainly men who decide whether or not to wear a condom.

From the beginning, YCUI took the tactic that this was a public sexual health issue as opposed to a disease issue, so they aimed to have interactive discussions within 32

communities rather than educational campaigns. They began working with local governance like heads of villages, local banjars and youth groups to develop sustainable village-based programmes that would make information available for all. They also offered free condoms and support for people with HIV or STIs. Today YCUI field workers check in on villages to make sure that people at risk are getting tested, and that those with HIV or other STIs are receiving treatment if possible.

One major problem they continue to encounter is that many people from poor rural areas have no means of paying for transportation to the network of hospitals, clinics, and puskesmas that can provide medicines. In addition, hospitals often charge administration fees that are beyond the reach of many people living with HIV and AIDS. To combat this problem, YCUI has implemented the Together and Share programme where people living with HIV and AIDS can earn income from agriculture.

YCUI encourages these people to cultivate vacant land near their homes, and the organisation provides them with seeds and manure to get the crops going. The products are then supplied to the Citra Usadha Mandiri economic unit so that they can be distributed to markets and hotels.

Although YCUI is making efforts to create programmes that will fund the organisation and bring a better quality of life to the people they help, funding is always an issue, and field workers are thin on the ground, as many are volunteers who must work full time jobs to make ends meet. Donations are always much welcomed and needed. You can donate via their website or through the crowd funding site www. gotongroyong.fund. www.citrausadha.org Wahana Kria Putri Foundation As a patriarchal society, Bali has its fair share of gender imbalance at all levels of society, but it is particularly acute for women from low-income backgrounds. Many of these women have little to no education and no means to get ahead in a world where they are often discouraged from aiming higher. Many suffer abuse, but feel helpless to leave the situation and venture out on their own, or they find themselves widowed with no opportunities to support themselves.

In 1996 two women who were passionate about bettering women’s positions in society, Professor RA Retno Murni and Ir. Nani Iriani, created the Wahana Kria Putri Foundation (WKP) to help women realize their rights and fulfil their dreams. They strongly believe that society as a whole benefits when women are able to contribute and create better economic circumstances for themselves and their families.

WKP helps women build their confidence and skills through a variety of training sessions, workshops and seminars on everything from better farming practices to basic tailoring skills, the foundations of managing group finances, and how to create saleable products. In addition, they offer micro-financing recommendations so that women can get small loans to start their own home industry business or improve an already existing farm or breeding programmes.

There are many ways to support the Wahana Kria Putri Foundation. Donations of sewing machines and food are always welcome. You can also donate directly to the organisation via their website and choose the programme you want to support, or let WKP choose a programme for you. WKP is also happy to work with volunteers who can teach women and children valuable life skills. www.wkpbali.org

15 minutes

i looted saddam hussein’s pool cue

iraq attack.

Gava Fox was among the first foreigners to enter the dictator’s Tikrit palace . . . the loot on offer was almost irresistible.

In April 2003, at the height of the Iraq war, Baghdad descended into an orgy of looting and pillage that saw state and government assets stripped bare by a population which for years had lived under the repressive yoke of Saddam Hussein’s corrupt Ba’ath Party officials.

The so-called “Operation Iraqi Freedom” was launched by the United States and a handful of allies on the now thoroughly discredited premise that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction to use against his neighbours in retaliation for crippling economic sanctions which had turned one of the world’s leading oil producers into an economic basket case.

Despite victory by the coalition forces, the war turned out to be one of the most misguided military operations in modern history – and its effects are still being felt today, with both Iraq and Syria enmeshed in bitter internecine fighting involving misguided Islamic fundamentalists fighting under the ISIS banner.

I covered that war from beginning to end as a writer for an international news agency accompanied by two colleagues – a photographer and video cameraman.

Along with a few other major news organisations (and some hardy freelancers) my company had an office at the well-known Palestine Hotel in Baghdad staffed by journalists who were technically accredited to report freely on the Iraqi side of things, but in reality were heavily censored and frequently banned from leaving their rooms.

The Americans accredited hundreds of journalists as “embedded” media with

34

coalition troops. They too were supposedly allowed to report what they saw, but a multi-page code of conduct frequently hamstrung their reporting until well after the fact.

My team chose a third option. We’d operate as so-called “unilaterals” – nominally recognised by coalition forces but offered no help or protection. We’d be free to flit between both sides, taking our chances in an armoured Land Rover we dubbed “Brenda the Defender”.

Despite the bluster of Saddam and his cronies, the Iraq Army and Revolutionary Guards were scant opposition to a clearly better trained and equipped coalition force.

Hundreds of thousands of coalition troops had amassed in Kuwait on Iraq’s southern border ahead of the war, and the invasion proper began on March 21 with the initial target being the port city of Umm Qasr. The offence was led by elite British and U.S. Marines who faced three days of surprisingly stiff resistance before the remaining defending forces fled.

We’d crossed the border the night the invasion started. Brenda looked very similar to the British army vehicles being used, and Military Police tasked directly with stopping unilateral journalists from entering Iraq waved us through, thinking we must be special forces.

Umm Qasr was a duty-free port – the country’s main maritime gateway – and the vast, sprawling complex was filled with warehouses stockpiled with imports,

15 minutes 36

including thousands of luxury cars. Retreating Iraq forces had helped themselves to whatever they could carry, and although coalition forces were under orders not to loot, they clearly weren’t afraid to “liberate” the odd trinket.

A warehouse which stocked luxury items such as jewellery and electronic goods had been stripped bare. Rolex cases lay strewn on the ground, the watch itself now keeping unnervingly accurate time on the wrist of a soldier – either coalition or Iraqi. Diamonds, gold and pearls also similarly disappeared into the pockets of troops.

We helped ourselves to cigarettes and whisky. There was nothing more valuable left.

The “spoils of war” were considered a perk in times past when victorious troops raped and plundered after every battle, but the Geneva Conventions outlaw such practice now, although it is still fairly commonplace.

The pattern of brief resistance by Iraqi forces followed by capitulation and desertion continued across towns and cities as the coalition forces made their way north to Baghdad. The departing Iraqi forces generally plundered what they could, local civilians helped themselves next and then coalition troops arrived in numbers to secure whatever was left.

In Baghdad itself, the plunder was on a scale never before seen. The war was less than three weeks old and coalition troops were engaged in scattered fighting to take Baghdad when the country’s National Museum was targeted.

The building hosted a collection considered to be among the most important in the world, with artefacts from the over 5,000-year history of Mesopotamia in dozens of galleries and vaults.

Coalition troops were strongly criticised for having not made a greater effort to preserve the country’s cultural heritage. Journalists wandered freely around the museum watching looters smash display cases and help themselves to priceless pieces. When they told U.S. troops patrolling nearby what was happening, they just shrugged it off.

In all an estimated 15,000 pieces were stolen from the museum in the space of just a few days, including a headless stone statue of King Entemena of Lagash – estimated to be 4,400 years old and weighing hundreds of kilograms. It was eventually discovered in 2006 in New York and returned to Iraq.

In decades of war reporting across the world, myself and colleagues have frequently helped ourselves to souvenirs from the field. I’ll admit it is a grey area, but I can confidently say I’ve never taken anything truly valuable.

In Kisangani after the fall of Mobutu Seso Seko in 1997, as locals were literally removing every single fixture and fitting from his abandoned presidential palace, I helped myself to a monogrammed bathrobe. I’ve taken crude wooden carvings from the scene of massacres in Rwanda, some religious iconography from a tumbled cottage in Kosovo, an inscribed book from the library of a Somali poet shortly before it was torched. Things like that.

But Iraq was to prove the highlight – and perhaps lowlight – of my career.

As the war drew to a close, it was clear the coalition forces who had invaded from the south would likely join with the army that had come from the north at Tikrit, Saddam’s stronghold and the family’s ancient home.

In Tikrit Saddam had built a compound heavily fortified by luxurious complex of dozens of palaces and villas in sweeping gardens with beautiful artificial lakes. Saddam’s palace had pride of place on a hill, flanked by those of his son’s, Uday and Qusay, and surrounded by villas given to relatives and senior officials.

At this point we’d been on the roads for weeks, sleeping rough, under fire every few days, eating terribly and extremely unwashed.

Brenda chugged into Tikrit as a fierce and final battle was taking place for the town, but we somehow made our way without incident to the new deserted presidential compound. Coalition forces had sent some shells whistling into the most important buildings, but it was clear the complex had been abandoned entirely with scarcely a struggle.

Saddam’s palace was as glitzy as it was tacky. It boasted a 30-seater cinema, a massive indoor pool, gymnasium, vast kitchen and 60-seater dining table. But it was the billiard room that caught our attention. After taking a luxurious shower we played a few games of pool before exploring the place further.

We briefly pondered whether to break down two cupboards in the room to see what was inside on the basis they could contain important state documents that could give us the exclusive of a lifetime, but decided against it. Frankly, we were exhausted, and we could see an American convoy lumbering up the driveway that would soon put paid to further exploration.

Looking for something to remind me of the day – after all, we were the first foreigners into Tikrit Palace since Saddam’s fall – I settled on some inscribed stationery and a golden eagle paperweight from his desk before unscrewing an ivory-handled pool cue from the billiard table which I hid under my flak jacket.

U.S. troops were baffled by our presence as we tried to leave, but a chance encounter with an embedded colleague eased their minds – even though he was miffed that we had beaten him to the story.

Hours later, as we were nearing the outskirts of Baghdad, my satellite phone rang. It was the colleague from Tikrit.

“Hey,” he said. “You know that cupboards you told us about in the billiard room. Well be broke them open. Guess what we found?”

At this point I’d already established that the gold paperweight was actually made of brass and the Ivory pool cue was more likely bone or animal horn of some kind.

“Tell me,” I said.

“Over $200 million in cash and about two kilos of what looks like cocaine,” he laughed.

In retelling that story over the years, I’m invariably asked what I would have done if I had found it. I honestly don’t know the answer.

Incidentally, two U.S. infantrymen, who searched Uday Hussein’s next-door palace just hours after our arrival, stumbled across nearly $600,000 hidden there which they proceeded to steal. John Getz and Earl Coffey spent the next six months sending it home in parcels or stuffed into Teddy Bears before being caught. Following a court martial, they spent 12 months in a military stockade before being dishonourably discharged. Such are the spoils of war . . .

BRUNCH BY THE BEACH Spend the last day of the weekend relaxing in style at the fabulous Sunday Feast - Brunch by the Beach at The Beach Grill in the Ritz-Carlton, Bali. Grab a shaded table outdoors amid lush green lawns that make their way to the ocean, or in air-conditioned comfort inside the elegant dining room and pile your plate high with sumptuous appetizers, mains and desserts made fresh with the finest ingredients. Offerings include appetizers like the pomelo, prawn and crab salad, fresh seafood caught that day, and mains like striploin steaks and meaty pork ribs. Drink packages are available for tipplers and teetotallers, and guests can also enjoy complimentary access to the pool, Hydro-Vital pool at the spa, and the Ritz Kids facilities.

Tel: +62 361 849 8988 www.ritzcarlton.com

NO MAS UBUD Nightlife in Ubud has been ramped up a notch with the introduction of No Más, a selfdescribed island sinkhole for beats, misfits and gypsies where Eagles of Death Metal is loud on Thursdays, Jameson and sodas are tossed around on Fridays, and Sunday Sessions include righteous deals on local beers and bountiful BBQ dinners. Search for the neon-lit sign on Monkey Forest Road that states ‘Treasure This Way’, and follow the arrow upstairs to the second-floor watering hole for bird’s-eye views of the street below, thirst-slaking bevvies, hearty comfort food, and lengthy bouts of shooting the shit with a groovy mix of locals, expats and travellers.

Tel: +62 361 908 0800 www.nomasubud.com

LUXE LOUNGING SHANGHAI STYLE Already making waves on the jetsetting scene, Shanghai Baby offers up a seductive mix of dramatic design, modern Asian cuisine and worldclass mixology and music. While this three-storey space offers a range of immersive environments, perhaps the most exclusive is The Shanghai Room.

Located on the first floor, this opulent lounge features a mix of contemporary and classic Chinoiserie design with silk printed ceilings, plush leather sofas and bespoke tables covered in 24-karat gold leaf. Service here is second to none, and first-rate DJs, dancers and musicians add to the ambiance. For those who seek something a little more intimate, The Opium Den comes with its own selfcontained bar and private butler.

Tel: +62 817 0030 088 www.shanghaibaby.asia

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SECRET RETREATS Conscious of the uniformity of many luxury hotels around the world and the lack of authenticity in the travel experience that comes with them, Secret Retreats aims to bring a new meaning to luxury travel with their carefully curated collection of the finest boutique residences, hotels and boats, plus bespoke travel experiences that delve deep into the unique culture and nature of each destination. Guests of Secret Retreats can enjoy intimate properties that are discreet, tranquil and in harmony with their natural environment, as well as tailor-made itineraries that allow you to experience tradition and culture, nature, gastronomy, spas and more. www.secret-retreats.com

SLEEP, EAT, RECORD, REPEAT Once again W Hotels Worldwide is breaking boundaries with the introduction of their first ever W Sound Suite at W retrat Bali, Seminyak. This private music studio and writer’s room has been designed specifically for professional recording artists, studio musicians and producers who want to record, remix and relax in style while on the road. The first W Sound Suite at W retrat Bali offers a stylishly soundproof space featuring a lounge big enough for a proper entourage. The main mixing room includes professional equipment from industry favourites Native Instruments, Pioneer and Moog, as well as a private vocal booth overlooking a tropical garden. More W Sound Suites are slated to open later this year in Hollywood, Barcelona and Seattle, but you saw it fist here in Bali.

Tel: +62 361 300 0106 www.wretreatbali.com

IZAKAYA INSPIRED EATS Inspired by the Japanese izakaya and sake bar concept, One Eyed Jack offers up an eclectic selection of traditional and modern Japanese plates designed for sharing in their cool brick-walled space over drinks. The chef draws on his previous experience at Nobu and his unique culinary creativity to put together dishes like the fried baby squid with lime-sea salt and wasabi aioli, crispy soft shell crab bao bun sliders, and pretty platters of sashimi worthy of any Instagram feed. Complementing the food is also an extensive selection of sakes, chuhai, Japanese-inspired cocktails and Japanese whisky and beers.

Tel: +62 819 9929 1888 www.facebook.com/oneeyedjackbali

disabled enabled It’s rare to find a disabled-friendly villa in Bali but the five-bedroom Villa Sunset View ticks all the barrier-free boxes. Located at Dalung, overlooking the rice-fields, the property has been built in accordance with international disabled-friendly standards. Level throughout, with wide doors, this family villa has an open-plan living/dining area and an integrated kitchen to make it easier for wheelchair users to move around without difficulty. The living area is open to the sunny pool terrace, with direct access to the pool via a ramp. Bedrooms offer king-size or twin beds, while a single-bedded room is suitable for a helper. Each semiopen-air bathroom is fitted with grab rails, easy-to-reach taps, and a handheld shower. All power-points, light switches, and countertops are at a comfortable height for a person in a wheelchair. Guests will be looked after by a friendly team of staff, who will prepare and cook breakfast. A chef is available on request, and a car and driver is also available.

Tel: +62 361 849 5438

SUMMER BBQ BY THE BEACH Conrad Bali is celebrating summer in style this year with their nightly beachside barbecue dinners at Eight Degrees South that include an array of delicious dishes grilled to perfection and served under the stars to the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

Guests can relax at candlelit tables amid sea breezes and softly lit lanterns as the chefs prepare fine imported meats and seafood fresh to order.

The grill selection includes squid in Jimbaran style marinade, beef skewers marinated in betutu spices, and chicken skewers marinated in turmeric, garlic, shallots and aromatic ginger, as well as tempting appetizers, desserts and wines.

Tel: +62 361 778 788 www.conradbali.com

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HEALTHY TIPPLING Bistrot has always been ahead of the pack in terms of gorgeous design, decor and dining, and now they are taking imbibing to a whole new level with their new round of signature cocktails that eschew refined sugar and artificial ingredients for healthy organic fruits, herbs, and superfood ingredients that are sure to take that smidgen of guilt out of the drinking experience. Take for example the refreshing Ruby Rouge made with grapefruit, strawberry, goji berries, rosella, organic honey, and Aperol, or their modern take on the Moscow Mule with Skyy Vodka, homemade ginger beer made with organic honey, ginger and lime, and light lashings of old fashioned bitters and mineral water.

Tel: +62 361 738 308 www.bistrot-bali.com

SPRING SPA AT SEMINYAK VILLAGE Award-winning New Zealand spa group Spring has opened their largest spa ever located on the top floor of Seminyak Village, a gorgeous new mall inspired by internationally acclaimed designer Farah Khan. The spa is already winning rave reviews for its unique indoor-outdoor social concept with a rooftop bar offering views all the way out to the sea, and tranquil zen areas for relaxing and rejuvenating. Here you can indulge in a range of treatments for face, body and nails as you sip on fresh juices and mineral water, chat with friends, and let the gentle sea breezes wash over you. Do yourself a favour and combine a nourishing Lime in the Coconut body scrub with their soothing Signature Massage.

Tel: +62 813 3862 7222 www.springspa.com ROLLING IN STYLE WITH EXOTIC RIDES Exotic Rides aims to put a little bit of glitz and glamour back into travel with their curated collection of classic vintage cars, sports cars and luxury rides. Need a hot set of wheels for a night out on the town? It doesn’t get much better than rolling up to the club in a Ferrari or Porsche with your own personal driver. Looking to impress that special someone? Pick them up in a sleek Chrysler 300C and ride around in VIP style. They also offer car hires for special events like weddings, corporate trips and photo shoots, as well as a full-day Jeep Adventure tour where you can have high tea with a royal family, visit a sacred temple and then rip it up off-road styles in a 4x4 session at the foot of a volcano.

Tel: +62 361 471 3333 www.exoticridesbali.com

Magnificent morsels by meno Situated close to Jimbaran Beach, Noosa showcases the talents of Chef Meno Hiroyuki, a Japanese chef classically trained in fine French cuisine. Chef Meno draws on his years of experience working with Michelin-starred chefs in France to bring us modern creations that make use of the fresh seafood that Jimbaran is famous for, as well as Balinese ingredients and spices. His specialties include bamboo clams, lobster ravioli in porcini in a bisque sauce, and the roasted Magret duck with bitter chocolate sauce and braised lentils. Diners can enjoy Noosa’s artfully prepared dishes along with fine wines from the restaurant’s carefully curated wine list. Keep an eye out for their special wine dinners and sake pairing events.

Tel: +62 361 703 288 www.noosabali.com 42

GLOBALLY RECOGNISED RESTAURANT DESIGN Tamarind Kitchen & Lounge is proud to announce that they have been nominated by the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards for the category of Outside Area Design. This international competition is now in its eighth year, and it celebrates standout design in drinking and dining venues around the world. Tamarind won the nomination for its unique two-storey bamboo structure that showcases sustainable design at its finest. Situated steps from the sand at the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, the restaurant is open on all sides so sea breezes can flow in, and has a soaring thatched roof that creates a sense of freedom and fluidity.

Design junkies will definitely want to sample contemporary cocktails and cuisine in this cutting edge space.

Tel: +62 361 771 210 www.tamarindrestaurantbali.com

FOLK KITCHEN & ESPRESSO Sporting rustic wood and stone interiors and a mash-up of art and design from both yesterday and today, Folk is Ubud’s newest all-day dining venue located in the heart of Monkey Forest Road. The kitchen is helmed by Chef Duncan McCance, who has worked in cutting edge restaurants across the world including Orana in Adelaide, Burnt Ends in Singapore, and Copper Kitchen & Bar at Bisma Eight in Ubud. Here he sources local products from sustainable partners and makes everything in house when possible to create inspired dishes served up with healthy slugs of caffeine brewed with a special blend from Tetap Happy Coffee Roasters. We highly suggest their poached eggs with avocado, feta and herbs on housemade sourdough.

Tel: +62 361 908 0880 www.folkubud.com

Inspired by the region’s natural surroundings and locally grown ingredients found in a traditional kitchen, Dugong Restaurant invites guests to experience Indonesia on a plate.

