The Yak #63

Volume 63 jun/jul/aug 2019

IDR100,000 : S$11 : HK$60 : A$10 : â‚Ź6

don’t look back in anger sarong songs gold rush bran son api jiwa

B I A S A G R O U P. C O M | B A L I S E M I N Y A K - S A N U R - U B U D - B A T U B E L I G | J A K A R T A K E M A N G

A culinary journey.

Discover our eight-course degustation menu in an elegant 1920s inspired dining hall and cocktail bar. Set amid a lush jungle valley, just a stone’s throw from the centre of Ubud, we invite you to experience Bali’s newest and most unique fine dining destination.

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we create...

experiences

www.theyakmag.com

Volume sixty three jun/jul/aug 2019

The Yak Magazine Sophie Digby, Nigel Simmonds, Agustina Ardie, Michelle Lamb Creative Director Stuart Sullivan Sales & Marketing Shanty Wijaya, Amik Suhartin Production Manager Maulidina Fatharani Graphic Designers Irawan Zuhri, Ida Bagus Adi Accounting Julia Rulianti, Istiana Distribution Made Marjana, Putu Widi Susanto, Gede Swastika, Made Rakayasa, Kadek Eri Publisher PT. L.I.P Licence AHU/47558/AH/01/01/2011

on the Cover: detail from Balinese Legend, 1930, oil on canvas by Walter Spies. image courtesy of the walter spies

Advertising Enquiries Tel: (+62 361) 766 539, 0851 0043 1804, 0851 0043 1805, 0851 0043 1796 info@theyakmag.com sales@theyakmag.com Snail Mail & Walk Ins The Yak Magazine, Kompleks Perkantoran Simpang Siur Square, Jl. Setia Budi, Kuta, Bali 80361, Indonesia

foundation led by agung rai.

OK you know the drill. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced electronically or otherwise without prior permission from the Publisher.

Opinions expressed are those of the authors not the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not comply with the magazine's design criteria. The Yak will not be held responsible for copyright infringements on images supplied directly by advertisers and/or contributors.

Check us out online, we’re awesome (if we do say so ourselves). Peace.

Magazine printed by Gramedia Outdoor assets by Supaprint © PT Luxury In Print www.theyakmag.com

The Yak Magazine

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Archives, additional content and more at www.theyakmag.com

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DA MARIA

contents 22

Taksu Teachings

24

Diary Days

28

Sharing Is Caring

30

News From Your World

42

Stuff Of Life

48

Arvy Arief

50

Sam Branson

Yakety yak

dates with destiny

one world

new in the hood

out of the box

people

people

98 16

52

Hamish Daud

56

Jean Blake

58

Dmitry and Ayu

62

A Royal Tour of Duty

66

You Missed The Best of It

74

Those Were The Days

80

Sarong Songs

people

people

people

culture vulture

feature

feature

yak fashion

56

92

Gold Rush

98

SVĂ Indonesian Tapas & Bar

travel

oral pleasures

100

Waterbom

102

Groupola Mexicola

104

Locavore

106

Api Jiwa

108

Sorga Chocolate

76 132

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

oral pleasures

50

contents Omnibus, page 86: don't look back in anger

110

Fairmont Sanur

112

Culinary Originals

116

Super Sundays

oral pleasures

Big six

oral pleasures

120

Kayumanis Sanur

122

Karmic Leanings

124

Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay

venting in a villa

venting in a villa

venting in a villa

52 18

126

Impiana Villas

128

State of Origin

130

Sempiak Dreaming

venting in a villa

venting in a villa

over the edge

132

Lelewatu Sumba

134

Sky Garden

136

Sensatia Botanicals

over the edge

138

Yak Golf!

140

Client Clobber

142

What’s What

150

yak events

fashion freestyle

ad directory

astro yak

History Repeating

brands

brands

128

98

66

Line caught. Open fire. Zero waste.

Potato Head Beach Club Bali. ptthead.com

‘You ain’t talented if you have no taksu.’ Possibly most often heard in Balinese to would-be performers, master carvers, weavers and musicians. Taksu? And I quote from the Bidadari Indonesian Dance Studio source . . . ‘A unique Balinese concept meaning charisma, spiritual power or artistic inspiration.’ Come again? Writer Mary Tribble clarifies, “Taksu can be interpreted on the surface as talent or passion but its meaning goes much deeper than that . . . it is not only the skill . . . it’s the inspiration behind it . . . for lack of a better word it is the “it” factor” . . .

The Sanskrit word also translates as ‘action’, as in ‘seeing’; a person with taksu can find or create; another option is originality and is expressed as metaksu.

Taksu is what we all came looking for back in the day. We were looking to find people with taksu within them; we were also wanting and wishing for taksu to happen within us.