Jl. Pantai Labuan Sait, Br. Dinas Labuan Sait Pecatu, Kuta Selatan, Badung, Bali. dugong@suarga.com www.suargapadangpadang.com

THE SANCTOO VILLA Located in the peaceful rural village of Singapadu on the edge of the Wo River gorge and just 20 minutes south of Ubud, The Sanctoo Villa is an exclusive boutique resort sanctuary where you can immerse yourself in nature and the unique culture of Bali. Book into one of the spacious private pool villas here and you will have plenty of space to relax, views over the river, and all the modern amenities you could ask for. Enjoy breakfast with the elephants at Bali Zoo next door then for pure pampering head to the spa nestled in the rainforest next to a waterfall and put yourself in the hands of the talented therapists who will put your body and mind at ease with a series of treatments using locally sourced natural ingredients. Afterwards treat yourself to some delectable gourmet cuisine at the fine dining restaurant, or go healthy with their holistic raw food menu.

Tel: +62 361 471 1222 www.thesanctoovilla.com

Coffemania Finally a machine we can afford with a quality coffee that we can just go beans about! Thespresso, the new brand of coffee caps & coffee maker.

With the machine retailing at an affordable Rp. 1’790’000, Thespresso has formulated their own caps in four distinct fabulous blends. Created and roasted by a lover of all things coffee, Thespresso caps will boost your mood, your day and your circle of friends. World of Espresso, Mocha - Java, American Blend and Espression are the four choices. Bringing together the finest beans from across the globe, Arabica of course, these are then graded and roasted here in Bali under the watchful eye of the Thespresso team. Thankfully mornings just got a whole lot better.

For more information: hi@thespressocaps.com or sms +6281337662555 www.thespressocaps.com

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BRILLIANT BLING Renowned Bangkok-based jewellery designer Harold Alexander is proud to introduce two new dazzling collections this year that represent elegance, timelessness and avant garde design.

His Orchestra Rings are composed of a minimum of two 18-karat gold bands and make use of semi-precious stones and diamonds to create a synergy of classic sensibility and modern design.

For the men, the Pearls of the East cufflinks feature South Sea and Tahitian natural cultured pearls set in 18-karat and yellow gold, and they harken back to a time when pearls were a symbol of power, strength, and nobility. These gorgeous pieces can be purchased exclusively at the Harold Alexander showroom in the Ritz-Carlton, Bali in Nusa Dua. Tel: +62 361 8498988 ext 3945 www.haroldalexandergems.com

Putting the M in to Must Have Iconic Seminyak Village in - obviously - Seminyak, welcomes yet another ‘OMG, I need it now!’ fashion haven. M Resort brings together all those much-coveted brands, Banana Moon, Clover Canyon, Circus by Sam Edelman, Hale Bob, Mary Katrantzou, the ever glamorous Missoni amongst others. With Seminyak Village’s edict of Shop Eat Play we are obviously very keen to follow the first part of this welcome tag line. For the gals that enjoy flitting from one glamorous pool to a breathtaking cliff vista and into that exclusive villa, M Resort covers everything from hot weather staples to suave handmade Ecuadiorian ‘Panama’ hats. For the guys, expect cult brands AQ/AQ of London and CLVII of Paris - these will definitely get your urban fashion buds in a twist as they ooze attitude and character. Since it’s under the tutelage of The Melium Group, which has more than 25 years of fashion experience under their very elegant belt, we really can’t go wrong.

Tel: +62361 4741819 www.melium.com Yak Map ref: O7

MOFO KITCHEN All-day breakfasts, brunches and fusion lunch dishes are the main draw at MOFO Kitchen, a cosy space in the heart of Seminyak where Western comfort food meets Indonesian spices with a focus on spicy Manado, North Sulawesi cuisine. For a quick morning-after fixer upper, dig into the Hangover Cure with savoury French toast, leg of ham, Gruyere cheese, and Dijon topped with a sunny side up egg and hollandaise sauce, or the Egg in a Jar with poached eggs, smoked cheese, caviar d’aubergine, fried eggplant, poached egg and sundried tomatoes with lemongrass foam. If you can handle the heat, try the Woku Panini with braised pork belly amped up with seven different Asian herbs and spices.

Tel: +62 361 934 5192 www.mofokitchen.com

FINDING YOUR RELIGION British label Religion is opening a brand new modern and minimalist designed store in Oberoi street. The store has sleek textual backdrops and occasional bursts of theatre, showcasing their full menswear and womenswear collections including; shoes, handbags and accessories.

Tel: +62 361 731 916 www.religionclothing.com

Ling-Ling’s Ling-Ling’s Eatery & Bar opened with a fresh palette of fabulous Asian tastes, destined to join its sister restaurant Sushimi as a hot favorite with foodies. Dressed in anime, Ling-ling’s gets its name from THE Miss Ling-ling who has collected recipes around the fashionable capitals of Asia, the cheeky half Korean/Chinese girl will be making guest appearances from time to time, so stay tuned. Armed with an arsenal of fruity cocktail sensations, yakitori combinations that are intended for sharing and a menu designed by Sydney’s own Chinese sensation, fresh from The Establishment, Mark Gao. Tel: +62 361 737816 www.linglingsbali.com 46

Pothead heads to Hongkers Potato Head Hong Kong is set to launch this week. Okay, so it’s not in our hood but Potato Head is definitely a Yakker, so one of our own so to say. Located in the HK hood of Sai Ying Pun, the outlet will proudly proffer all things Indonesian. Kaum will head up the dining space serving authentic Indonesian food, then there is the curated retail space that will elegantly display all things interiors and gifts Indonesian designed and heritage. An allday bar and an audiophile space wraps up this Sou Fujimoto designed venue. When next in Honkers head to Potatohead. www.pttfamily.com

MARU JEWELLERY Established in 2005 by goldsmith designer Martina Urbas, Maru Jewelry is renowned for its inspired handmade designs and commitment to quality. Attention to detail is key here with each piece showcasing precious metals worked into intricate patterns and glittering gemstones in intriguing settings. From delicate chains with striking mala pendants to chunky rings sporting serious bling, there is a wide range of styles to suit all types of style seekers.

Peruse their latest collection at their showroom on Jalan Oberoi, or get in touch with them directly for special commissions, conceptual brand development and wholesale options with in-house production.

Tel: +62 361 734 102 www.marubali.com

...celebrate personal wellness

Sanur I Ubud I Nusa Dua I Jimbaran P. 62 361 705 777 F. 62 361 705 101 E. experience@kayumanis.com www.thegangsa.com www.kayumanis.com

THE FIRST HAUTE COUTURE BRUNCH

Available every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm at Cut Catch Cucina.

Starts from IDR 499,000++ • •

Complimentary for kids under 12 years old Free access to the pool

BTDC Complex lot N5, Bali 80363 | +62 361 849 2888 | H9078-FB11@sofitel.com | www.sofitel.com

Beauty Reborn in Bali Real beauty. Real results. Tiny Indonesian prices.

"I regularly travel to Bali to visit Cocoon for detox and skin rejuvenation facials. I’m constantly on tour, DJing nights and surfing most days. Sun exposure and exhaustion can really take a toll on my skin and health! Since going to Cocoon and receiving regular PRP facials, vitamin drips, and detox treatments, I have noticed a huge improvement in my skin tone, hydration and tightness. I also feel an incredible sense of general well-being. I love Cocoon!!”

- Scarlett Etienne

MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, DJ, PRODUCER, MODEL, AND SURFER

· PRP · Lasers · Dermapen · Mesotherapy · Diamond Microdermabrasion · Oxygen Jet Peel · Gold Carat Facials · Fillers · Botox Lifting and Firming: · HIFU (Ultherapy) · RF Microneedling · Velashape Fat Loss · Colon Hydrotherapy · Vitamin IV · Salt Room

COCOON MEDICAL SPA LEGIAN Jl. Sunset Road, Legian 0811 388 2240 COCOON MEDICAL SPA UBUD Jl. 8 Monkey Forest Road, Ubud 0811 388 2241 info@cocoonmedicalspa.com www.cocoonmedicalspa.com

Skin that needs NO FILTER

32� Metallic Bronze Refractory Grill / Smoker / Oven. www.komodokamado.com

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www.cristinasatori.com

Rowena Heels USD 150

Hand made Woven Silk, Autumn Clutch USD 70,

The ‘Dear oh Dear’ Cushion Cover, Rp. 230,000 www.kimsoohome.com

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Diana Heels, USD 170,

www.cristinasatori.com

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Handmade leather sunglasses

Agate stone bronze ring

Sterling silver gold plated Maru signature

IDR 3,750,000

IDR 4,500,000

hammered wire earrings USD 175

www.biasagroup.com

www.biasagroup.com

www.marubali.com

www.artobjectified.com

THE GOLDEN SECTION CHAIR BRUSHED TITANIUM GOLD 1

www.warisan.com

wooden-bathtub

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passions The annual Deus Dress Up Drag rolls on and stakes its claim to the most

quirky event of the year.

Words: Thomas Leitch Images: @kelibow & @ol_sin

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passions

IT began as a birthday celebration for a couple of mates but, from these humble beginnings, the Deus Dress Up Drag became a whole bunch more.

Drawing crowds and participants from the region the event swelled, open to all, expats, locals, motorcycle enthusiasts and those simply looking for a few thrills and giggles on a sun-kissed Sunday afternoon.

Deus ex Machina, and its flagship Temple of Enthusiasm in Canggu, is known globally for its custom bikes. Café Racers, hand-built roadsters and reformed dirt bikes fill the bengkel and shop floor, and visitors from around the world are tantalised by the glittering chrome and steel. But while custom bikes are in full force at the event, held annually in May and now in its sixth year, the Dress-Up Drag opens the doors to all-comers. The ride doesn’t matter – it’s the smiles that count.

Costumes imbibe the day with a further sense of fun, the bikes doing the dragging, not the outfits. While a few take it literally, embodying their inner altergender, all manner of get-ups are welcomed and encouraged. From Mario and Luigi to mock mini-cops, school boys and cowboys, anything goes.

The Deus Dress Up Drag is, first and foremost, a coming together of community, a collaboration of diverse individuals in a ‘ride what you got’ day out.

The local kids participate, stripping the tarmac on the side roads and throwing wheelies while waiting for the event to gear up. When the chequered flag drops, they take their two-stroke mopeds tyre-to-tyre against the big boys, giving the home crowd the thrills they’re there for.

Taking place on a fresh-mown field just off the main road in Berawa, ancient trees arching their boughs and offering shady respite from the glaring sun, the setting is as much for picnic blankets and cold beers as it is for opening the throttle and racing down the hundred-metre track. There isn’t a relentless, raucous drone of engines, nor the noxious smell of burning rubber and two-stroke fuel; it’s a casual affair with the winner taking nothing, in fact, being devoid of winner at all.

The 2016 event, presented by the Deus Temple of Enthusiasm, was the best to date, bringing in a hundred locals and expats for the afternoon. Out of

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nowhere, a flag girl presented herself, waving the chequered flag with fervor and adding just a hint of formality to the fun. At only eight years old, no one had told the youngest rider that it wasn’t a serious race, and his concentrated frown bore down the track, facing off against his dad on a scaled down replica of his father’s big dirt bike. As if the hounds of hell themselves were chasing him, he rocketed fearlessly down the grass strip, focused on the flag alone with nothing but a win his only acceptable outcome.

But for everyone else, the first across the line was inconsequential. The competition could be left for the serious bikers – this was about the camaraderie, the thrill of charging down the open field without traffic to be concerned with, but also the times when the ignition had been clicked off and all could laugh at themselves and with each other.

For the Deus Dress-Up Drag, it’s not the one who wins, it’s the one having the most fun that counts and, by that mantra, everyone – even those that didn’t straddle a bike on the day – was a winner. www.deuscustoms.com

culture vulture

julian lennon talks to the yak’s tony stanton about life, photography and music. photo credit: Deborah Anderson

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HI Julian. First off, how was your trip to Bali?

Hectic . . . actually this was my second trip to Bali, as I was there many moons ago. I had a Number One in Australia with a single called Saltwater so we stopped in Bali on the way and stayed at The Hard Rock Hotel for a week. We played one night there, in sarongs and barefoot . . . ha!

Asia, as it’s somewhere that intrigues me. Before arriving in Bali I was on a cruise around the South China Seas for about 10 days or so, but that only gave me a glimpse of what’s there. I’ve yet to make it to Thailand, Cambodia, India and China. I found Vietnam and Kuching especially quite moving and beautiful.

We did all the touristy things, but enjoyed it a great deal . . . all catered for, so easy. This time, I came with a friend to see our dear friend Mark Baker and my old friend and chef Benjamin Cross, who runs Mejakawi at Ku De Ta.

What’s a typical day for you?

It depends on the amount of work I need to take care of on any given day. Generally I like to wake up naturally, and that can mean anywhere from sun-up to noon, depending on how late I’ve been up editing photos.

We toured the island as best we could within a week, but didn’t get nearly as much done. The traffic has at least doubled, if not quadrupled since the last time I was there – sad to see, really. Pollution is heavily on the rise, and also the island has become so touristy now, just coaches upon coaches, and nothing but hustle going on for business.

Not saying it’s all like that, but certainly in the main tourist areas it seems pretty bad. That doesn’t mean I won’t be back to sample the finer delights of Bali again, of which there are many . . . (including Villa Kubu!)

How often are you travelling these days and what gets you on a plane?

I travel at least twice a month, minimum. It can be for many reasons, but generally it’s either for photography, charity (for my Foundation, www.whitefeatherfoundation.com) or as an Ambassador for other charities, like The Lupus Foundation of America. Or working with Music for Relief (www.musicforrelief.org) for The Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund. The list goes on. Occasionally I travel for music projects for or with other artists, or film projects, and also for executive production for environmental/humanitarian documentaries I work on.

Do you spend much time in Asia, generally?

No, I haven’t at all really. Mostly I’ve been based in Europe, and I tend to do a fair amount of traveling in the US and Europe. I would really like to spend more time in

Then before I even grab a coffee or breakfast, I have to deal with the business emails and decisions of the day, then I’ll take time for breakfast, or brunch, and some exercise.

It’s important for me to get out as I may spend the rest of the day editing in front of a computer screen. If I’m on a roll, I’ll stick with editing all day and night, bar a few TV shows or maybe a film. On days when I can breathe a little more, I’ll go down to the local town, grab the papers and a coffee and watch the world go by for an hour. Then it’s back to work. I also generally work through the weekends too.

There are never enough hours in the day.

Tell us about your charity, White Feather Foundation.

The White Feather Foundation embraces environmental and humanitarian issues and in conjunction with partners from around the world helps to raise funds for the betterment of all life. It also honours those who have truly made a difference. Check out the website www. whitefeatherfoundation.com Why did you choose the name White Feather?

Dad once said to me that should he pass away, if there was some way of letting me know he was going to be ok – that we were all going to be ok – the message would come to me in the form of a white feather. Then something happened to me about 10 years ago when I was on tour in Australia. I was presented with a white feather by an Aboriginal tribal

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culture vulture backstage business. sean lennon.

charlene wittstock, princess of monaco.

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glenn hughes.

someone to look up to.

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culture vulture

elder, which took my breath away. A white feather has always represented peace to me.

We read somewhere that you play most instruments by ear, and that generally after you’ve recorded a song you forget how you wrote it . . . so when you play live you have to relearn every song and every instrument again.

Yep. Them there’s the breaks.

Where are you at with your music these days? Touring plans? New downloads?

Everything I do these days is organic. I haven’t toured as such since Photograph Smile (www.julianlennon.com/ music/26-photograph-smile). I did some TV & Radio Promo for Everything Changes (www.julianlennon.com/music/25everything-changes) but my focus is elsewhere these days.

I never enjoyed the industry or business of music . . . it always tainted the joy. I have plenty of songs for another few albums, and then some, but I’ve no desire to record another full album at this stage as I prefer to work with friends on side projects. It’s about the music, and the art of making and recording it, and not about the business, or how many arses you need to lick to remain in the charts.

And regarding downloads . . . I spent 10 years putting together the last album project, which includes an App of Through The Picture Window (www.julianlennon.com/app), a feature-length documentary about my life and the making of Everything Changes) as well as several versions of the album, acoustic and instrumental too. So I don’t hang around when I’m working on a project I love.

Your work has extraordinary quality and presence.

Practically what do you shoot with and what do you look for in a shot?

I shoot generally with either a Canon 5D MK II, or on a few different Leica cameras, but my work predominantly resides in post. I’ve no idea what I’m doing with a camera, but I always just try to capture a moment that conveys the truth of that moment, the emotion of that second, that fleeting second, a blink of an eye, something that may never be seen again.

And emotionally how are you attached to the final images?

They take me back to where I took the picture and I sense all the emotions, smells and sights I felt at that time.

This is a totally unfair question of course – but if you had to give up one creative outlet in your life, which would it be?

Cooking. Well actually, I’m such a food lover I’m not sure I ever could. If I hadn’t gone into music, I would have been a chef. But! I used to love acting and was awarded a scholarship to The Royal Shakespeare Company as a kid, but gave that up for music. So there’s your answer.

Your life story has been well documented and we’re not going to enter into the old debates here … but if there was one memory you could take away of your father, what would it be?

Not sure what you mean, as such, and not territory I enter these days. As you have said quite clearly, it’s all been documented before. And likely, this is the best there is:

Is it really 30 years since the release of The Secret Value Of Daydreaming? It’s hard to believe. How do you look back on your life in the last three decades?

Hmmm . . . Interesting that you should bring up my least favourite album! The ‘sophomore album’, which basically killed my career, thanks to the label pushing us into doing it too soon. I look back on the last 30 years as growth. What else? Learning through mine and others’ mistakes, and hopefully improving on all aspects of life, personally and professionally.

Let’s talk about your photography. When did you first pick up a camera?

No idea, but I recall making videos when I was 13 or 14, with storylines. No idea where those films got to. But with cameras as such I guess it was just about the same as anyone else – holiday snaps and the like.

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imagine: sean, yoko, cynthia, julian.

www.julianlennon.com

overlay: everything changes. this page: horizon.

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Musician, DJ, visual artist and actor Goldie talks to The Yak’s Lou Nietunz about graffiti, gold grills and getting honoured by the Queen.

GOLDIE, this is your second time to Bali? Any first or lasting impressions you can recall?

My wife and I have lived in Phuket for the past few years and we’ve been coming here for the last eight years . . . so to me at first Bali kind of felt like a very big Ibiza, to be honest. I thought it would be even more chill but it seems like there’s a lot of crazy spirit and crazy energy here, you know, good and bad. A lot of strong spiritual stuff going on. If you want to be crazy, you can, if you want to be chill, you can. It’s that kind of place.

There’s a sly hedonism to Bali but there’s also a strong spiritual aspect, and I think it’s a cross-cultural thing with the Hindu religion also. It’s very rich in all of that kind of tradition, so there’s a lot of really strong blood here, so that kind of stuck with me. I managed to get to Jiwa Studio for yoga which was cool and that grounded me, and I managed to do four sessions while I was there. So that’s my thing. I’ve been doing yoga for the last six years and it keeps me grounded after all the crazy stuff I’ve been through for the past 20 years.

Growing up – was your house or family musical?

To be honest, no. I wasn’t with my family. I grew up in the care system at various orphanages from the age of three to 18, so I grew up with a very mixed bag of music. I grew up collecting and buying 7-inch records basically going from anything like Steele Pulse to Human League to Public Image Limited to The Stranglers, so that was my whole upbringing in music. Crazy.

Do you remember the first concert you went to?

I didn’t really go to concerts either, because I wasn’t blessed to have an auntie or uncle to go with. I’d go to a skate park and listen to the deejay play, so from a very early age I was listening to a deejay playing records, and also going out, and living in a black neighborhood and finally after the care system going back to my home town to the reggae influence and what they called ‘Lover’s Rock’, which was a big thing. On a Friday or Saturday you’d head to a tenement house and listen to people playing reggae on one deck in a kind of blues house party, a bit like an illegal rave but more for kids in the ’80s. So that was my background.

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solid

gold

midas man.

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Early inspirations?

I guess my early inspirations were going to New York, going to Miami, and coming back. I remember going to a Public Enemy concert at The Hummingbird in Birmingham, which was a really big thing for me. Later on, my tour manager was the same guy who’d managed that tour, a guy called Cliff who actually went on to manage De La Soul.

You became known first for your graffiti work – how do you now compare art and music as forms of expression these days?

New York City left a lasting impression on my whole demeanour in terms of what I learned for styling graffiti, which has always been the Black Book of my existence in terms of what you learn through B-Boy-ism, a thing that we coined in the ’90s, which was essentially being able to take on an idea and turn it into a two-dimensional sketch and then into three-dimensions in graffiti in a four-dimensional execution. So the music became layered in the same way – outline, fill, color, texture, final outline, perspective.

If you’re on the street with an aerosol can and there’s a big empty wall, the first thing that people say to you is ‘how do you make that picture so big?’ Well it’s called perspective, and if you get that you tend to have an understanding of depth and perception as far as music’s concerned. So the art and the music have always been the same for me.

How did the whole grill thing come to be [a grill is a type of golf jewelry worn over the teeth, fyi]? Any funny pirate stories gone wrong?

Well, I don’t know about that, but I guess it started in Miami – we make grills, it’s what you do. You work in the flea market, you make grills. We were very, very lucky to meet Orlando Plein, and his brother was the first guy to bring grills to America via Suriname, weirdly enough. Actually we’re doing a documentary called Gold Grills, which I just filmed. Anyway Orlando came to Brooklyn and resided at a place called The Coliseum, which was a really famous hip-hop flea market. I’m talking Flavor Flav when he was young, Just Ice, Jay-Z, everyone that had grills, this is where they went. So they all came to New York and then they broke out. One went to Jacksonville, one went to Miami and one went to Atlanta, and that’s how the whole thing came about for grills. So I learned the trade, like with the B-Boy stuff, you learn the craft right, so that’s how that happened.

How did the Stussy collaboration come about?

I’ve always been a part of the Stussy tribe. I came to the UK via the Rave swell, at the beginning of The Stone Roses, football hooligan rave scenes via New York, Miami, back to England and then the rave scene was restarting again. And over my travels in London, I got to know all those Stussy guys which led back to Shawn Stussy in Orange County, and hanging out with him in Kauai was one of the things we did to get our heads around the whole Stussy thing . . .

Your perspective on art and music is really intriguing - how do you see the music scene these days?

Well it has to be, because someone’s got to play the black notes,

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because no one else is. You know, we have software now which gives you everything in key and in tune, I don’t want that. If you had this software let’s say in the 1920s, jazz wouldn’t exist. So if that’s the case, then you might as well kill me now, because that’s what created all music.

You know, if you look at Beethoven’s Sonata 111, which is cited

by Miles Davis as being jazz, it’s all about the black notes, it’s always about the angst. We write music as a salvation in the bad times, so it’s all about finding the resonance of what is right.

Each to their own, but the youth culture now is being served McDonald’s when we should be giving them organic food, right? And that’s what music has become, it’s become gentrified beyond repair, so I know which side of the fence I’m on, and that’s good.

Any collaborations you would like to see happen?

Well, I‘m working on this album with Pat Metheny, and he’s always been a really big hero of mine. We’ve become friends over the years.

You have also been involved with some art exhibitions lately?

Yes. I’m always doing art, I don’t sleep. I sleep for four or five hours at most. I did a collection this year that was called The Shaman Women, which is cool, but they kind of get freaked out in Asia, because they really can’t get their heads around the death elements. Chinese, Asians, get really scared with that, so that’s something kind of more for Europe and America, which is a bit weird really. The work looks at the witch elements of shaman women through the ages, and we’re doing that in January at the Belvedere Gallery in Singapore.

You were awarded an MBE this year for your contribution to the British music industry . . . how’s the Queen?

She’s fine, fantastic, great. It was a bit of a shocker to be honoured like that but a very, very beautiful thing to happen.

Living in Thailand as a Scottish-Jamaican do you see any contradictions or surprises?

Not really.

What’s your dream?

I’m living it.

Last but not least - favorite footwear?

It’s got to be Adidas. That’s my boy’s, that’s my thing. One of my best friends has been running that for a long time, and he’s the guy that does the Spezial collections, a guy called Gary. He’s a real Mancunian, really switched on, knows all the boys from Noel Gallagher to Happy Mondays. He’s always been that guy, carried out of Manchester, came out of Hacienda, got in to break dancing.

Adidas all the way.

Good to know Sir G. Thanks for your time.

My pleasure. www.goldie.co.uk

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secrets in stone

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Lou Nietunz meets lee stone from secret bali life – a man on a mission to give local muscians a better platform. image: Nic

So Lee, you somehow found your way to Bali through a friend’s recommendation?

Yes, that’s true. I had known for many years my calling was to set up in SE Asia and after many recce’s and exploring of various openings I decided on a project in Vietnam helping to set up a project to teach the children about traditional Vietnamese opera and all the music around that. Because of all the turmoil and war they had endured for decades a lot of these beautiful instruments and traditions hadn’t been passed down. I agreed to spearhead this project for some very influential people in return for support and permissions required in putting on music events and festivals. I was just about to sign on the dotted line when I got a call from one of my closest friends who had been in Bali for many years who said to not do anything until I had checked out the island. At the same time a couple of problems arose with the project in Vietnam so I flew over to Bali to scope it out, it blew my mind and the rest is history!

Any first impressions of Bali that you’ll never forget?

Possibly not my first impression but definitely the most lasting was discovering the incredible people and talent on the local music and art scenes. Every week I try and venture out to truly underground and local events and happenings on the island and they very rarely disappoint. This island, as well as Indonesia as a whole, is just full of incredible creative talent. My goal in the long run is to help, through my experience and expertise, to join the dots and bring this beautiful underground world to the surface.

Growing up – were you always involved with music or events?

Pretty much, yes. Initially it was just as a kid going to parties in London, where I was born and bred. I was very fortunate to be witness to the birth and rise of the Jungle or Drum&Bass scene and went on to be part of that musical movement. And the magic of those days inspired me so much that I knew then this was my chosen path in life.

When I was 18 or 19 I moved to Manchester because of the incredible music scene up there and started deejaying and throwing parties and from an early stage great things started to happen for me. I’ve never looked back since.

Do you remember the first concert you went to?

Wow … I struggle to remember the last concert I went to! I think the first live music event was Michael Jackson with my Mum and Dad which was a pretty good start. I am fortunate to have very young parents with good musical taste so I was always listening to really cool stuff while my school friends were listening to garbage – like NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL MUSIC VOLUME 857! In fact, the first music I can remember was stuff like Kraftwerk, Velvet Underground, Hendrix, Gary Numan, Donna Summer, Ian Dury and The Blockheads. Pretty good stuff.

Among other landmark music events you were involved with The Warehouse Project in Manchester. What did you learn the most from that experience?

That was an incredible chapter in my life. I was the head promoter from its conception for six years and it taught me so much as a promoter. I went from doing some really cool underground parties to suddenly being involved with arguably one of the biggest and best things to happen on the non-commercial scene anywhere in the world. I think the thing I learned the most from those days was how important it is to have a cohesive team of like-minded people pulling together. With some imagination and a lot of hard work, and then a lot more hard work, you can pull off what is widely considered impossible. They also taught me how to make money in an industry where it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so.

In a pretty quick whirlwind of a year you have started to connect the dots here on Bali’s underground music and art scenes – what have you found or discovered so far?

This year has been one of the most incredible of my life, hands down. When I came here I expected to be working predominately with the DJ side of things but the more gigs and shows I went to the more I discovered that despite some truly incredible DJbased events here the real magic for me in Bali and Indonesia is on the live scene. The people involved in this sub culture are all so friendly, positive and open. Some of them really need some guidance in how to promote themselves better and this is where I want to try and play my part, through putting on really innovative and carefully curated events and happenings, helping to bring these wonderful people to as many ears and eyes as possible. Secret Bali Life, which is my baby (other than my dogs Ska and Roots), has done a very successful job of promoting the very best non-commercial music events on Bali. Due to the nature of my clients on that project however, these have been on the whole deejay-based events. However with SBL I always strive to evolve and improve what we do, and this year we will be focusing on giving the live music scene a lot more exposure.

How do you see the music industry these days – both as a means of personal escape and public work?

The music industry has changed a lot over the years. I’m not going to say it’s better or worse because it’s neither, it’s just different. The electronic music scene has definitely crossed over into the mainstream now, even the cooler genres like techno. People use the term ‘underground’ way too freely now – most events are better classed as non commercial. But if you know where to look and put the effort in to find them, there are some incredible parties going on with incredible crowds. On a personal level, music and good parties will always play an important part in my life. There is something very spiritual and tribal about like-minded people dancing collectively to a beat, both creating and immersing themselves in the positive energy that the best events manage to do. Equally – just listening to music can change my mood so dramatically in whatever direction I want it to. Music is the most beautiful and powerful thing in the world, it is a universal language that can bring people together and make a difference to all our lives.

What’s the biggest challenge you find these days in your line of work?

The biggest challenge in my life without a doubt is going to meetings or events with full knowledge that my beautiful Bali dogs Ska and Roots are probably eating my belongings or pieces of the villa in my absence! They’re becoming quite well known on Bali. I get so much love and energy from them when they are with me.

What’s your dream?

My dream is to make history not money. If, long after I am gone, people talk about the crazy bule who helped give many local artists and musicians a better platform to do what they do then my mission will be complete. www.secretbali.life

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jewelry designer erika pena

Name, rank and serial number please…

Erika Peña. Top rank. Serial number: 252 How did you grow up?

In my early years I grew up in Puerto Rico, where I was born, then we moved to Miami and eventually to Fort Myers, a small coastal town on the west coast of Florida – think of any Jimmy Buffett song and Key West. Then it was on to NYC. What was most important to you when you were young?

Being creative, designing, dancing and being with my family and friends.

Was there one event that occurred during your early years that taught you a life lesson?

Yes – my father died when I was 13. I learned that life is short and we need to value it and express and create everything while we have the opportunity to do so.

How and when did you get into fashion?

I remember wanting to be a designer since the age of four, but my mom tells me that I would pick out my own clothing when I could barely walk and talk. So I guess at three years old?

Tell us about your jewelry...

I’ve always been inspired by jewelry, even when I was designing clothing.

Especially the jewelry of primitive and tribal groups. I remember being so taken by the beauty of adornments created from limited resources. So one day when things weren’t going as planned, I was out of job and flat broke, I started making earrings from a beautiful shell lamp from Bali and that’s how I got started. Sometimes at the lowest times in your life opportunities come to us and they become a blessing.

Many of the pieces are very bold...

I like bold pieces, statement pieces. I guess growing up in the ’80s I was inspired by Robert Lee Morris and Christian Lacroix. I design jewelry for the woman who wants to feel like a Goddess.

creates for the curious.

Who would you like to see wearing your work?

A strong woman, a traveller, someone curious.

How competitive is the world in which you exist?

Very, but I don’t feel threatened. In fact I like competition. I like to see other people creating beauty. There’s enough room in the world for all of our designs. One day you’re the IT designer and the next it’s someone else. Anything different from that would be very boring.

Where do you find the inspiration for your designs?

From places I visit, people I meet, photographs, buildings. I am very much inspired by Bali.

Do you tend to follow fashions with your designs and if not, how do you pick the next trend?

I just design. I try not to look too much at fashion magazines and just go with what I’m feeling at the moment. Often I design collections that don’t sell for two seasons and then all of the sudden they start selling . . . because it has become a trend.

I try to design timeless pieces that withstand the pressures of time and are just beautiful in and of themselves.

When did you discover that Bali was the place for jewelry production?

Two friends brought me here, and as soon as I stepped off the plane I felt this was my place. I loved the people, the energy and the creative spirit. It’s a blessed island.

Where can we buy your jewelry?

I sell worldwide but also at ModaOperandi.com or at www.erikapena.com or at my Erika Peña Bali boutique on Jalan Padang Linjong No 38 (across from Samadi Village) in Echo Beach, Canggu …

When’s the next big showing of your designs?

Miami Swimwear & Resort week. We’re showing at the Hammock Show in the W Hotel.

When will we next have lunch?

Whenever you like, I’ll be waiting your call!

Thanks for your time Erika. www.erikapena.com

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Nehanda beauty inside and out. words: stephanie mee Photo: joshua A. Madison

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“The reality for me is that the most beautiful people are the ones that have the greatest self-worth and confidence. They have an inner light that shines, and they brighten up places when they go there. And in the real world, those are the people that are really magnetic”, says model, entrepreneur and artist Nehanda Nyanda Rusere.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Nehanda studied in South Africa before moving to Melbourne to complete her studies. After graduation she stayed in Australia and worked in IT for a prominent NGO. On the surface everything seemed normal – she had a good job, a boyfriend and a decent social life. However, below the surface it was a whole different story.

And she should know. This is a woman who walks into a room and people take notice. And it’s not just because of her striking good looks or the fact that she’s most likely dressed from head to toe in vibrant, brightly hued ensemble. It’s all about what’s radiating out from the inside. This is a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, self-assured, and positively beaming good vibes. But it took a lot of hard work and determination for Nehanda to get to this point.

She says: “I was 27 and I was 20 kilos overweight and really depressed. I couldn’t sleep, and I had very low self-worth. In Australia at that time there were very few African people and it was the kind of society that wasn’t very inclusive of other races. Not that they were overly racist or anything like that. It was more the way the media was and how the Aboriginal people were treated. And that chipped away at my self worth.

people “Over time I just found that I didn’t love myself. In fact, I was hoping I would seriously turn into a white person. It was like lighter was better. And I was looking at how Africa was changing, and how there was brainwashing there as well to believe that lighter is better too. Even here in Indonesia it’s all about bleaching skin. It’s the same disease for black people all over the world.”

Nehanda tried to conform to society’s definition of beauty, but she still didn’t feel validated. She put up with emotional and psychological abuse from her boyfriend because she didn’t feel that she deserved better, and she was drinking and partying in an attempt to numb herself. She says: “By the end of that I was in such a bad place that I felt like I’d rather be dead than continue on that way.”

Change was imperative, and Nehanda started by moving out of the space she shared with her boyfriend and onto a friend’s couch. She began to focus on what wasn’t working in her life and became very aware of body image and self-love.

“I had tried losing weight before,” she says, “but I realized that unless you believe you’re good enough, your body will just hold on to the way that it looks because it’s your thoughts that are toxic. It’s also your environment that can be toxic, which is why I had to change some of my friends as well.”

Nehanda realized that IT wasn’t fulfilling her, so she quit her job and began to do community work speaking about mental health and cultural identity in communities with Sudanese refugee boys and girls. She also started reconnecting with her cultural and ancestral heritage and rediscovering herself as an artist, dancer and model.

Prior to coming to Bali, Nehanda had discovered photographic storytelling, which aims to capture the soul of a person rather than just their external beauty. She decided she wanted to create a project where different photographers, stylists and designers could come together and photograph women of all different shapes, sizes and ages. She put an ad out on Ubud Connect, and the response was overwhelming.

She says: “I was contacted by hundreds of women, some pregnant, some overweight, some with scars, all writing to me saying they had always wanted to do a photo shoot where they could capture their true beauty. There were also tons of artists who wanted to be on board. Shortly after I arrived, I met Gaelyn Larrick, a stylist, makeup artist and former model, and we clicked right away.”

The more you love yourself, the more you get what you deserve and what you’re worth, and your life gets better in every single way

Yet even though Nehanda was creating positive changes in her life, she still came across doubts and opposition. She says: “I remember going home (to Zimbabwe) two years ago and I had my hair natural in an afro, and I remember people saying to me, ‘Oh you’re too African now.’ I’m like, ‘What does that even mean?’

“We’ve actually forgotten who we are, and I think this stems from colonialism. With most indigenous cultures there has been an aggressive push to lose their culture and lose their essence. When you do that, you create really great slaves of the system because people who don’t know who they are will accept anything. If you take away the roots of a person, they’re easier to manipulate.”

Despite opposition from others, Nehanda stayed true to herself. “As my self worth grew, my ability to create a life that had elements of things that I loved started to

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grow. And that’s what brought me to Bali.”

Nehanda and Gaelyn collaborated on a few projects where they photographed groups of women from all different walks of life, and they discovered that besides being a unique art project, the gatherings were also powerfully healing. Many women came away from the experience feeling lighter after tackling their body issues and clearing negative belief systems. Many felt more empowered, and almost all felt a real sense of sisterhood with the other women.

The photo shoots were such a transformative experience that Nehanda and Gaelyn decided to create Inner Essence Embodied and offer Storytelling Photographic Ceremonies that incorporate energy healing, art and photography to help women cultivate their inner beauty power, and selfexpression.

“Bali really took things to the next level for me. I felt like I had done a certain amount of work on myself, but I hadn’t really been giving back, and so Bali allowed me to create my own business where I could help people and do what I loved.

“Aside from Inner Essence, my mission is to continue spreading the word of body image and self-worth, especially in the modelling industry. I hope that I can bring to the world the idea that what you believe about yourself may not necessarily be true.

You don’t have to be or live a certain way if it’s not serving you. You can be yourself and you can be beautiful in your own unique way. The more you love yourself, the more you get what you deserve and what you’re worth, and your life gets better in every single way.”

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creative chameleon Jamie Aditya took time out from juke joint rehearsals to jive with the yak.

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So Jamie, how would you describe your first love affair with Bali?

Mind blowing . . . I was 15 or 16 and it involved too many magic mushrooms from a place called The Lazy Swan.

Growing up with mixed heritage you have explored Indonesia and Australia in depth – how would you describe the two nations and how they have shaped your perspective?

Both Australia and Indonesia are kampungan on so many levels, and I am proud to be from that.

Early Influences?

My earliest memories of music were my father’s Bob Dylan, Credence Clearwater Revival and Bix Biederbicke records spun on a Sunday morning, and the Sundanese Kecapi-Suling music which my grandfather played endlessly as he sat typing away at another book. I love Sundanese music. So emotive and soothing. I miss the sound of my grandfather’s typewriter, that was real music to my ears. It always sounded like the typewriter was speaking to me in Morse code. It was the rhythm of his mind.

Do you remember the first concert you went to?

It was in Bandung when my six-year-old self was dragged along to a concert by the Indonesian band Duo Kribo, featuring Ahmad Albar of God Bless-fame, circa 1976. I knew the hit song by heart from watching it repeatedly on TVRI. They were so loud that I cried the whole time. I liked them better on television.

Jamie you’ve seen the music industry from many angles, not only as a performer, an MTV veejay and Indonesian Idol judge . . . how do you see it these days? Both personally and professionally.

Personally, I was always deeply embarrassed to have been a part of MTV. As the song goes ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ as in image and looks became as important, if not more important, than how you sounded, and the whole Idol franchise pushed that too; formulaic money-making, ass-shaking, riff-singing, cookie-cutter drones! Though I am terribly grateful for having the opportunity to sell out and make a few bucks and pay them bills, at least I didn’t shoot anyone, though a few people probably wanted to shoot me! In this day and age of digital downloads and streaming, I think kids are listening to their computers like a radio, sans visuals – which is good. Currently, I’m enjoying the freedom in phrasing with singing jazz. You can really pull, tug and play with the rhythm of the phrases. In my live performances I’m trying to bring the listeners back to when jazz was a form of ‘four on the floor’, boom boom boom boom dance music. Get them up and stomping I say.

You were able to discover and learn traditional performing art forms from around the world with your acclaimed Nat Geo series Sync or Swim – what did you learn most from that time?

With the Discovery Channel show I was lucky enough to travel all over Asia, most notably to Mongolia, where I met Kazakh nomads who hunted with eagles in the Altai mountains, and the Siberian rain deer herders on the shores of Lake Huvstgal.

I also got sloshed with Tibetan Kampa tribesman, but no matter how far I travelled, I always felt strangely at home. I used to break the ice by pulling out family photos from my wallet, which would always have people passing them around, and commenting on which of my siblings I looked more like; my mom or dad . . . Then they would all one by one pass around pictures of their wife and kids or mother and father, so it occurred to me that regardless of where we come from, we all more or less care about the same things. Family and culture. Also I realized all cultures share a history with some kind of Shamanism, whether it be Celtic Druids, Mongolian, Amazonian, or Dayak medicine men or Yoruban voodoo priests, they all practice a form of animistic Shamanism. It’s what all cultures, if you go back far enough, have in common.