A significant number of those expats arriving back in the '60s and '70s certainly found it and this issue of The Yak, our venerable #63, is a nod of reverence and just a little veneration of all they achieved in the old holy . . . (Diana Darling’s divinely on-point word blend).

We start as we always do with our Dates with Destiny – the Ubud Jazz Festival in August for example is very taksu; One World – where giving back is key, followed by our New In the Hood feature, which looks at the latest inspirations bringing new flavours and fresh fashion to our golden shores.

Out of The Box continues with an overspill of our F*ck Plastic from last issue and features three brands that are going whole hog by upcycling that supposedly useless one-use synthetic or creating new eco-friendly household products.

Way to go, Weaver Green, Po-zu and Ibu Bumi.

Next up in People we meet a few of the cognoscenti: an entrepreneur, a musician, a magician, an adventurer and a couple of sporting peeps.

Going all retro on you, we get to see Bali through amazing black and white images of a Royal Tour of Duty. Then bringing the visionaries of yesteryear into one room Diana Darling pens our favourite articles of this issue – ‘You Missed the Best of It’ and ‘Those were the Days’.

Creative is as creative does in our Yak Fashion with Sarong Songs as we draw to a close by Not Looking Back In Anger Omnibus article by our excellent regular feature writer the inimitable Gava Fox. Food glorious food whirls us into various culinary initiatives in our Oral Pleasures, where taksu definitely abounds.

After testing out the inspiration of travel by visiting two other Indonesian islands full of magic and passion – Lombok and Sumba – we end this, our Issue #63, with very wise advice from our very own Astroyakker, Dallas Kalmar.

May the taksu of The Yak be with you.

22

yakbak Dear Yak, Warmest congratulations on another successful event! On behalf of everyone at Puerta 26, we would like to sincerely thank you for inviting us to be part of The Yak Magazine Golf Community Cup Texas Scramble. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you and wish you much success in the future. Stay in touch!

Best Regards, Puerta 26 Count on it!

Dear Yak, Your magazine has always been the most beautiful.

I discovered it 10 years ago, and then being in there for the first time maybe six years ago made me so proud. Now I understand more about the business, I can see The Yak is not only beautiful but also represents a community of great people.

Best regards, Alexa Genoyer Blue Karma Kind words Alexa. And true.

Dear Yak Great articles in your Green issue (Yak #62).

Coincidently I met most of the environmentalists you feature during a visit to Ubud at the weekend

. . . we even had a late night jam session with Chef Mandif in Blanco. Thanks for that!

Best regards, Maurice Fahey Bali Hopefully you weren’t too green the next day.

Dear Yak, Wonderful fun at The Yak golf tournament, again.

What a great day and a fun format. Hopefully we can do that again soon.

Best regards, Darrin Hyde Liverpool Good to see you there Darrin. What you lack in golfing skills you make up for in enthusiasm at the bar. Fore!

Dear Yak, Your writer Gava Fox is to be commended. I enjoy his style and the subject matter each issue in your column Omnibus. Keep them coming!

Best regards, Joe Swain Bali I’m sure he will be delighted to hear that Joe. Check out his latest offering in these pages!

In The Lap Of: Kim and Kanye Ubiquitous celebrity couple Kim Kardashian and Kanye West swept back onto the island for a sojourn recently, staying at The Four Seasons Ubud for a bit of rest and relaxation ahead of the KUWTK Bali episode which aired worldwide. Eschewing the party options on offer we’re happy to hear they both opted instead for Bali’s more gentle charms – although frankly anyone who has to fly 18 hours straight just to get here deserves to put their feet up. Come back soon rockstars!

calendar

fridge magnet fodder for the peripatetic.

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP The ICC Cricket World Cup is returning to England and Wales for the first time in 20 years, and you can bet the stands will be packed with fans from all nations. The first match takes place on May 30 at Kennington Oval in London with England and South Africa battling it out on the pitch. For the next month and a half, 10 teams from Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Afghanistan and more will vie for their place in the finals. Whether you’re in the UK or catching the action via television, radio or streaming from further afield, be sure not to miss the final match at Lord’s in London on July 14. www.icc-cricket.com

WE THE FEST We The Fest is Jakarta’s biggest annual celebration of music, arts, fashion and food.

Brought to us by Ismaya Live, the sixth edition will run from July 19 to July 21 at JiExpo Kemayoran. Join roughly 60,000 party-goers to experience various zones where you can rock out to live bands and DJs, pick up some fresh new threads, soak up some arts and culture and fuel up on gourmet eats from some of the city’s most beloved restaurants. The musical lineup includes local luminaries like Duara, The Puntaras and Coldiac as well as international stars like Cashmere Cat, 6lack, Anna Lunoe, and Alvvays. www.wethefest.com

BALI ARTS FESTIVAL In 1979, Professor Ida Bagus Mantra organized the first Bali Arts Festival with the goal of celebrating Bali’s unique arts and culture. The festival was such a success that it became an annual affair, and today it attracts thousands of artists and art-lovers from around the island and the world. The festival kicks off on the first Sunday in June with a spectacular parade in front of the Bajra Sandhi monument in Denpasar and continues on until July 6 with live music and dance performances, vibrant exhibitions, art competitions, workshops, traditional food stalls and more.