You recently recorded a Dixieland Blues album in Tuscon, Arizona?

Last year I went to Arizona to record a jazz album with my childhood buddy, Kelland Thomas, a guy I went to school with in Jakarta. He’s an incredible sax player, one of the better players out there. He’s lyrical and plays with a lot of humour – his notes literally make you smile. Check out the album on iTunes – Trad & Soul by yours truly and Kelland Thomas.

Your thoughts on Prince?

So sad and tragic to see one of my biggest idols pass, though he had an incredible run – but not so sad to think he’s probably playing an ectoplasmic piano with Duke Ellington somewhere on the other side.

Biggest challenge these days?

Being a role model for my kids. They love their Daddy but I wonder if they should look up to such a fool as I. Another challenge is trying to be relevant and current, singing and playing music from the ‘20s and ‘30s, but then again, we are hitting the 20’s again so, bring it on. Time to do the Charleston.

What’s new in the pipeline?

I’m jumping in the studio again next week to record another jazz album. This time as a duo, with an awesome guitarist buddy from Jakarta named Robert Mulya Raharja – can’t wait!

Should be fun.

Favourite footwear?

My favorite shoes are my old Doc Martins, brown bush walking boots.

What’s your dream?

I’ll have to wake myself up to tell you than one. L.T. www.cdbaby.com/cd/jamieadityaandkellandtho www.antidastudios.com

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people

Michael R. Lorenti Jr. started Sensatia Botanicals as a profit sharing company. “I never agreed with the idea of a few fat cats making all the money while everyone else gets whatever’s left,” he tells Stephanie Mee.

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Hi Michael. First of all, a blast from the past – where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

I grew up in a small western New York town, 20 minutes down-stream from where the great Niagara Falls puts on her amazing, tireless show. My father was very hard working and instilled creativity, ingenuity, passion and determination in me, while my mother instilled sensitivity, unconditional love and respect for all things, with extra compassion for those less fortunate than us. Both my parents always emphasized fairness in every situation, a readiness to fight for what’s right, and to always, without question, adore and respect nature.

Have you always been in the botanicals game or did you seek other career paths first?

I’m actually a photographer by trade, but growing up with an Italian grandfather, who was always (literally) stopping to smell the roses, I gained vast exposure to all types of plant life. He was a self-proclaimed chef who was always proud of his botanical collection of herbs and spices. So I would say it’s in my genetic make-up.

How did you end up in Bali, and what made you stay?

Cities seem to have a way of driving me to my wits end, but the silver lining is that they always force me to flight. This last flight brought me half way around the world to find my garden of Eden in Jasri, Karangasem, a delicious little no-frills, black sand beach and fishing village with a group of folks that have turned into the brothers I never had. This is where Sensatia was born.

What planted the seed for Sensatia Botanicals?

The Balinese are a very proud group of people; they have history and to offer up a sad story is not their style. But I can tell you I have shed many a tear from stories of the lack of simple, basic human needs. Things we take for granted like food, water and shelter are often unattainable for some folks. This is what brought me to start Sensatia Botanicals as a profit-sharing company, and a means by which we can siphon a small bit of the world’s affluence into this little village the world has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew about.

The company was founded in 2000. Can you tell us about the early years? What were the main challenges at first?

The main challenge in the beginning was definitely working capital. I started this company with just $3,000 and a crew of two, so it was difficult trying to keep it all together with inadequate work space, and hard to buy good supplies and raw materials and get them into the country.

What sets the company apart from other cosmetic companies?

I think what sets us apart not only from other cosmetic companies but from most companies in general is that from day one we set up this company to be a profit-sharing cooperation, and to this day it still remains proudly as such. I never agreed with the idea of a few fat cats making all the money while everyone else gets whatever’s left. We are also less about hype and more about delivering what we promise. We create wonderfully clean, simple, rich products from excellent raw materials sourced from all over the world, and then create a corresponding fair price, not the other way around.

Sensatia is the first and only GMP certified cosmetic company in Bali. Can you tell us what exactly that means and how you achieve that status?

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. Once achieved, GMP Certification is proof of a company’s transparency and accountability, and you can essentially track and trace every single drop of every single material that has ever entered or left the GMP Certified facility. Most people are amazed to

learn that a company in Bali uses this international standard, and that every single raw material and every single batch of every product we produce is tested in our lab before it can be allowed to enter or exit our facility.

Sensatia makes a huge range of natural skincare, hair care, and lifestyle products. Can you name a few products you absolutely can’t go without?

Any Sensatia Leisure body wash, because they are all awesome. I used to be such a bar soap guy, but our body wash has brought me over to the liquid side. I also couldn’t live without our Coconut & Vanilla face scrub, Facial C-Serum and our Sea & Surf Sunscreen.

In fact, this is the only sunscreen I can use that doesn’t make me break out in pimples.

And for the mozzies, our Lemongrass Botanical Lotion can always be found in my bag.

In your opinion, what makes a person truly beautiful?

Wow, great question. To me a person’s beauty is not something you see but something you feel. A beautiful person is not afraid to be themself, even if silly.

They try new things and remain positive even in the darkest of times, and their default answer to everything is yes rather than no. A beautiful person is present, sincere, humble and grateful. What you feel inside is what shows on the outside.

When you’re not designing new products or managing operations, we can find you doing what?

Well if I’m not at the beach, or looking for cool places in areas of Bali I haven’t been to before, or up on the rooftop gym with the boys, then I’m probably up to something with a crew of people in the village. I’ve lived in this village for almost 19 years now and have sort of become a permanent fixture. Hanging out with the Bali crew never gets old to me. They are fine, gentle, humorous people who love to joke and play tricks on each other. What’s not to love?

Every time we check into the Sensatia Facebook & Instagram page, we see fab deals happening. What are the latest Sensatia promotions going on?

Currently in all Sensatia shops when you spend Rp1.000.000 you receive a Rp100.000 Sensatia Cash Voucher to be used the same as cash on your next visit. You can collect as much Sensatia Cash as you can and literally come shopping for free.

There are currently Sensatia shops in Jasri Karangasem, Ubud Monkey Forest, Seminyak Village, Bali Collection Nusa Dua, Lippo Mall Kuta and now Popular Deli Canggu. Do you plan to expand abroad at any point?

Absolutely. Our first major move will be to work with our distributors overseas to set up one model shop at a time to sell shop licenses to other parties.

A franchise concept I suppose, though I hate that word. The exciting part is that many people in this country have already asked us to open shops in other parts of Indonesia like Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang.

Finally, a look to the future – where do you see yourself in 15 years?

As I look up at the calendar on my computer to see what year it is again I am reminded of a funny story. When I first came to this part of the island I stayed at a Balinese surf buddy’s house. One day after a morning surf I rocked into the house to get some grub that my friend’s mom cooked up daily and I caught my friend’s dad staring at the calendar. I finally said, “Pak, why have you been looking at the calendar for so long?” He said, “Well I’m just trying to figure out what year it is.” I burst out laughing and said to myself, “This is the place for me.” To me that is perfect – just living in the now. But 15 years? Less in the office and more at the beach in the surf with the biggest decision of the day being snapper or mackerel.

www.sensatia.com

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S UN B R ELLA. C O M/YAK

people

tonight’sthenight You’ve seen him at every notable event on the island . . . Cedric Herbaut is the man behind the lens at events photo outfit Bali Tonight – and possibly the hardest working man on the island. Portrait by Daria Almazova at Bali Barber.

Hi Cedric. Can you tell us a bit about where you’re from and how you grew up?

I was born in 1970 in Cambrai in the North of France were I spent my first 20 years. I was immersed in electronic music at that time and I spent most weekends in clubs in Belgium.

I’d just started my training as . . . um . . . okay, a hairdresser. Yes, h-a-i-r-d-r-e-s-s-e-r, I guess not many of you know this. Then I traveled in Spain for a year and ended up in Paris where, in 1993, I organized techno, drum & bass and underground music events. I spent 12 years doing that and during the same time I opened a hairdressing salon in Paris. Then in 2004 I was so touched by what happened in the tsunami that I decided to build an orphanage for 40 children in Sri Lanka, and we raised money by holding events. We did that for five years until the end of the war when the government got rid of all NGOs and associations. I sold my salon in 2010 and travelled, learning photography from my best of best friends Paul Kozlowski, a Parisian architecture photographer. My first project was at GDF Suez, the biggest electricity company in France, and then I worked for them as corporate photographer.

When did you first arrive in Bali?

February 2012. GDF Suez sent me to Indonesia and Thailand to do industrial and aerial photography of two huge central power stations; then I went to Bali for a month-long holiday after that.

What were your first impressions?

Fantastic. Beautiful. Charming. I fell in love with the island vibe. From mountain to the beach, river to the sea, rice fields to the mall, traditional to modern, all in one island.

When did you have the idea to start Bali Tonight?

Five days before my scheduled return to France. I’d had a great time and I didn’t want to go back to France. One day I went to a beach party at La Plancha with a friend, Fred Bonnet (I thank him!), and it was his idea to shoot nightlife scenes on the Island. I got back home, created my Facebook account and started Bali Tonight. Then I tore up my ticket. A week later, I saw there was a great DJ at Mint, so I contacted the management there and they gave me my first chance. The first year was very hard but I loved my job and didn’t give up. I got several venues as clients and I did private parties too until the opening of Townhouse. Mark Baker contacted me to work on Halloween night, 2013, and on that night I made contact with many important people here and Bali Tonight was officially launched. I’m very grateful for this, and to the people who gave me the break.

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We imagine you’ve had a few late nights. . .

How often are you out each week?

About four to five nights a week and almost never home before 4am.

You’ve recently become a father too. . . That must be tough on your sleep patterns!

Yes, but it means I have two cheerleaders now so I’m fine with this. She didn’t change anything in my routine. My wife and I just need to be a good team so we can spare the energy and time for our little girl, for our “me-time” and for our job.

What’s the best part of your job?

I party every day! Ha! Man, every day is a good day for party and I love the music. Meeting new people is a bonus. So I’m working and having fun in the same time.

What’s the worst part?

Editing! I have to keep my ass in my office for more than 12 hours on weekdays. You know, when people say TGIF, I’m like, okay, it’s the weekend and I have to work! Which means I have no holiday. Luckily my wife Jehan assists me 24/7, 365 days a year. With her law and marketing background, she manages all Bali Tonight business and works as a consultant too.

Without her, I would never have time to sleep.

Do you ever get complaints from people when you take their photograph?

Of course! Capturing nightlife scenes means I have to deal with drunken people. Several times lens jockey.

I’ve had beer thrown on my camera because some people just don’t want me to take their photograph. Or because they’ve been caught cheating. Or they think they’ll look ugly. Every day I get messages from people asking me to delete their picture.

Which club has the hottest scene at the moment?

Many but let me be honest, I love Jenja, their music never fails; Woobar Bali, which has the best sunset session and for beach parties, Karma Kandara.

What’s the best party of this year so far?

This year? Hernan Cattaneo at Jenja, James Zabiela recently at Double-Six Rooftop, and oooh . . . Pete Tong at Woobar Bali, it was rad!

Which event do you always look forward to?

Jenja Anniversary Party, SPF at Woobar and of course The Yak Awards!

Cedric, many thanks for your time. See you on the red carpet!

My pleasure! www.facebook.com/bali.tonight

IMANI SUIT, JL. PETITENGET 99X. SEMINYAK, BALI • WWW.ARTURROFASHION.COM

yak fashion Dress by Mauricio Alpizar.

Shoes by Dolce and Gabbana.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: AMBERLY VALENTINE STYLING: THE Ö POST PRODUCTION: NICK SLADE Model: Lexi Matsuk Hair & Make Up: Tomas Moucka

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yak fashion Dress by Mauricio Alpizar.

Bracelets and brooch by The Prisoners of St Petersburg.

Earrings by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

Shoes by Dolce and Gabanna.

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yak fashion Top by Dolce and Gabanna.

Skirt by Ali Charisma.

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Skirt by Ali Charisma.

Necklace by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

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yak fashion Dress by Ali Charisma.

Kimono stylist’s own.

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yak fashion Dress by Ali Charisma.

Kimono stylist’s own.

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Dress by Mauricio Alpizar.

Bracelets by The Prisoners of St Petersburg.

Earrings by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

Shoes by Dolce and Gabanna.

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yak fashion Dress by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

Necklace by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

Bracelets by The Prisoners of St Petersburg.Shoes by Yves Saint Laurent

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Dress by Erika PeĂąa Designs.

Shoes by Yves Saint Laurent.

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in praise of the cunning linguist, by gava fox.

I’ll admit to being something of a grammar Nazi.

In conversation, I’m secretly correcting your speech. If I’m linked to you on social media, you can be sure that each time you misuse “their”, “there” and “they’re”, you’ll drop down at least one place on our friendship pole. “Confusing “your and “you’re” makes my blood boil. Send me a text saying “c u m8 dun b l8” and you will be met with frosty silence.

This is because language is what separates us from beasts. Sure, many animals can communicate — some in ways more sophisticated than ours — but none can articulate thoughts or ideas. Scientists have shown that whales use clicks, whistles and echolocation to communicate with fellow pod members or seek out a mate. They don’t say “Moby Dick, what’s the story with Captain Ahab following you around with the harpoon?”.

Spend a night in any jungle and you can be sure you’ll be kept awake by the cacophony of wildlife; cicadas rubbing their legs together, or monkeys barking. They’re just announcing their presence or expressing alarm, not discussing

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last night’s football results or the latest shenanigans of the Kardashians.

Language is an altogether different thing.

It allows us not just to communicate, but to communicate ideas. Language allows us to express profound thoughts in words that can be understood by anyone who speaks the same tongue. And language is translated so freely that it allows us to learn about different cultures even if we don’t speak a word in that particular vernacular.

According to biblical literalists, all mankind spoke the same language until residents of Babel decided to build a tower so high it would reach God himself. The Almighty, quick to anger in those days of regular smiting, was not impressed by this show of human arrogance, so (according to Genesis chapter 11, verses 1-5) he “confounded their tongues”, so they couldn’t understand each other, and scattered them and their languages across the globe.

And scatter they did. The world has an estimated 7,000 languages — at least 300 of them in Indonesia alone — and their richness

blah blah blah.

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omnibus speaking in tongues.

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and variety provide a fascinating study.

Sadly, around 500 of them are on the verge of extinction, spoken by just a handful of elderly adherents.

Take Taki Taki, for example, a Creole dialect spoken in Suriname, which has just 340 words.

Rotokas, spoken in Papua New Guinea, has an alphabet of just 12 letters (compared to Khmer’s 74) and boasts only 11 distinct sounds, six of them consonant and five vowel. Ubyx, spoken in the Georgian caucuses, has 81 distinct sounds but only two of them are vowel. Listening to merchants argue at a street market must be like hearing a throat-clearing competition at a smokers convention.

Chinese and Greek, both dating back to around 1,500 BC, are the oldest written languages still in existence, although scribes first put pen to paper — or rather stick to clay tablet — in ancient Egypt and Sumeria around 1,700 years earlier. The most translated written document in the world, incidentally, is the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is published in 321 languages and dialects.

Most of us learn our first words through our parents — it’s likely to be either a version of “ma-ma” or “da-da” — and we slowly develop our vocabularies until school, where the process becomes more formal. If you’re lucky, you’ll have the opportunity to learn a second language while young — it gets more difficult the older you get — but everyone in Bali knows at least one multi-cultural family with kids that speak fluent English, Indonesian and whatever languages their parents speak. They have a huge advantage in life from the get-go.

With all these languages in the world, it is perhaps surprising that English has come to dominate like no other. It is undoubtedly the world’s lingua franca, an official language in almost 60 nations and the the third most common mother tongue in the world after Mandarin and Spanish. It is also the most widely learned second language.

But the English we speak today is vastly different to that spoken when the language first emerged around 1,500 years ago.

In terms of grammar, Old English was closer to German than anything else, with vocabulary readily borrowed from any of the invaders that showed up on Britain’s shores. It’s written form is scarcely recognisable today, as evidenced by the opening lines of the epic poem Beowulf, one of the earliest written in English: “Hƿæt ƿē Gārde na ingēar dagum þēod cyninga þrym ge frunon.” (“Listen! We of the Spear-Danes from days of yore have heard of the glory of the folkkings.”)

When William the Conqueror took England in 1066, the language became widely influenced by Old Norman, closely related to modern French, but began to look and sound more similar to what we know today — although most authors still wrote in Latin.

It wasn’t until around 1380 when Geoffrey Chaucer penned The Canterbury Tales that anything written in English gained a popular audience. His story of travelling pilgrims is difficult to read in the original — and not much easier in the modernised versions force-fed to generations of school children until it fell out of favour in the ’70s — but you can see the emergence of the language we speak today in every passage.

‘Wepyng and waylyng, care and oother sorwe I knowe ynogh, on even and a-morwe,’ Quod the Marchant, ‘and so doon oother mo that wedded been.’ (‘Weeping and wailing, care and other sorrow I know enough, in the evening and in the morning,’ said the Merchant, ‘and so does many another who has been married.’)

The next phase in the development of English came between 1500 and 1700 and coincided with the introduction of the printing press to Britain, allowing the dissemination of written

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works on an unprecedented scale.

The period also produced the greatest contributor to the language in history, William Shakespeare.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare, but his influence is so great that it is taken for granted by almost everyone. The Bard of Avon was such a cunning linguist that he is credited with inventing over 1,700 words — sometimes by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never used before or adding suffixes and prefixes.

This is a fashionable magazine, is it not? The word “fashionable” was first coined by Shakespeare in Triolus and Cressida: For time is like a fashionable host That slightly shakes his parting guest by the hand And how about addiction? Written more than 400 years ago in Henry V, the first use of the word is just as descriptive today: Since his addiction was to courses vain, His companies unlettered, rude and shallow, His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports, New words leaked from his quill. Accused, arouse, bedroom, blanket, critic, elbow, dwindle and excitement all appeared for the first time in one of Shakespeare’s plays. Even modern sounding words we assume were more recently forged can be attributed to him, such as advertising, marketable and metamorphise.

His expressions pepper our speech — even if we don’t realise it.

If you are waiting for something with “bated breath”, you’re quoting The Merchant of Venice, if you “break the ice” with a hot date, you’re quoting The Taming of the Shrew and if you know someone who “lives a charmed life”, that’s Macbeth. If you’re into activities that aren’t for the “faint-hearted”, you’re describing Henry VI, especially if you “fight to the last”, which comes from the same play.

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If “forever and a day” (As You Like it), you “wear your heart on your sleeve” (Othello) and refuse to ”budge an inch”(Measure for Measure) as “come what may” (Othello) “every dog has its day” (Hamlet) and “for goodness sake” (Henry VIII) “the game is up” (Cymbeline), because “it’s high time” (Comedy of Errors) you learned “the naked truth” (Love’s Labours Lost), so “put your best foot forward” (King John) life comes “a full circle” (King Lear) and “good riddance”(Troilus and Cressida) to your “wild goose chase” (Romeo and Juliet).

The English vocabulary took another great leap forward during the rise of the British Empire.

From India, the colonials plundered the words bangle and bungalow, pyjamas and thug, shampoo and loot. From Persian they took check, checkmate and chess, while from Arabic they helped themselves to gazelle, giraffe, harem, mosque bazaar and caravan, to list just a few.

Curry, mango, teak and pariah are all from Tamil. Banjo, gorilla, zebra, zombie and voodoo have their roots in Africa. Avocado, cannibal, hurricane and maize emerge from the Americas while tea and ketchup are made in China.

The English language has an estimated 250,000 words, making it arguably the richest language the world has known. It is “arguable” mostly because some languages — such as Finnish or German — frequently join words together to make new compound expressions, even though they may not actually appear in a dictionary. Rather than write “world market leader”, for example, an enterprising German journalist would instead say “Weltmarktführer”.

We take language for granted — not just our own mother tongue, but also the multitude of languages spoken by billions of others around the world — because it is effectively an instinct, like breathing. Life would not be life without it.

speakeasy.

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clockwise from top left: dinner at sandat glamping; lumbung life; escape nomad chic; karma reef beachlife karma, escape nomad.

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luxury and our love of the great outdoors. katie truman goes glamping.

DO you want to get up-close and personal with nature, follow its rhythms rather than Apps and go native somewhere remote and beautiful? Of course you can’t bear to forsake all of life’s little luxuries and creature comforts . . . which is why God created glamping, a growing eco-tourism trend that combines the best of both worlds – glamour and camping. Our “Great Escape” features prime examples of super-pampering, yet eco-friendly, tented experiences.

Glamping it up Just three-kilometres from central Ubud, Sandat Glamping Tents found itself the perfect spot to emerge as Bali’s first-ever Glamping resort. Part of the exclusive Secret Retreat series, Sandat (named after a flower used in Balinese Hindu ceremonies) is the brainchild of an inspired Italian couple, who also serendipitously created Italy’s first Glamping experience.

“Like others, we wanted to return to nature and slow down our hectic pace of life,” confesses owner, Emanuela Podon. “The need to escape urban spaces and take refuge in the wilds is increasingly a decisive factor in holiday choices; glamping’s charm is the opportunity to live in harmony with nature, while enjoying the benefits of five star!”

The couple’s desire to “enjoy nature” resulted in the purchase of a verdant paddy field overlooking the rainforest close to the island’s cultural heartland – and then the design of a luxury camp retreat. The duo worked with the topography, keeping the terrain intact, while carefully camouflaging Sandat’s structures using natural, local materials with little environmental impact – including bamboo, coconut and bangkiray woods and stone. However, with Italians at the helm, expect elegant touches and Italian flair throughout: typically their striking bamboo restaurant houses a grand dining table crafted from an eight-metre-long tree trunk surrounded by a wall of glam mounted mirrors.

There are only eight accommodations for good reason, guaranteeing tranquility and personalized service for a limited number of happy glampers.

Their five eco-designed, three luxury Tents and two, safari-style tented Suites offer

close contact with nature, without forsaking any comforts and style.

Pitched securely on stilts amid gardens heady with native flowers, these top-notch, spacious tents are imported from South Africa, and besides canvas walls with mesh windows, feature built-in glass and wooden doors, ceiling fans and solid timbered floor, extending out to a veranda made for sundowners and siestas. Each tent provides a private plunge pool overlooking the jungle.

All the tents are named after a Balinese icon and individually furnished and themed according to a given colour, with guests choosing their tent based on different ambiance and preferences. Emanuela’s passion for interior design and meticulous detail is evident, with interiors running from refined and lavish to boho rustic chic.

Practically all furnishings and décor are hand-crafted by Balinese artisans, either bespoke pieces or everyday island objects transformed into functional yet gorgeous objects. Think “Made in Bali” bamboo cabinets, lamps decorated with glistening white shells and canopied beds propped-up by inlaid woods, besides Euro-style Damask velvet armchairs, and Venetian-style mirrors. Options range from the “Ogoh Ogoh orange” safari tent, for boho informality and sunshine hues, to the exclusive, “’Suite Penjor chocolate brown,” an elegantly decorated safari tent adorned with antique furnishings, glittering chandelier and more, for those unable to forgo lavishness. If preferences run to something more permanent, still in the same eco-friendly, aesthetically charming vein, the three converted lumbungs should suffice; again, each revealing distinct individuality throughout the upper-level air-conditioned bedroom and ground-floor outdoor bathroom and living space – and engulfed by a trademark alang alang thatched roof stretching almost down to the ground. All three encircle a communal pool.

Sandat’s accommodations provide a camper’s reward of mini-fridge and iPod docking station, but sorry, no TVs; instead, listen to nocturnal sounds of rustling palms and jungle animals and gaze-up at starry skies. www.glampingsandat.com

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Isle be back One of fabulous Karma Royal Group’s latest additions, Karma Reef, has also jumped onto the glamping bandwagon, again in utterly compatible surrounds – Gili Meno, the tiniest, most tranquil of the three Gili islands clustered off Lombok’s northwestern coast.

Like the other Gili atolls, Gili Meno is a tropical, traffic-free paradise, perfect to flee life’s tedious demands for its brochure-perfect, powdery white sand beaches lapped by sparkling turquoise water and some of Asia Pacific’s most stunning coral reefs and marine life.

Launched 2013, The Reef operates under Karma’s Chakra Resorts brand, geared to a “sophisticated leisure traveller” and with a portfolio of boutique resorts combining affordable laidback luxury with idyllic locations, distinctly reflecting indigenous cultural traits.

“The Reef embodies the fulfilment of everyone’s Robinson Crusoe fantasy of being stranded on an exotic tropical island,” declares John Spence, Karma Royal Group, Chairman and CEO: Survival island mode, check, albeit with Karma’s trademark barefoot luxury concept and further, an adventure island hideaway for couples, families and free spirits, offering ultimate seclusion, astounding beauty and sheer good taste.

Karma Reef covers four hectares of land but with only one hectare developed it seamlessly mirrors its tropical island surrounds, constructed from bamboo and other locally sourced, ethnic-inclined materials. Karma Reef’s first rustic yet upscale accommodations, two-storey lumbungs, have since been joined by a collection of sumptuous safari tents, providing the creature comforts and thoughtful extras and standards you’d expect from a five-star Karma resort. These spacious tents come fully air-conditioned with king-size bed, boutique kitchenette and ample-sized timbered porch with sprawling daybed, all facing Meno’s crystal clear sea. Mere flip-flop steps away, on dazzling white sands, a shaded sun bed with your name on it. Life under canvas (or bamboo) makes for a highly suitable and fun base camp for a demanding island schedule: feasting on freshly-caught seafood and knocking back cocktails at Karma’s Beach Club, watching spectacular sunsets behind Mount Agung or indulging in blissful spa treatments down on the secluded beach, or perhaps snorkelling with the native turtles and watching teems of multi-coloured fish from Karma’s own glass-bottomed boat. Phew. www.karmagroup.com A camp way of life Escape Nomade offers a completely different angle to our other glamping lovelies; with a “simplicity is the new luxury” mantra, this Bali-based company puts forward luxury tents as a new, eco-friendly personal lifestyle. Created by Dutch designer Anneke van Waesberghe, Escape Nomade epitomizes the spirit of a refined nomadic lifestyle, freed-up from living with solid walls, in harmony with nature and being environmentally and socially responsible yet with all luxurious comforts intact.

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Escape Nomade’s luxury tents are not camping per se, rather a semi-permanent canvas structure for lifetime use, be it private homes or luxury resorts – from an entire house to a spa and resort rooms and with individual room functions – kitchen, dining, etc – in separate tented areas. These are all manufactured at their HQ in Ubud, with Anneke personally designing and testing out the bespoke orders for her far-flung clientele. Superior in-house designed fold-down furniture, fine linens and accessories can be ordered additionally as a complete package.

Escape Nomade delivers the tented structure and interiors anywhere in the world and can help with the installation in a day (independent energy and water supply systems can be provided separately). Displaying a classic-oriented design, these luxury tents exude romance and colonial-era decadence, and made with earthy tone high quality fabrics, perfectly blend-in with the natural surrounds it eventually calls “home.” Rest assured, these safe and secure structures weigh more than a ton and can withstand extreme loads, humidity, sun, torrential rains and winds of up to 175km per hour. Recyclable premium materials include galvanized and powder-coated metal frames and four protective layers, all water, insect and fire-resistant. A bioclimatic design ensures maximum comfort and low energy use; textile panels generate solar power, while an integrated cooling system makes airconditioning obsolete. Energy and water can be generated directly from nature, so go off-the-grid in style!

Escape Nomade may not offer overnight glamping and you may not be fortunate enough to purchase their tents, but you are able to enjoy a series of unique experiences at The Sanctuary, entering into the spirit of this exclusive lifestyle. The Sanctuary is actually Anneke’s own private tent compound, originally set-up to house her designs; now like some up-market showroom, affording first-hand encounters of the refined tented high-life, utterly secluded amongst terraced rice fields, high up on an Ubud river gorge.

The four niche “Experiences” are akin to stepping onto an Out of Africa film set, back into a bygone era of gentility, impeccable service and sumptuous comforts under canvas and out in the wilds. It begins with a chilled rosewater towel, lemon water and floral foot bath, while add-on options cover gentle strolls through the bucolic splendour and soothing massages in a riverside tented pavilion. Royal High Tea serves a veritable feast of hors d’oeuvres and sweet goodies washed down with natural Ayurvedic teas, with the afternoon rounded-off with a yoga or Balinese dance session; Picnic Lunch Bali Style offers Balinese delicacies wrapped in banana leaves in a choice of natural settings (including a floating tent), while Exclusive Dining (IDR1,500,000), is a decadent example of fine-dining (for 20 diners maximum), but still keeping it environmentally sustainable amid natural beauty. Within the air-cooled main tent, decorated with exquisite furnishings and illuminated by lanterns, a sophisticated evening ensues of cocktails, fine coffees and four-course dinner created by Anneke and chef Diana von Cranach, highlighting natural, local flavours and served naturally, on fine linens and delicate china. www.escapenomade.com

feature

the oberoi, bali remains a class act in a changing world, writes stephanie mee. photos: lucky 8.

Strolling along Seminyak Beach you’d have to be extremely pre-occupied not to notice the expansive stretch of manicured beachfront lawn and thatched roofed stone pavilions – calmly evoking an idyllic Balinese village – that starkly contrast the ultra-contemporary neighbours.

That, my dear, is iconic The Oberoi, Bali, and way before all the beach clubs, designer boutiques and world-class restaurants sprung-up in Seminyak, from the 1970s, this was the area’s first-ever international property of any kind. Now inadvertently finding itself smack bang in the middle of Bali’s hippest, most cosmopolitan neighbourhoods and fronting one of the world’s top surfing beaches, Seminyak’s most mature resort still stands secluded in its enchanting green oasis; a Grand Dame that magically preserves the island’s rich history, architecture and spirituality, while offering the highest standards expected from a luxury branded resort.

Like all Grand Dames, this one comes with history. Built by Australian architect Peter Muller in 1972 on the site of an ancient village, the property grew from a private residence to a cluster of sumptuous private villas attracting the world’s wealthy, royalty and famous – anyone from Princess Grace to Salvador Dali – and evolving as Kayu Aya Private Club, pioneering for its refined western comforts blended with Oriental mystique and Balinese tradition.

Although funds dried-up, land issues ensued and the club disintegrated into a half-abandoned hot mess, Kayu Aya still managed to host two seasons of Full Moon parties in the mid-seventies, still notorious to this day, where musicians jammed and the world’s beautiful people danced to abandon in moonlit beachfront gardens. When the property was auctioned off, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts Group took over the helm, renovating it to sumptuous standards, but still respecting the legacy of Balinese lay-out, design and ambiance. In August 1978, the former Kayu Aya Club was inaugurated as The Oberoi, Bali with 63 rooms and villas, one of Bali’s first-ever luxury beach resorts (the island’s other two upscale properties in the 1970s were Bali Hyatt and Hotel Grand Bali Beach on Sanur Beach).

With its gorgeous private villas – also an island first – The Oberoi, Bali evolved as the luxurious base camp, where guests got shamelessly pampered before setting off to explore the relatively unchartered island. Back then, the property was surrounded by rice paddies and utter darkness as there was no electricity (Seminyak translates as, “one oil lamp”) and with scant proper roads, they built Jalan Kaya Ayu – aka Jalan Oberoi (it was the driveway). With Seminyak’s first resort offering an upscale restaurant of any distinction (continually installed with an international chef ), patrons craving gourmet dining made a bee-line here.

Over the next three decades, with Muller still in charge, this dame underwent some nips and tucks (as any great beauty may confess) but never succumbed to any full blown, “wind tunnel” facelift. A 1980 upgrade took the total accommodations to 74, adhering to the Oberoi brand boutique trademark, while a decade-long, multi-million dollar upgrade from 1988 saw all rooms, villas and public areas rebuilt (albeit in the same traditional cottage-like buildings with thatched roofs design), with existing facilities renovated and new ones installed.

Today, the authentic Balinese experience on offer here starts with a frangipani garland placed around the neck and a walk through Monet-esque lotus ponds to an elevated pavilion – The Oberoi’s low-key lobby. Seminyak’s hot spots may now 110

encircle this bucolic sanctuary on all sides – Ku De Ta and Luna2 are neighbours – yet amazingly, apart from the sounds of crashing surf, the silence is deafening.

Accommodations were originally all built as one-bedroom, as back in the day, Bali was foremost considered a romantic island getaway, not somewhere to bring the kids. The 60 Lanai Rooms and 14 Villas today all remain one-bedroom, but families can be accommodated. All stand along a nearly 500-metre stretch of beach, well-spaced apart across the sprawling lawns, offering garden or ocean views and emanating island charm, constructed from local stone and natural materials.

Interiors showcase rich, polished woods and intricate artisanal soft furnishings, but with discerning travellers in mind, all come well-appointed with the latest modern technologies. Opulent, air-conditioned marble bathrooms feature floorto-ceiling glass windows for plenty of natural sun light and sunken marble tubs (an Oberoi signature) and look out onto a private courtyard.

The charming Lanai Rooms (check website for rates and specials) are built in clusters of four, each with a private veranda edged with fish ponds but it is the 14 luxury villas which provide the blissful havens of privacy – and larger space, from 200 to 400 - square metres – secluded behind high walls bordering luscious gardens overhung with bougainvillaea and gardenia blossoms.

Each presents a courtyard and elevated bale for al fresco dining, while nine villas offer a full-sized private swimming pool (no plunge pools here!) set upon a large sun terrace. Villas are named after Balinese flowers, a floral theme continues throughout the high-ceilinged interiors, especially in commissioned art works and décor, like hand-carved headboards backing the canopied four-posters.

The high standard of personalized service and utmost discretion (typically Oberoi style) has made this a long-term favourite for a particular class of guest. In fact, the only baggage this Grand Dame carries is of the Louis Vuitton variety, from a stellar “Who’s Who” guest list of global ambassadors, dignitaries, VIPs and celebs, including Gianni Versace, David Bowie, Henry Kissinger and the President of Chile.

And that’s just the ones we know about.

The Oberoi’s exquisite landscaped grounds along a 500-metre beachfront stretch are a stand-out – what other Seminyak resort boasts such a vast expanse of lawn gardens rolling down to the beach? Some of the aged trees, especially the gnarly Banyans, are considered sacred. The resorts’ beachfront, along with neighbouring temple, Pura Petitenget, further northwards, is regarded as one of Bali’s holiest spots, considered a source of great spiritual power. Which may partly explain why this strip of beach is virtually free from beach hawkers, sun beds and branded umbrellas – the local community strongly respecting this Grand Dame’s eminence; perhaps also, why the endangered sea turtle species, Olive Ridley, crawl ashore May to October each year to lay their eggs. Newborn hatchlings are nurtured at the saltwater turtle sanctuary – The Oberoi emerging as a key player in island turtle conservation – with the baby turtles subsequently released back to the ocean; a magical event that in-house guests are invited to witness. It’s just one aspect of a property that still cares deeply about Bali, its people and traditions.

Long may she reign. www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-bali

classic bali style.

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A collection of boutique experiences around Asia Contact: dream@secret-retreats.com | www. secret-retreats.com

Arumdalu Resort – Belitung “Beach, food, culture”

Sanak Retreat Bali – Munduk, Bali “Handpicked with humanity in mind”

Misool Eco Resort – Raja Ampat “Explore the world’s richest reefs”

Salila Expeditions – cruises in Eastern Indonesia “Where the Infinite Adventure meets the Allure of Nature” Contact us before October 2016 to avail our Traveler’s Delight Offers of 2016 – 2017

JL Pangkung Sari 10A, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia I info@settimocielobali.com Reservation : +62 361 4741 117 I +62 361 4741 118 I Office : +62 361 4741 116

WWW.SETTIMOCIELOBALI.COM

suite life

top: sofitel sunset. above: awarta nusa dua luxury villas & spa.

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SLIPDOWNsouth Katie Truman heads south to sample two distinctly different yet fabulously individual southern bolt-holes.

Proud of their ‘Peranakan’ ethnic culture, this Chinese-Indonesian family created their first (and so far, one-off ) boutique property, the luxurious Awarta Nusa Dua Luxury Villas & Spa which unusually balances warm Balinese hospitality with IndonesianChinese Peranakan style, heritage and ambiance.

Awarta (actually part of the family’s surname) is a real family venture; the father overseeing the Peranakan-inspired architecture and the family matriarch supervising the landscaping, aiming to bring Ubud’s lush nature to Nusa Dua. The result is a tropical garden of Eden, found in the villas’ pretty gardens dominated by frangipani trees, the timbered pathway overhung with foliage leading to the cluster of villas and magnificent water wall feature (a recurring theme for all the villa’s private swimming pools) headingup a giant reflection pool, the compound centrepiece.

The 14 sumptuous private pool villas come billed as “Your home away from home,” but it’s anyone’s guess whose home they refer to here (perhaps someone filthy rich with very good taste). Entered through a traditional wooden door into private high-walled gardens, the eight, one-bedroom Private Pool Villas (250-square metres) and larger, Royal Orchid, feature a single-storey main pavilion with vaulted serap roof and open-plan marbled floor interiors. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open out to a semi-open living and dining area beside the terrace and pool. Stylish bathrooms are roomy enough for his n’ her grooming, while an outdoor sensuous “playground” reveals an open-air spa-style bath filled with rose petals, discreetly screened with cotton drapes and tropical shower.

One-bedroom villas are the ultimate couple’s sanctuary (most holing-up for days, ordering room service from The Long Table restaurant), but families and sets of couples will feel right at home in the larger villas, which follow the same format as one-bedrooms. The two-storey, two-bedroom private pool villa and even larger, Royal Roselle, resemble mansions, with master suite, elegant indoor and outdoor living-dining areas and gazebo, while the three-bedroom private pool villa and largest of all, The Awarta (850-square-metres) are positively palatial, with a pool almost the size of a resort equivalent. These multi-room villas come even more lavishly decorated and far more spacious, but still can be classed as good value.

Villas – and throughout the public areas – drip with rich teak woods and Chinesestyle furnishings and décor, which include lacquer art works and highly polished rosewood tables from Shanghai, while all modern comforts cover IPod docks and Illy coffee machines.

If anyone can bear to extricate themselves away from their villas, there are several resort facilities. There’s a 24-hour Fitness Centre and Thevana Spa, with sauna, steam room and Kneipp Foot Therapy facilities complimentary for in-house guests (don’t miss their wonderful yet uncommon spa therapies like the signature Peranakan Heritage ritual or Pot Garam, a Thai-Malay medicinal treatment with heated herbal terracotta pots). Intimate fine-dining restaurant, Ru Yi, serves traditional mainland China and Hong Kong specialities with modern twists, worth dining alone for its exquisite red-themed interiors; head first for pre-dinner drinks at Eight Degrees bar, designed in vintage British-meets-Malay-Chinese drawing room style. Relatively new on the scene, Awarta has already bagged Conde Nast Johansens’ Best Newcomer Award 2016; everyone finding this “Home away from home” hard to forget, let alone leave.

Since debuting in late 2013, five-star deluxe Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort has developed as a premium international resort along Nusa Dua’s exclusive shoreline, in fact, quite the stand-out in this increasingly competitive resort enclave. Indonesia’s first Sofitel property and Bali’s only French luxury hotel brand (the most upscale from French ACCOR group) immerses guests in the brand’s trademark French sophistication, heritage and tailor-made services – even using the not-so-common greetings (in Bali at least) of “Bonjour!” and “Bon Soir!”

Sofitel also presents an unusual fusion with Balinese artisanal heritage and authentic charm, starting with the spectacular, atrium-style lobby, dominated by a modern interpretation of the sacred Banyan tree and wooden frieze replicating the Balinese life cycle.

The ultra-contemporary resorts’ 415 rooms, suites and villas tempt anyone from corporate types to families; some come housed in mammoth accommodation wings flanking four inter-connected pools terraced down to the secluded beach. These include the 376 lead-in Luxury Rooms, some offering roll-out access to the lagoon pool: swim out further and you’ll reach L’OH Pool Bar, with semi-submerged stools and tables that are perfect for sundowners.

The 16 private pool villas, three-bedroom, palatial Presidential Suite secluded along the beachfront and 22 Prestige Suites all provide personalized butler services and exclusive access to the chic Executive Lounge and Bar, Club Millesime – inspired by the French ‘Art de Recevoir.’ Accommodations ooze classic French flair and lavish finishes, with designs utilizing the finest marbles and walnut-hued woods. Deluxe comforts cover slumber-heaven Sofitel MyBeds, Espresso machines and French Hermès bathroom amenities. In-resort facilities feature some of the island’s largest, most sophisticated MICE facilities, plus exceptional Kid’s Club with a fun-filled Kid’s pool. Sofitel Bali also boasts several stand-out destination venues that can be enjoyed without checking-in.

Amongst four F&B offerings, Cut Catch Cucina incorporates a three-restaurantsin-one concept across a stylish, open-plan dining floor; this signature restaurant regularly hosts gastronomic dinners, but is best known for its acclaimed weekend brunches, recently revamped as The Weekend Chic Brunch, billed as the island’s “first Haute Couture brunch” and surely boasting the most decadent array of Francophile delicacies. Matching any sophisticated Paris salon, Vietura, Artisan of Anti-Ageing, still leads Bali’s aesthetic beauty clinics, offering 100 percent, non-invasive, non-surgical procedures matched with progressive and holistic treatments, while down on the Nusa Dua beachfront, one of the island’s hippest, most glam venues to party, chill or, (if you must), pose; multifaceted Nikki Beach Bali, part of the legendary Nikki Beach Club series, found at the world’s party hotspots. Latest resort additions include a tennis court and beachside Spa Gazebos, part of So SPA. Mon Dieu, that should keep you entertained for a few days. www.sofitel-bali-nusadua.com

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oral pleasures

clockwise from top left: locavore-to-go; sate madura by arang sate; mocktail by arang sate; wagyu slider by Spice; busy at L’Hort.

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sarah douglas applauds as the hill town embraces the humble dining ambitions of mere mortals. photos: jan ras

Ubud is the yin and yang of destinations, the polar opposites of spiritualism and hedonism creating a perfect storm. Discovered decades ago by travelling artists, it remains a vibrant creative hub. These days, however, some of the most notable artistry appears on plates created by the hill town’s celebrated chefs.

Taking their cue from the high-flying chefs of France, Italy and even Australia, many of the most notable of Ubud’s elite chefs have clearly decided that not everyone wants to go gourmet every day and have adapted their recipes to meet the more humble dining ambitions of mere mortals. Getting real in Ubud now takes on a whole new meaning and that can only be good news for foodies.

The buses head for Ubud daily, turning out masses of day visitors who come to watch dance performances, haggle at the local markets and turn up in droves to Ibu Oka’s famous babi guling restaurant and Bebek Bengkil, aka The Dirty Duck, where the deep fried local duck is so popular the restaurant seems to expand every time I visit.

On the opposite end are the never-ending parade of yogis who slam down almond milk lattes and chia porridge in search of wi-fi and enlightenment, in equal measure. Strangely enough, the two worlds barely collide and many visitors are completely unaware of what awaits them behind the shiny windows and rusty facades (in some cases) offering some of Bali’s best dining.

Ubud has long been a foodie destination. A decade ago the choices were either go local or head to one of the stunning five star resorts where fine dining was world class. One chef changed all that in a major way, and the way local and international chefs incorporate local ingredients with classical cooking techniques. Chris Salans is Bali’s

most awarded chef. His restaurant Mozaic remains a stand out. The degustation-only garden restaurant combines French cooking with local herbs, spices and exotic ingredients in a way that invites superlatives.

Some have incorporated his ideas, while others have blazed their own trail and Ubud has once again experienced a transformation of sorts. Fine dining still rates highly here but many of the most talented chefs have scaled down and opened more casual restaurants that offer accessible food at affordable prices. Without compromising on quality, nor their culinary vision, they are very literally taking it to the streets.

Locavore is neither large nor fancy. Co-owned by two talented chefs, Eelke Plasmeijer and his partner Ray Adriansyah, Locavore is dedicated to local and indigenous ingredients. The restaurant hit Trip Advisor’s number one within weeks of opening and remains one of the foodie’s favourites.

Across the road, they have created Locavore-to-go, a café that pays homage to their food philosophy in a more casual environment. This is nose to tail eating with a nod to local, organic suppliers and their mastery of butchery. Egg and bacon rolls are transformed with organic, house-cured bacon, home-made brioche rolls, crowned with organic duck eggs supplied by their artisan breeder. Previously Locavore refused to sell beef, as they claimed the local beef just didn’t cut it. So I was surprised when they suggested we sample their local wagyu burger and delighted to discover that they have found a supplier in Java who meets their standards. So beef is once again on the menu.

In keeping with the Locavore philosophy, everything from the salad, grown in their own small organic plot, to the bread and the chutneys, is made in-house. Buyers go wild over their local, organic meat, including

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oral pleasures locavore-to-go.

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glorious confit organic pork, artisan sausages, and plump local duck, as well as pates and terrines, chutneys, sauces and jams. For lunch with friends, I can’t resist the original restaurant, but to grab a quick bite and quench the thirst with some of their incredible juices, fruit teas and smoothie concoctions, you can’t beat this one for taste and quality.

Will Meyrick’s original restaurant Sarong, in the flasher environs of Seminyak, is an homage to Asian street food and remains a sell out nightly, while the more laid back Mama San is also home to some of the South’s hottest table reservations. The newest kid on the block, Tiger Palm has gone more street than fine and is winning over both new and seasoned customers. Ubud’s Hujan Locale is located on a quaint side street just before Seniman Coffee House. Here Chef Will has translated many of his most popular dishes including deeply spicy laksas, an exotic homage to Indonesian street food and some lively Thai dishes together with some home-spun classics he refers to as “British nursery food”.

The two-story restaurant is a nice addition to the mix here and although some disclaim his mixed up approach, hoping for a Mama San replica, Hujan Locale is relaxed, offers enough spice to satisfy and something sweeter for those that shy away from the heat. The cocktails here are well worth a try and many employ local ingredients like lemon grass, ginger, local basil and chilli in surprising ways.

Back in central Ubud, our quest leads us to Arang Sate Bar. Indonesian chef Agung Nugroho left his native Jakarta to study in New York where he ended up in the kitchens of notable restaurants like Nobu, Buddhakan, Perry Street and Spice Market before heading home two decades later to rediscover Indonesian food. His Seminyak restaurant Chandi is another regular on our food diaries with incredible renditions of favourites like nasi goreng-gone-gourmet and an amazing rijstaffel that will have you pulling out your cameras. At his latest creation, Arang Sate bar, located in the hub of Ubud, the busloads wander past oblivious to what lies within. Those who have discovered it however are lush with the flavour combinations and his unique approach to small plates with both authentic and flash sate made to order.

“Sate is a food that is seen across Indonesia in all sorts of guises, each region has its own style. It’s a language that everyone can understand, food everyone can relate to,” he explains.

The sate here include representations from all the regions of Bali, where pork and duck are incredibly popular, to Java where the meat is sweeter and further afield where spice always plays a part. We found it hard to stop at a plate of sweet Madurese duck sate, made with tender duck breast bathed in a tangy peanut sauce, followed by lamb bakso, imported lamb stuffed with blue cheese, a tenderloin sate topped with quail egg, and grilled asparagus sate which all arrived in short order. The exotic drinks, festooned with lotus root and lemongrass were every bit as good as the food. Taking local recipes and deconstructing them as gourmet bites is the strength of this industrial-style sate and cocktail bar.

We could not pass up Chris Salans’ latest culinary inspiration, a street-side diner called Spice, just doors away from Arang Sate Bar. Here Singaporean Chef, Abu Goh puts Salans’ food philosophy to work in a range of small plates and a la carte dishes that all incorporate local spices. Sliders, the trendy go-to-food of the day (it seems), come in three different flavours. The beef on little ciabatta buns is dressed with a sambal spice, the tuna burger is served in black rice bread and a vegetarian version is big on flavour. Crispy fried chicken is served with a rujak salad (a spicy peanut-sauced salad made with green mango) with a fresh, torch ginger dipping sauce and is among the most popular choices.

“This is ingredient-driven food, as we do in Mozaic, and local spices feature in every dish,” explains Chris who is overseeing the café when we drop by.

Our last stop is the divinely decadent Room4Dessert where New York pastry chef, Will Goldfarb, made the move from the pouty favourite, glam beach bar, Ku De Ta, down south to open his own dessert-driven restaurant close to Naughty Nuri’s famous rib shack. The rusty façade is the perfect foil for high-end desserts offered with a matching cocktail menu.

Out back, Will has created a Catalan-style wine garden, L’Hort, a backyard venue where imported hams, home-made gazpacho, a braise of the day (today’s is slow cooked wagyu beef shin with a rich wine sauce and a touch of citrus) and tapas plates rule the menu. A reclaimed barbecue chars the home-made sourdough for tomato bread and the cocktail menu is legendary among Ubud chefs, who often wind down after a busy night in this garden. Inside locally made artisan chocolate dances with spices and herbs, Balinese meringue wears a tropical hat and the blues tunes pervade.

Ubud is a hot destination for foodies and now it seems that it is priced to please as well. Whether it is local, high-end fine dining, creative vegetarian, great cafes or world-class chefs offering gourmet street food, Ubud has it all. There’s no doubt, food lovers can celebrate this destination, the only question is; will you have time for it all?

BEST OF BRITISH IN BALI We’re all about great pub life at The Orchard. Great beer, great food, great live music.

Your home away from home.

JALAN NAKULA, GANG BAIK NO. 99X

•

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THEORCHARDBALI

oral pleasures

Sarah Douglas rides shotgun on the back of a blogger’s bike to sample up-and-coming Batu Bolong Photos: Lucky 8.

Riding bitch on the back of a shiny, red scooter as we eat up the tattered tarmac beneath us . . . it seems the perfect way to see what’s happening now in what may be Bali’s hottest new destination of the moment.

Lined with trendy boutiques and street cafes, the road that leads to the beach in this area of Canggu is as bright as Seminyak once was.

Surfers, digital nomads, families and a new breed of restaurateurs and designers have set up shop here, and in many cases, made it their home.

Bali has changed. The trendy Seminyak area is suffering under the weight of over development and traffic jams. Batu Bolong feels fresh and alive and those that come to live and work out here find they rarely have to leave.

Recruiting the services of local blogger and coffee enthusiast, Masha Mozolevskaya of The Bali Chronicles, for a tour of what’s new in Batu Bolong, we discovered some of the hottest new recruits and a clear sense of what the locals love about this little area. There’s surf and sand, there’s a hipster vibe that feels a little Byron Bay-like and there is a sense of freedom that harks back to the early days in Seminyak.

While the area has become intrinsically tied to smoothie bowls and burgers, beers and flavoured kombucha teas, there is a level of

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sophistication that is creeping in. With mornings here being a peak of the day, it isn’t only the surfers who are getting up early.

The little cafes and bakeries, warung and restaurants are getting up early to produce much of their menu items in-house. Proving and polishing, sourcing and saucing, there is a groundswell of activity that is like a breath of fresh air for the street that is Jl Batu Bolong and the tiny arteries that feed from it.

Rosmarina Bottega Italiano.

A crisp glass of white wine is the perfect compliment to a bright sunny day and a plate of perfect pink slivers of roast beef dressed with a rucola salad and polished with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing. The whirlwind that is Masha rocks up and dives into a refreshing glass of the locally produced Isola wine, a crisp Italian if ever there was one. She spots an octopus carpaccio on the menu and declares it refreshing and delightful with a bite of fresh fennel and a hint of pineapple.

Our host, Luigi, is the real deal and has cooked his way out of Italy via Paris and New York City before opening Zibiru in Jl Drupadi. There he creates much of what is on the new bottega’s menu, from the fresh

clockwise from toip: gypsy life; eggs at gypsy; la dunia.

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oral pleasures clockwise from top: Ji at Tugu; ji fizz; la dunia.

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bakery items to the house-made salumi and pastas, the sauces and brilliant gourmet items that bring this menu into the sunshine, like the pressed octopus for the carpaccio, the 10-hour sous-vide beef for my salad and so much more. His mates in the Italian community are creating fresh, soft cheeses and the wine we enjoyed to bring a taste of authenticity to this little street-side gourmet eatery.

Intimate and industrial, Rosmarina brings a bright culinary light to the area that is filled with la dolce vita. Open for breakfast, lunch and soon for dinner, as well as catering for special events and take home meals, this chef looks very at home in Jl Batu Bolong, which he declares, “changes my mood, I feel more free here.” www.bottegaitalianabali.com Ji At Tugu Moments down the road, towards the beach, The Tugu is an iconic part of the landscape in Jl Batu Bolong. Filled with stunning art and antiques, it brings a sense of style and history to the area. Hence, it’s no surprise to see the final touches being made to their latest restaurant and bar, Ji at Bale Sutra 1706.

Housed in an ancient Chinese temple (Bale Sutra, built in 1706 and transported here from Java), the restaurant’s interiors are dramatic and stunning in detail. Ji has a street entrance to seduce the passing crowd, as well as a door from the driveway that is overlooked by stone lions and an imposing golden Buddha. As the menu advertises Japanese fusion, fine wines and sakes, the décor clearly echoes the past, the future and the melting of cultures.

Tip this one to be a hot new favourite in Jl Batu Bolong with a rocking bar offering Japanese inspired cocktails with a New York swagger atmosphere and a menu filled with surprising east-meets-west flavours.

cooked pork belly and appears at lunch and dinner, the brilliant pea soup spiced up with confit orange, tuna tartare topped with a poached egg, octopus salad, juicy roasted chicken served with roasted potatoes and sour cream with dill and a seafood roll with a touch of Gypsy. The menu changes daily according to what’s fresh so prepare for the unexpected. www.facebook.com/gypsybali La Dunia The name translates to ‘the world’ and La Dunia has high expectations. The large, airy two-story restaurant has been designed by Zohra of Balquisse and has a shabby chic attitude. A French chef in the kitchen is creating what is billed as world cuisine, so expect a little Franco flavor alongside some South American dishes, African influences and a whole lot of celebrating, as the owners plan to play, exhibit, host and add something new to Batu Bolong.

Carving out your own place in this worldly café/restaurant will be easy. With a large outdoor terrace overlooking the road, an airy dining room overlooking the kitchen, open to the rice fields behind, and a mezzanine where an eclectic mix of furnishings and lounge areas makes for a perfect hide-away. In its early incarnation, La Dunia has a lot to offer and the promise of lots more to come.

The complex isn’t yet full but the plan is to open a gallery upstairs, a dedicated coffee shop, a playground for the kids and host music nights and parties.

La Dunia offers a world of possibilities beyond dining but the menu says a lot about the direction they are taking. This is a stylish dining and hang out spot where the prices remain affordable and the hipster vibe is alive and kicking. www.facebook.com/ladunia

www.tuguhotels.com Gypsy Well, well, who’d a thought that a former two Michelin-starred chef would be showing up in this little beach enclave and performing culinary acrobatics on a shoestring budget? There is a lot to fall in love with at Gypsy, apart from the dreamy chef with the brilliant blue eyes who has the ladies of Canggu hypnotized.

Once again we are seeing bright and airy industrial themed interiors, a trendy bar with a dreadlocked Marley-esque bartender, cool tunes and an incredibly affordable menu.

Chef Robin is a Montreal boy who went to Europe to hone his craft and loves an adventure. He rarely stays more than a year in one place and currently he is playing to appreciative crowds in a little street near Deus.

The coffee crowd loves it here, as do the happy hour bar crawlers, mostly though the star here is the menu. Robin is another one who gets up early, when he is seen haggling at Jimbaran markets for the freshest fish. He does a star turn with gravlax that he creates from local snapper as he prefers a locavore approach to food; keeping it local, fresh and light.

Almost everything is made in-house, ‘very Batu Bolong darling’, from breakfast items to the textured soups and vibrant salads. He invites people to order a custom-made degustation for dinner, “name your budget” with up to seven courses starting from as little as Rp150,000 (this I have to see).

This is a chef who clearly loves a challenge. The menu is small but loaded with flair and flavor, from the crispy Vietnamese sandwich which features his slow

Other Top Picks in Batu Bolong While Old Man’s has hit the thirsty spot overlooking the beach, neighbours include The Lawn, a perfect sunset spot with a kiosk selling sandwiches and cold drinks and Motel Mexicola has plans for an exciting new destination restaurant (more on that later).

Fika is a bright and clean new coffee shop on Jl Batu Bolong combining coffee culture with a Swedish vibe.

Further up the road we discover Eden Café where an expansion of the kitchen and dining areas has been brought about by demand. Owned by a young food lover who studied cordon bleu cooking in Australia and has a definite macrobiotic stream, Eden café is small, thoroughly wholesome and inspirational.

A small artery road behind Deus is quickly picking up the pace with The Shady Shack transforming vegetarian food and raw cakes by the Betulnut crew and La Baracca bringing their famous Italian flavours, including gluten free pizzas and pastas, to the strip.

Gypsy lives here as well.

Also soon to open is a new café by fashionista, Anita Horn, stay tuned.

A special thanks to our tour guide du jour, Masha. Stay up to date on what’s new with her blogs, The Bali Chronicles and The Canggu Chronicles.

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The more things change, the more they stay the same, and that’s just how we like it at SIP, The Yak’s favourite restaurant. Photos: Lucky 8.

There is a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem 1811 up for auction in the rarified rooms of Christie’s auction house. The bottle was purchased for the enormous sum of US$117,000, earning Christian Vanneque a place in the Guinness book of World Records for the highest price paid for a bottle of wine. It wasn’t his first accolade. The bottle was to be opened in August 2017 to celebrate 50 years since he earned the title of the youngest sommelier in France, in charge of the world’s largest wine cellar at the famous Tour d’Argent in Paris.

Unfortunately, Christian stepped over into the great bar in the sky before the time came. His brother Daniel, who worked alongside his brother from the tender age of 14, decided that drinking it alone simply wouldn’t be the same and it was re-destined for another special occasion. As this has passed, so too has management of the French brasserie, SIP, for which Christian is also rightly famous. Fortunately for all of us it remains in the family and is now run

by Daniel.

There is an echo in the room. The sound of laughter, glasses clinking and an old friend who has passed into the land where great sommeliers go is remembered in every great glass of wine, every enthusiastic bite of foie gras.

Christian Vanneque and his brother Daniel have lived and breathed wine

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from an early age. SIP has just celebrated eight years of serving up traditional brasserie food to an ever-growing number of admirers. Experience shines in every part of this intimate Seminyak bistro and although it is almost two years since Christian stepped out from behind his much-loved wine bar, his memory keeps it alive and his brother Daniel has adopted it.

“It was what I had to do. My brother and I lived and breathed restaurants our whole lives. When he became sick, I sold my restaurant, Ginger Moon, and came in to take over SIP and care for my brother. This is a family restaurant and here we treasure experience, we offer something that we are passionate about and our guests feel it and can taste it in every bite,” he explains.

Alongside Daniel is the chef who has toiled the kitchens since SIP began eight years ago. Patrick also has a wealth of experience to bring to the table including his time at a three Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. His potatoes are inspired by Maxims Paris, his duck a l’orange transports you to a little French village and his legendary foie gras rarely reaches perfection in his mind, “I keep on trying”.

Beside the honest and authentic French brasserie food, Daniel and Patrick banter like family. Daniel plans to introduce a Tour de France menu with

duck for cover.

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bon appetit.

regional specialties every two weeks. Patrick says he’s mad. “Where will I find the ingredients, it’s impossible?”

Patrick has a streak of madness himself. At a recent Chaine de RÔtisseur dinner to celebrate World Chaine day, Patrick proposed his deservedly famous Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert. “Impossible,” said the organizer. “Yes,” replied Patrick. And so it went, another piece of SIP history was created, as 45 perfect soufflés emerged simultaneously from the tiny kitchen. The audience of serious foodies applauded. “Magnifique” is what Patrick has to say, admitting that all the while he was staring into his ovens praying for success. He may be getting on but like the wine, he just gets better.

This, says Daniel, is part of the success of SIP. “We may all be getting older but we have experience. We have worked in some of the best restaurants in the world, we have eaten in the best, we understand exactly what it should taste like and that is what we bring to the table. It is honest and good and absolutely authentic.”

Despite having eaten there more times than I can count, I will never pass up the chance to savour the experience of slipping into the leather banquettes and opening that menu, and so I did once again for this review.

In absolute reverence to the core of the brasserie menu, our meal began with a creamy, perfect slice of foie gras, served simply with brioche toast, imported butter, cubes of port wine jelly and a simple mesclun salad dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette. A simple pinot noir by the glass from the extensive wine list was slightly chilled and the perfect accompaniment.

It went equally well with the next classic course, steak frite. A beautiful rib eye, beaten, seasoned and perfectly charred to reveal a medium rare centre, which was as close to perfect as it gets. I exchanged my chips for the layered potato Maxim, which Patrick says are a “disappointment” as the potatoes here

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will never measure up. News to me, I dream about these. Alongside was a pot of creamy béarnaise sauce that the humble chef also claims he is still trying to perfect, but the Belgian butter he discovered has made it “better”.

The experience shines in this simple sauce, the tarragon cuts through the richness, never overpowering the sublime blend of ingredients. It was still on my palette after I had finished.

I craved the soufflé for dessert but bowed to my dinner partner who wasn’t keen. Instead we had the largest puffed up apple pastry I’ve ever seen, way too much after all we had eaten but moreish nonetheless.

The softly lit dining room filled, the small bar surrounded by shelves of wine attracted friends who had dropped in to say hello, share a bite and gossip, it was all very French. A large table of Asian diners sat beside us and clearly had been here before, ordering up their favourites quickly. And Daniel and Patrick worked the room effortlessly, passing by to chat, to pass the time, to check on our meal and our wine, like members of a very comfortable family.

Christian meanwhile overlooks the restaurant, photographed with a bottle of his favourite wine. The 1811 may be gone but immortalized is a more recent vintage of the same wine, encased in glass, temperature controlled, a wine to open for the future, 10 years perhaps of the brasserie that keeps on going. Lunch or dinner, guests choose the prix fixe menu or splurge on á la carte. The prices are generous, the wine list is the envy of many larger establishments and the service is genuine. Walking home along the busy Seminyak main drag after dinner, satisfied and indulged, my daughter informed me that had she paid, she considered it worth every cent. I have to agree. SIP is a keeper, it’s ours and we love it almost as much as they do. www.sip-bali.com

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oral pleasures

Ondy Sweeting chows down to the grooves of a sound frequency that vibrates the vinaigrette and rocks that ragout. The Edible Audio Works has landed. photo: anthony dodds.

Eric Reithler-Barros (left) and Adriano Ricco.

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Experience dining on dishes paired with cool rhythms, tight timbre, tempo and hot harmonics. Soundscapes are carefully crafted to suit an eight-course degustation menu, paired with fine wine at the hands of a sensational chef and hero DJ. The Edible Audio Works, an aural-oral pop-up experiment that explores sensory dining, has been baked within the creative and fertile grounds of Bali. Immerse into haute cuisine for 20 people that coalesces with eight pieces of bespoke electronic music written for each dish and performed live at the table.

International DJ and sound engineer Eric Reithler-Barros and rock star chef Adriano Ricco have collaborated to present a unique experience not to just Bali, but to the world of multi-sensory dining.

The aim of the project is to offer an hypnotic reality where sound and food theatre is played out in such a way that radical change is possible. Taste perception can alter. Vegetarians feast on meat while rejecters of spice ingest the previously loathed flavours with shocking gusto.

“Sound has a massive impact on taste. Scientists have found that a blast of pure white noise tells the ears to instruct the tongue to reduce taste by 75% - which is why airline food is so bland due to the buzz of white noise,” says Eric.

The duo from New York City seriously match music to flavours and have spent long months researching the cognitive neuroscience of cross-modal correspondence – a field that studies links between sound and taste.

This is no New Age energetic healing therapy but a hot academic path that leads to the great centres of learning, including Oxford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Research in neurogastronomy has found that seafood tastes saltier when eaten accompanied by aquatic sounds; whiskey is richer when sipped by an open fireplace, even if it is a visual. The processes of the brain reveal complex interactions between a range of senses when eating and drinking.

Eric and Adriano have leap-frogged that information from the lab to the kitchen and underscored it with the ancient teachings of the Rosicrucian secret society, which developed a colour to musical note chart. Red is G#, which would be the note of choice if Eric was to write a piece of music to interpret a glass of watermelon juice.

“Watermelon juice is thick and sweet and red, which resonates certain notes when writing music. I would use the Rosicrucian scale,” he says.

Brazilian-born Chef Adriano believes that food and sound are profoundly idiosyncratic.

“Food has the same characteristics as sound. Developing a dish to be paired with sounds and wines is a very interesting and creative process. It pushes me to think outside of the box and explore the food and ingredients in different ways that involves volume and intensity,” says Adriano, who decamped from NYC to Bali in 2013.

The duo often works together in the kitchen. Eric sets his decks on a bench while Adriano starts firing up eight-course degustation menus.

“I work writing music while Adriano cooks. I am influenced by everything going

on. Hearing the chopping and crushing, the smells, the taste and colours of every ingredient takes me in different directions. This is repeated with each of the eight courses,” says Eric.

At Edible Audio Works inaugural pop up in Seminyak’s hip Zibiru restaurant, diners experienced strains of a rowing boat, casting a fishing reel, bubbles and the din of a Tokyo fish market while grazing on Barramundi crudo. A dish of duck ragout attracted the sound of quaking ducks, soft arpeggios and a sax garnish.

Between courses diners – who are surrounded by speakers precisely positioned on temporary timber frames and under table sub woofers – listen to white noise for 30 seconds to cleanse the palate.

“A lone quacking duck on reverb represents a wet sound that corresponded with the duck ragout. The more effects that are included, the more complex the dish,” he says.

Listening to different sounds impacts texture and the flavour of foods. Hearing glass being crushed can alter the perception of the taste of soft jelly.

When Eric does not write the music himself he opts for the soft and chilled ambient electronic tunes that are so ubiquitous to the island.

Unlike many other multi-sensory dining experiences in the world, the cadence is tailored to every element of the dish. Nothing is used for a second time and the event is shared with other diners rather than closed with headphones.

The team isolates a specific theme for each occasion. It may be the number three, which could be three ingredients, three courses, three plates or a dish presented in the shape of the number while being joined to three instruments, three frequencies or three tempos. It is intentionally philosophical to keep diners thinking and wondering while tempting further curiosity.

“We want to marry the concept into the theme, which is typically abstract but the reality of the kitchen is that I am in there and different kitchens each have different personalities and I must work with that, since we are pop-up. This allows me to further explore my role as a nomadic chef,” Adriano says.

Wine is brought into the affair and levels of sugar, acid, alcohol and tannin are considered and how sounds can accentuate or even reduce their influences when paired with a dish.

Edible Audio Works is set to fly with the luxury wine, champagne and spirits label Moët Hennessy securing its position as the exclusive drinks sponsor.

Dates have been set for the duo to roll out some extraordinary experiences at Peppers Seminyak and the St Regis in Nusa Dua plus Grocer & Grind on Echo Beach.

The boys are aiming to hit Singapore, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Cape Town, plus have a pop-up at the American music festival Burning Man this year.

Given that both Eric and Adriano are seriously hands-on, Bali just might be a brief birthing ground for this cool culinary experience. soundcloud.com/edibleaudioworks

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big six

Sarah Douglas hits the streets.

Fat Gajah The classic noodles and dumplings much loved in Shanghai get a touch of love and a New York twist at Fat Gajah. Sweetly positioned along the road in Seminyak, Fat Gajah is decked out with shiny, white cafe tiles, Bentwood chairs, marble-topped tables and a cracking bar. The open kitchen adds flair to this gorgeous little Asian-style bistro (the baby of the Chandi and Arang Sate family). The famed street food of the French-influenced Chinese city is given its fair due here, with silky steamed dumplings floating in flavourful broth, while crispy fried dumplings are the perfect foil for a spicy sambal. Hand-made noodle dishes happily marry with bright, crunchy Asian salads peppered with crispy tempe, soft shell crab and grilled slipper lobster and meat dishes like the best-selling half crisp pork spare ribs and a delicate butterfish in a miso dashi broth lay claim to the twist on classics. Fat Gajah is open for lunch and dinner and everything in between. Stay tuned for a new Fat Gajah in Oberoi Rd, you heard it here first. www.fatgajah.com Ling-Ling’s A cacophony of Asian flavours combined with animated décor is only part of the appeal of the latest Asian eatery and lively bar to open on Jl Petitengett. LingLings is brand new at the time of writing. With a menu created by the same team who brought us Seminyak’s favourite sushi train, Sushimi, the menu is sparked with fast, fabulous and affordable Japanese, Chinese and Korean street food. From Yakitori to fried chicken, a fiery prawn dish and some inspired Asian salads, there’s a world of flavor on the menu. Competing with the Hello Kitty wall, the food is made to be picked up in your fingers, shared, washed down with fruity cocktails and Asianinspired juices, or just cold beer, it’s bright and beautiful rather than fancy, and the deejay, tucked away in a giant Lucky Strike box, gets it right. The terrace overlooking the street reflects the wall of Hello Kitty’s and Miss Ling-Ling, who inspired this culinary adventure, is every bit as racy as the menu. It’s time to have a little fun, and don’t forget to visit the whimsical loo, the design trend continues. www.instagram.com/ling.lings.bali Bo&Bun Vietnam and Thailand are the inspiration for Bo & Bun’s streetside café where long cooked pho meets crunchy Asian salads, fluffy buns stuffed with sticky pork belly carries on with the famous Vietnamese sandwich sensation, banh mi, and both are worthy of our attention. An industria look street café close to Moka on the main Seminyak drag, the prices are easy, the service is friendly and the dishes are pure street in the nicest possible way. The young couple behind it, who also own Lantern, are passionate foodies with restaurants in their blood. Bo & Bun is the perfect incarnation of street food done well offering quirky interiors, snappy service and great incarnations of some classic Asian favourites. www.facebook.com/BoandBun 132

Sate Babi Bawah Pohon Now this folks is the real deal and you will want to get your cameras ready. The specialty of the house is pork sate, and this place features regularly on Instagram feeds. It’s smoky, burnt at the edges, the meat marinated to ensure it’s creamy and succulent, this is a warung where you will struggle to spend $5 and you will probably have to queue. Served with a tradtional rice cake and smothered in a sauce that is both spicy and sweet, you will get your chili hit from the fresh sambal served alongside and by the time you actually find this place tucked away in Legian, you will be happy to sit with the locals and devour the dish of the house, babi sate.

(Sate Babi Bawah Pohon Jl. Patih Jelantik, parkir Gelora Tri Sakti, Legian).

Warung Murah You want to try a warung but how do you tell the good from the bad? The flow of customers is usually a good sign but there are no guarantees and when it comes to authentic street food, there is always a risk, a sense of adventure. Well, this is possibly your ticket: Warung Murah. Located deep in batik land, along Jl Double Six, this is not the best warung you will ever try but it is certainly one of the busiest. Traders and tourists alike have been frequenting Warung Murah for two decades ( Murah means cheap) and although it’s not as cheap as the night market, you will struggle to spend Rp35,000, including your drink. It’s plastic stools and sticky tables, a lunch menu you choose from the display and tickets at the cash register are calculated by what you have on your plate. The dishes are in the classic nasi campur vein, mixed rice, choose white or red, fresh vegetables, stews and braises and curries, spicy salads, sticky fried tempe, prawns and crackers and all served up with the fiery sambal that sits on every table. It’s great hangover food and something everyone must try at least once. Go local, go street. www.facebook.com/pages/Warung-Murah-Petitenget Batik Slightly more refined on the Oberoi road is the brand new Batik. The interiors here are an attraction as is the wide, white street frontage. Inside batik has been used to great effect, the bathrooms are a real trick! The menu offers up classic dishes from Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. The plates are artisan, the atmosphere is airy and fresh and this one immediately grabbed the attention of local foodies. On the site of the former Khaima, a total refurb has resulted in a very graceful restaurant. Tropical in its interpretation, the menu strives for authenticity over edgy, so expect classic dishes, fresh ingredients, lots of favourites, all turned on pretty plates. It’s elegant simplicity based on the depth of Asian flavours. There’s a beautiful wooden bar that serves up cocktails, mocktails, juices and teas to accompany the meals or simply to offer respite and refreshment for those making the sweaty trek down this busy shopping strip. www.facebook.com/BATIKRestaurantBar

taken not stirred

prepare to be wowed as the yak visits three of bali’s top bartenders to find out what’s on the a-list.

Akademi at Katamama There are no prizes for choosing the coolest person in the room when you hit the smooth polished concrete bar at the ultra modern Akademi. You can’t miss Dré, the English bartender who has breathed life into Potato Head’s drink list and created a science experiment meets cocktail nirvana at Akademi. You can’t miss the bar, small though it is, at the entrance to MoVida and despite its intimacy you’ll find things to look at no matter how long you stay. There are bookshelves, a turntable spinning vinyls and a wall of bottles that looks straight out of Chemistry 101. Those bottles are the secret behind the buzzing cocktail list, this guy takes his infusions seriously. Each month Dré shifts the focus to a special indigenous ingredient in a push to discover new flavours and push the boundaries a little. When I visited it was chocolate, a cocktail based on arak that had been deconstructed and infused with the smooth tones of local cacao.

Something that sets them apart here is their reverence for arak. Dré says every country has its own version and why not put it to use? Are people nervous? I couldn’t help but ask. He assures me that their supplier is one of the country’s most trusted and he loves using it. Arak has a unique effect and it’s a great party drink, it positively puts a spring in your step and is perfect for parties.

They are using an infused arak in their Sangria at MoVida that sets the bar well beyond reach of the bog standard party mixer.

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The story doesn’t end there, in fact this is only the beginning. The designerdriven Katamama Hotel is an absolute joy. The entrance to Akademi is up a flight of steps created from the red Balinese bricks that are used throughout, almost sculptural. It’s modern yet timeless and retro touches throughout infuse it with personality. Potato Head Family strikes again. Akademi is no different, it’s striking and modern but for all the concrete, stone and brick it’s also warm, clever yet accessible. Dré is a London boy, accent and all, who was named UK bartender of the year three years in a row. He’s published two books and has been at Potato Head since 2013, shaking it up for the Bali folks.

From there to creating Akademi was a small step. There is no actual bar here, rather the bartenders hang out at one end of the long concrete table and its clear that Dré Masso has carved out his own space here, flitting between customers, mixing and mingling as he finds the sweet spot for each guest.

He also loves to put his own twist on the classics and to put him to the test I ordered a whisky sour, my personal benchmark. Once again, infused arak came into play and although this is not the original it had all the characteristics that have seen this drink waltz back into fashion, perfectly pouty with an artisan bourbon stealing the show and a tang that offset the sweetness. Balance folks, is what it is all about. No matter what you throw at this guy he will match you and up the ante. The tools at his disposal are impressive and he strives for a locavore approach with little bundles of herbs growing among the bottles, local spices, fruits and flowers soaking up the spirits and giving them new characteristics. Akademi serves it all up with flair

wow factor.

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and polish. Pretenders need not apply, there is nowhere to hide here and no one is going to beat the cool of the man himself. It’s all for fun at the end of the day and it is a lot of fun here. www.katamama.com

Barbacoa They don’t call it the Silent Assassin for nothing. This cocktail relies on local chili to give it a hit that spice lovers will crave. A perfect blend of raspberries, chili infused vodka, peach schnapps, a spike of lime juice and a flourish of fresh coriander, this one sure sneaks up on you. Startlingly pink and with a good kick, this is the elixir to set your lips tingling and your feet tapping.

Gendra is the man behind the bar here and he has been here since the South American eatery first opened. He also opened The Rock Bar at Ayana and shook the tables at Mozaic Beach Club so his resumé is impressive and his drinks are skillful, balanced, exciting and lively. There’s a whole list of margaritas on Barbacoa’s list including an exotic chocolate margarita and another that features jalapeno-spike tequila, that is bound to put some juice in your jive.

The best seller here is the passion fruit mojito but, says Gendra in all seriousness, this is not your run of the mill mojito. He challenges anyone to find a better one. That said, my second sampler was a ginger margarita, shaken and served with one large ice cube, and loaded with fresh ginger juice. They aren’t holding back at Barbacoa’s long bar, and there was no shortage of punters coming in for drinks. The list manages to combine the South American bravado with a tropical twist and the drinks list is as bold as the burnished dining room.

As the lamb spins around the fire for the night’s asado, the main attraction here, but not the only one by any means (I’m rather partial to the burnt carrots but that may have to wait for another day). What appealed to me on the cocktail list was the lack of sweet, sugary cocktails. Gendra eschews the sweeter drinks saying it shows a lack of depth and skill. “A sweet drink just requires sugar and you can hide a lot of things behind the sugar. To make a real cocktail requires skill, you have to balance the flavours, understand the ingredients and how they work together,” he explains. Just like a chef? “Yes,” he agrees.

The signature cocktail list covers two pages and there’s hardly one that didn’t sound seductive. The bar is lined with top shelf spirits and a range of infusions waiting for pouring day. Aside from a range of spiced drinks there are also some warm and cheeky versions that feature cinnamon, honey, tropical fruit, and all the exotic spices that put Indonesia on the map. Saddle up folks, and ride it in, cocktails with polish and substance are on the money here. www.barbacoabali.com

While fresh and fruity rules the day, things get a little more twisted at night, although I can see the new range of signature cocktails going down a treat at brunch. Fresh on the menu created by W’s in-house team is a range that truly stretches the imagination. W is billing them as, ‘cocktails that cater to the growing wellness trend. ‘Go harder, stay later, last longer and fuel your body without compromising all the fun’. I’m in. The Blue Blood Mary is a perfect play on the current trend towards the classics with a twist. This version is cheeky and definitely a little sideways. Clarified tomato juice is used to color it blue while homemade butterfly pea flower extract adds a virtuous tone. Spiced with fresh chili and horseradish, garnished with a celery stalk and served in a tall glass with a spiced rim, it’s a photo in a glass, you’ll wish you were here!

Nuts and Roses combines rose accents, cucumber and local spices with Hendricks gin on the rocks, to create a cocktail that is long, cool and refreshing and the perfect antidote to a few rounds on the dance floor, or a sunset yoga session, it’s a long tall ahhhh. The beautiful people will be lapping this one up.

Then there is one that frankly folks, I was scared to try. It has all the visual appeal of a sexy little black dress; naughty and nice. They are moving mountains with this one that is served martini-style with a perfect black olive garnish. Choose your spirit, squid ink infused gin OR vodka, it’s then muddled with black olive and shaken over the merest hint of vermouth. This one could send James Bond to the wall. Please let us know if you do order this as I am dying to know but olives are not my favourite thing so I am moving on. Instead I’m playing it a little safer and absolutely giving Moscow a kick with this version of the mule, the Green Mule that is. Fresh ginger juice replaces the ginger beer, mixed up with coriander, cucumber and mango and even a little vitamin infusion. Have this one straight or add alcohol – detox or retox!

Before you get the feeling that this might all be too out there for you, know this, head bartender, Arey spends a lot of time with the chefs, working out the perfect balance of ingredients that will go with food, without food, that work on the dance floor or in the intimate confines of Fire ( think smoky, meaty, hints of charcoal). He loves a challenge and has an excellent grasp of the classics – he does a mean whisky sour – and is equally at home with foam or a little molecular chemistry. As W Bali is famous for its flair with food, fashion and music, it seems only fitting that they are going for the wow factor with this new round of drinks and ultimately life is about finding the balance, detox, retox and repeat, perfect.

Last up on our list is a cheeky little number that owes its perfect blush to the humble beet, nature’s great detoxifier. Here we see a little tangerine mingle with lime, fresh mint, tequila, pistachio and honey water to infuse your experience while dancing with your regime. You can have your cocktail and drink it too, head to one of the W’s bars and raise a glass. You may want to sing along in the new sound studio after a couple of these. Let us know. www.wretreatbali.com

W retreat & Spa Bali Detox to retox, W Retreat & Spa Bali is once again reinventing the wheel with cocktails that wave the wellness flag, well…depending how many you have.

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join the akademi.

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venting in a villa

The Shaba Function House is a secret gem set within Balquisse Heritage Hotel, and the latest offering from Zohra Boukhari. Katie Truman checks it out.

There is even more reason – well, two actually – to hot foot it down to lovely Jimbaran village and celebrate life’s little milestones.

Just a few hundred metres from Jimbaran’s gorgeous beach and mere footsteps off the main street mayhem, walk through an old stone temple doorway and you’ll find yourself in an unexpectedly secluded tropical oasis.

This old coconut plantation, where tropical gardens blur with a distinctly bucolic euro farmhouse vibe, is home to Balquisse Heritage Hotel and beyond, its newly minted events property, The Shaba Function House.

Originally built in the 1960s, Balquisse Heritage Hotel has been adopted, renovated and transformed over the years by award-winning interior designer and hotelier-extraordinaire Zohra Boukhari, offering a romantic escape and serene boutique bolt-hole for families and couples, infused with that unmistakable luxurious boho-chic and cultural heritage you expect from Zohra.

Another part of her – and husband and restaurateur, Blaise Samoy’s – everexpanding design, hospitality and culinary empire in Bali, including Havelli interiors, Hishem furniture, Balique and The Bistrot restaurants, plus numerous spa, boutique, restaurant, hotel and villa commissions in Bali and beyond, from Paris to China.

Drawing on Zohra’s Moroccan roots, European upbringing and more than two decades living in Bali, Balquisse – named after the Queen of the Kingdom of Shaba, if you didn’t know – cleverly fuses colonial elegance and rustic island living with slavish attention to detail.

Each of the 12 charming accommodations – three superior and eight deluxe rooms, plus a two-storey Family Bungalow – are individually named, all with their own distinct character. All however reveal luxe interiors, with flourishes of Javanese, Asian and Moroccan heritage and archipelago-sourced objets and intricate soft furnishings contrasting with the earthy distressed woods and terracotta tiles.

These rooms frame two lovely pools with sun decks, shaded by mature bougainvillaea trees; further facilities run to the Henna Spa and Asam Garam Restaurant, where authentic east-meets-west dishes made with locally sourced, organic produce are enjoyed on a semi-open garden terrace.

Stroll through the gardens (or if driving, via a small gang alongside the property) and another bijou reveals itself: The Shaba, officially launched as a private function house and events space, sprawling over a vast expanse of utterly secluded coconut grove grounds.

Don’t let the “function house” label throw you: one-of-a-kind The Shaba is actually a magnificent three-suite residential property, with a relaxed “at home” ambiance – an antithesis of your standard function offerings.

Originally built as a private residence for Zohra and Blaise, The Shaba is now available to discerning clientele seeking a luxurious and unique boutique events space for all manner of exclusive celebrations – weddings and receptions, corporate and incentive events, themed parties and intimate dinners.

Fully serviced with culinary, housekeeping and butler services, plus an events

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planning team incorporating Zohra as events director and personal wedding consultant, The Shaba offers totally bespoke events, arranging anything from flower arrangements to ceremonial logistics and outsourced DJs. In-house caterers from sister restaurants Asam Garam and Balique offer sample menus or tailor-made options, while vintage cars, including a cool 1957 Volkswagen Beetle, are available for backdrop photos and short-hop tootles to Jimbaran beach.

Here, The Shaba – a hybrid of the couple’s daughters’ names, Shahinaz and Balquisse – replicates the old plantation mansions of Java, with off-white wood walls and window shutters, yet refined with artworks and hand-picked antiques. Evocative of the Deep South, a lengthy veranda surveys rolling lawns studded with coconut trees out front – the ultimate spot for sunset weddings, beautifully illuminated come nightfall.

Within, an open-air inner courtyard – an architectural nod to Zohra’s Moroccan heritage – comes framed by three luxurious suites; well-appointed with all the latest must-haves but referencing plantation mansion decadence with chandeliers, rich silks and velvets, hand-crafted mosaic tiles, vintage-style furniture and open-plan bathrooms, where porcelain claw-foot bathtubs take centre stage.

The two spacious Shahinaz and Balquisse Deluxe Suites offer garden views and open-up to an interconnecting private sitting area, while The Shaba Master Suite is an opulent little love-nest for the bride and groom, with its grandiose four-poster strewn with silks and claw-foot tub a deux, facing out to the lawns.

The courtyard leads on to an open-plan, living and dining space, elegant yet predominantly crafted from recycled or antique woods, incorporating a striking vintage open kitchen, dining area dominated by a teak wood table overhung with custom-made glass chandeliers, a plush lounge and library.

Floor-to-ceiling glass doors running the entire length fold back for instant access to the pool and timbered sundeck, expanding out under a canopy of trees – another magical spot for al fresco barbeques and sunset cocktails, or simply, low-key leisurely familial lunches. There are also a couple of Javanese-style gladak accommodations set amongst the mangrove trees.

Both Balquisse and The Shaba are exceptional private spaces – still organically growing – designed to create a sense of timeless seclusion in exquisite surrounds with impeccable service. The overall concept is fluidity and diversity: The Shaba guests can commandeer the property in its entirety, stay in one of the suites sharing the remainder of the mansion, or can book-up Balquisse rooms for any extra guests – with use of all facilities. Alternatively, if The Shaba is unoccupied, Balquisse guests can stroll over to dine and chill – and with the two properties covering a whopping 6,436-square-metres, there’s plenty of space to do so. www.balquisse.com www.shaba-bali.com

shaba chic.

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ministry of interiors

stephanie mee meets Diane Rhyu Taylor to get the inside word on interiors.

Step inside the Maja showroom and walk into a world of elegant contemporary cabinets, tables, sofas, and lamps, all made by local craftsmen with natural materials . . . teak, handblown glass, leather. Chances are you will also find creative director and co-founder Diane Rhyu Taylor, who can fill you in on the history and inspiration behind each piece.

Originally from California, Diane received her master’s degree in architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design before moving on to practice architecture and interior design in Paris at the offices of Atelier Jean Nouvel and Oualalou + Choi. But it was a trip to the Far East that would inspire her to create her own furniture line.

Diane says, “The initial dream of Maja came about during my first trip to Indonesia in 2010. I was only visiting the country, and I travelled by motorcycle throughout central Java discovering traditional craft villages, each with its specialization such as bamboo, terracotta, or hand-hammered metals. I immediately saw the potential for working with these craftsmen to create beautiful furniture.”

Not long afterwards Diane made the move to Indonesia to be with her husband, who started Yayasan Kota Kita, an NGO focusing on building bridges between citizens and governments for urban planning. The couple decided to settle in Sanur to be close to their extended family and live in an area rich in creative history.

Diane says, “This is an area that has been lived in and frequented by artists, architects, and designers, both local and international for many years. The great Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, who was one of the founding architects of tropical modernism, designed an estate of villas that has significantly influenced the direction of resort architecture here in Bali. Those villas are our neighbours.”

While in Bali Diane continued her design work and collaborated on a number of projects with architect Glenn Hartanto including the Sheraton in Jakarta and the Intercontinental in Bali. However, she often found it difficult to find particular pieces of furniture that fit her vision, so she began working with local craftsmen to design the custom pieces she needed. Eventually she and Glenn decided to create Maja using many of those original pieces.

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From the beginning the artistic duo set out to create contemporary collections that make use of simple lines, natural materials and rich textures. Much of the inspiration comes from forms found in nature, as well as traditional forms in art, architecture and artefacts.

Take for example the Meera side table, which is named after the Sanskrit word meaning ‘of the sea’ and has a base that evokes the form of sea kelp. It was inspired by a Thai woodcarving given to Diane by Ade Waworuntu, the owner of Jenggala Ceramics.

Another example is the Madu coffee table, named after the Indonesian word for honey because the form resembles a beehive. It also takes the shape of terracotta pots from Lombok that can be seen throughout Bali.

Diane says, “We believe in creating thoughtfully designed and beautifully crafted objects that carry our values of quality, elegance, and timelessness. We want people to have a sense of connection to the objects used in their daily lives through knowing about their design, their craftsmanship, and where they were made.”

Although Maja is a relatively recent addition to the Sanur scene, it already has a wide following of fans who appreciate the pieces for the simplicity of their lines, unique materials and handcrafted authenticity. In September they exhibited their pieces at Paris Design Week to much acclaim, and they are currently collaborating with Jenggala Ceramics to create custom lifestyle pieces that represent Balinese living and hospitality.

Future plans for the budding company include working on custom pieces for hotel projects, exhibiting at Korea Design Week, and expanding their network so the collection will be available to a wider international audience. Yet despite their ongoing success and plans for growth, Maja stays true to the original mission of creating beautiful bespoke pieces that are very much a product of the place they come from.

Diane says, “We are not a trend-seeking brand. We operate on a deeply held philosophy of quality through research, authenticity, and integrity. Each piece has a story to tell – a story about the history of its form, the origins of its materials, and the dedication of its makers.” www.maja-living.com

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fashion freestyle

www.dimasfashion.com

143

fashion freestyle

www.biasagroup.com

144

www.tribalsignature.com

145

fashion freestyle

www.shan-shan.info

146

www.religionclothing.com

147

fashion freestyle

www.bambooblonde.com

148

www.deuscustoms.com

149

fashion freestyle

www.thefranksland.com

150

www.paulropp.com

151

fashion freestyle

www.FARAHKHAN.COM

152

www.arturrofashion.com

153

golf

swinging for joy: sponsors and players were equal to the challenges of the course.

154

the second in our series of yak golf invitationals brought together fast cars, high flyers, great food and beverages and a good time for all.

AND so the game closed on another awesome event – The Yak Magazine Golf Invitational 2.0 held at the Bali National Golf Resort over two spectacular days.

More than 120 players attended the second in our series of golf events, bringing together sponsors and players at the Nusa Dua course.

Tournament day started with a chipping competition from the clubhouse terrace, held to raise money for charity. The winner went home with a Taylor Made wedge, and the runner up with a hotel stay. It was a taste of what was to come with a great line up of prizes awarded to more than 25 players.

Celebrities arrived by Bali Adventure Sky Tours helicopter in the form of Argentian soccer player Gaston Castano and colleague Andrea Bitar. Participants watched from the clubhouse as the aircraft landed metres away on the 18th fairway.

After a group photo the action moved to the buggy park where a Ferrari sponsored by Exotic Rides Bali led the players onto their tees, each of which was sponsored.

Half way houses provided refreshment from Albens Cider and El Kabron, and entertainment in the form of a Longest Drive Competition sponsored by Oakley Indonesia and a putting competition from RipCurl Asia.

There was Hole In One action too from custom motorcycle brands Deus Ex Machina and Malamadre Motorcyles, as well Mutiara Laut Luxury Schooner.

While no-one walked off with a Hole In One prize, there were awards for Nearest the Pin, and more prizes for the Youngest Player, Team and Individual Winners and Runners Up. The event closed with an awards show including a performance from performer Diana Rosa sponsored by The Orchard Bar & Restaurant live music series. With the Glenmorangie done and the winners bearing prizes, the evening wound up with many a happy smile.

The day would not have been possible without the support of our fabulous sponsors, who included: Albens Cider, Deus Ex Machina, Exotic Rides, El Kabron, Glenmorangie, Karma Group, Malamadre Motorcycles, Mutiara Laut Luxury Schooner, Oakley Indonesia, The Orchard Bar & Restaurant, Plaga Wines, RipCurl Asia and RipCurl School of Surf, Bali Adventure Sky Tours, Seminyak Village, XP Properties, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort, VW Limo Bali, Kapal Laut Essential Jewellery, ilLido Restaurant and Bar, Nikki Beach Bali, Pesamuam Ceramics, Bloomz, Bisma8 Luxury Boutique Hotel, Ubud, Ruci Golf and BIMC. “It was heartening to see such a great turnout for the golf and the awards show,” said Yak Magazine Publisher Sophie Digby. “We’ll be continuing with our golf event series this October, when we will moving the action into the volcano at the Bali Handara Golf Club.

We’ll see you there!”

Full scores and details of winners at www.theyakmag.com/golf

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advertiser's directory 156

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www.alilahotels.com MISCELLANEOUS Page 14-15 Avani Awarta Luxury Resort www.biowearbali.com Tel: +62 361 773300 Yak Directory Page 6 www.awartaresorts.com Bali Landscape Page 18 Tel: +62 81805661227 Bali Mandira www.balilandscapecompany.com Tel: +62 361 751381 Yak Directory Page 6 Yak Map P.1 www.balimandira.com Bali Photo Booth Page 43 Yak Map Q.15 www.baliphotobooth.com Bali Handara Golf Yak Directory Page 9 Tel: +62 361 288944 Bali This Week www.balihandaracountryclub.com www.balithisweek.com Page 47 Page 125 Yak Map V.12 Bali National Golf Resort Sunny Sideup Tel: +62 361 771791 www.sunnysideupfest.com www.balinational.com Page 67 Yak Map L.5 Page 10-11 Third Millennia Health Conrad Tel +62 361 737317 Tel: +62 361 778788 www.thirdmillenniahealth.com www.conradbali.com Page 125 Yak Map Z.15 Page 39 VW Limo Four Seasons Jimbaran www.vwlimobali.com Tel: +62 361 701010 Yak Directory Page 4 www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay com

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Yak Map N.8 Movida Tel: +62 361 3029940 www.katamama.com Page 29 Yak Map L.5 Queen’s Tandoor Tel: +62 361 732770/765988 www.bali.queenstandoor.com Page 126 Yak Map B.13/T.10 Republik45 Tel: +62 81916741844 www.republik45.com Page 131 Yak Map U.5 Sardine Tel: +62 8113978333 /+628113978111 Page 4-5 Yak Map U.3 Shanghai Baby Tel: +62 361 4731262 www.shanghaibaby.asia Page 19 Yak Map O.5 Settimo Cielo Tel: +62 361 4741117/18 www.settimocielobali.com Page 111 Yak Map R.6 Sundara Tel: +62 361 708333 www.sundarabali.com Page 73 The Bistrot Tel: +62 361 738308/7162325 www.bistrot-bali.com Page 25 Yak Map S.8 The Orchard Tel: +62 361 3003502 Page 117 Yak Map Y.13 SHOPS Arturro Eggo www.arturrofashion.com Page 85 Yak Map O.5 Bamboo Blonde www.bambooblonde.com Page 31 Yak Map S.8, U.11 Biasa www.biasagroup.com Page 16-17 Yak Map V.12

By The Sea www.bythesea.co.id Page 12-13 Yak Map T.8, V.9, V.12 Casamayor Tel: +62 87860133583 casamayorbali@gmail.com

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astroyak

moodofthemoment

By Dr Deepak | astro-deepak@usa.net | www.astronlp.com | Skype: drdeepakvidmar

Nothing gets done during this time or what gets done has to be re-done to make it work. Half the planets are going retrograde and the universe is trying to do the polka moving backwards. Conflict more than usual between the irresistible force and the immovable object. Negotiation and compromise will not work. Be patient and wait for these energies to each go their own different way.

aries

There is coming the time to take the Long Jump on your journey through life. It is coming soon, but not yet. There are some practicalities to prepare for. The first practicality is to re-arrange your money making so that you are as independent and flexible as can be. The ideal preparation would be to have the skills to land anywhere in the world with both feet on the ground where any strange language is being spoken and be able to take care of yourself. It is the key that opens the door of a bigger open horizon in your life.

taurus

Good times my friend. May all the birds sing for you and your refrigerator be full. Venus is the ruler of your sign and Venus transits Taurus now. Good time to be with friends and lovers and to be closer, closer in intimacy and feel the warmth of others. Good time to make invitations to others to come visit or to share some soul time activity outdoors somewhere. It is a people time and it is a good time to buy some new clothes and make yourself shine. Buy something beautiful now to keep with you forever.

gemini

Happy Birthday my friend. May all the birds be quiet for a while to listen to you sing to them.

Mercury is the ruler of your sign and Mercury transiting Gemini now gives you a lot to say. The challenge is to find the ones who are willing and able to listen. Some people are impatient, don’t have a long attention span, and want you to get to the point right away. Others are concerned with worldly things and think of anything else as speculation or mysticism. Stay in the heart beloved and love them as they are.

cancer

The highest hope, the greatest joy, the supreme satisfaction, the fulfilling flavor, the bountiful beauty of your life at this time is with your friends. They are your lighthouse and safe port during storms at sea.

They are the missing essence of what makes you whole.

In the vastness of the universe, they are the ones who answer the phone. All the cardinal signs are having hard transits for some years now and Cancer is the most sensitive and attached of you all. Go deeper forever into the mystery of why and how someone likes you so much.

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leo

Beloved good-hearted soul, there may be a mismatch between your ideals and beliefs and certain realities which have arisen now. Maybe things are not as they seem to be or you want them to be different from what they really are. Slowly, slowly with your finances now. Time to re-evaluate what is important to you, what the difference is between necessary or desired. There is a decision to be made between doing the low risk practical or yearning for the low probable dream of all dreams.

There is a tendency to forget to play during this time.

virgo Jupiter transit through Virgo until October brings self-confidence and the joy of life. It is a very generous energy that gives and shares and leads. It is able to see the bigger picture that includes all the this-andthat’s and to inspire your vision in life. With Neptune in the Soup of Spirit also now, there is such a kind and caring lovingness that what you think is identity, reality or form just melts away leaving only a touch and taste of exquisite essence. If your dreams do not match your scientific mind, good to remember that science needs love too. libra To the degree that life and relationship are in chaos or disruption on the outside, multiply that by 10 to estimate the degree of spiritual wisdom and awareness available to you now on the inside. It is like two different You’s looking through different glasses on two different worlds. The Pluto transit is saying end those things that are not correct for you or do not give you power. The Uranus transit is saying leave those things which do not refresh you or give you freedom. The Neptune transit is saying All-Is-One. scorpio

There is a leap in your awareness of the power of the unconscious to shape your life at this time.

This is activated by group activity, not by seclusion or holding your thoughts to yourself. This leap of awareness is activated by communication and sharing. The more you speak, the more likely it is you will recognize what you know when you hear yourself say it. And there are others now open to receiving from you. Venus transit solar 7th House brings a soft heart and warm smile to people’s lips when they see you coming now.

sagittarius This is a time when it is like driving with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. Stop-go-stop-go-wait-go-stop…….

From being impulsive and jumping without thinking to thinking and waiting too much when you should have taken action. It can be confusing to your partner and others in your life. There is a big conflict at this time to be practical or to follow your dream, to be realistic or to be inspirational. The dream energy will last longer in your life.

Good to use the Saturn practical energy now to prepare for tomorrow. capricorn Good news is that you have to go through this transit only once in your life. It takes 248 years to go around the wheel. The maybe not so good news is that maybe you won’t make it through the first time. Pluto is intense. Economies and governments will fall. Dictators and Gurus will rise. It is in Capricorn now until 2024 and is impacting most those born around Jan.7-9. The crisis you go through is not a punishment, but the method to eliminate impurities and make you strong. You may feel like being alone for awhile. aquarius Brilliant and powerful insights come to you now in both the mystical/intuitive and the logical ah-ha insightful realms. The first challenge is to put these left and right brains together so that all the possibilities of truth and reality are respected and included. That is the easy part. The hard part is to share-teach-guide the Tribe with your awareness into a higher level than the knuckle dragging, mouth breathing, dull eyed existence they are used to. It is your destiny to elevate the Tribe, however impossible that may be. pisces You have always had a bit of the Dreamer within you and now the Spirit expands and expands with joy and goodness until you move in the world as the essence of Love and Light. This promptly pisses off some of those around you and attempts are made to put you down or push you away. It is a sad upset world and Happiness is painful to those who are sad. It is a greedy world and Selflessness is painful to those who grasp and cannot receive. The trick to it all is to realize that a glass half full is good enough.

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