UBUD VILLAGE JAZZ FESTIVAL Groove out to boppy beats and soulful rhythms at the Ubud Village Jazz Festival.

The annual festival will take place on August 16 and August 17 in the leafy environs of the ARMA gardens and courtyards. Jazz junkies can expect three stages with over 100 musicians performing over the course of the weekend. The complete lineup will be announced at the end of June, but at the time of writing the roster includes performers like the Nancy Pontoh Quintet, Aaron Goldberg Trio, Daniele Gorgone and Kopi Jazz Kediri. www.ubudvillagejazzfestival.com

IF YOU’RE IN THE USA . . .

July 10 to July 14 — Taste of Chicago: For a city that’s famous for so many great eats like the deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwich and it’s own unique style of hot dog, it should come as no surprise that Chicago is also home to the world’s biggest food festival. Taste of Chicago runs for four days in mid-July and is held at Grant Park overlooking Lake Michigan. Visitors will find a vast array of vendors selling classic Chicago dishes and other culinary creations, plus concerts on multiple stages and fun rides for all ages.

July 26 to July 28 — Fuji Rock (Naeba Ski Resort, Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture): Fuji Rock was Japan’s first outdoor music festival, but it almost never came to be. The first edition was held at the base of Mount Fuji in 1997 on a day that a typhoon touched down. Despite the crazy weather, The Red Hot Chili Peppers played through, but sadly the organizers had to cancel the second day. The organizers didn’t give up though, and today Fuji Rock is the biggest outdoor music event in Japan. The lineup this year includes heavy hitters like The Chemical Brothers, The Cure and Sia.

August 16 to August 18 — Woodstock 50 (Watkins Glen, NY): In August 1969, an ordinary dairy farm in upstate New York became the site of one of the most epic music festivals of all time when nearly half a million people descended on the fields to celebrate peace, love and music at Woodstock. Now 50 years later, Woodstock 50 aims to bring back that same spirit of togetherness with a blowout anniversary celebration. The all-star lineup includes The Killers, Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus, Jay-Z, Santana and Imagine Dragons to name a just a few.

IF YOU’RE IN JAPAN . . .

July 24 to July 25 — Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka): Osaka’s biggest festival of the year is dedicated to the Japanese god of scholarship and learning. The festival starts with prayers at the Tenmangu Shrine followed by lively drumming sessions and dragon dances. On the second day, Osakans dress in their best traditional garb and parade the deity down to the river where it boards a boat and is paraded up and down the waterway. The procession continues into the evening with loads of dance and music performances, light shows from illuminated boats and a spectacular fireworks display.

24

IF YOU’RE IN SWITZERLAND . . .

June 13 to June 16 — Art Basel: Art Basel is the one of the world’s best-known international art fairs and although it has editions in Miami and Hong Kong, it got its start in the Swiss cultural centre of Basel. The fair draws art enthusiasts from around the world who come to peruse a vast selection of works including paintings, drawings, sculpture, installations, prints, photography, video and digital art by more than 4,000 artists. There will also be daily art talks with a range of speakers including artists, gallery owners, curators, collectors, architects and critics.

July 18 to August 11 — Winegrowers Festival (Vevey): The Fete Des Vignerons is no ordinary wine festival, as this one only happens once every 20 years. It was founded in 1797 to celebrate the Lavaux wine region’s bountiful harvest, and the tradition was passed down through generations of wine makers. To experience this oncein-a-lifetime event, make your way to the small town of Vevey on the banks of Lake Geneva where you can take part in wine tastings, cellar tours, and festivities like parades and dance performances.

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giving back

Time to help out: get involved.

INDONESIAN STREET CHILDREN ORGANIZATION

BALI WILDLIFE RESCUE CENTRE

Indonesia has the fourth largest population of children in the world with over 72 million young people under the age of 14. While the Indonesian government strives to support all young people in the country, widespread poverty and family issues often force children into the streets where they scavenge, beg or work instead of attending school. The Indonesian Street Children Organization (ISCO) is a beacon of hope for these vulnerable children.

As morning breaks over the Bali Wildlife Rescue Centre in Tabanan, leaf monkeys chase each other in circles, a slow loris stretches lazily, and cockatoos chirp and chatter from their perches in trees. Today the animals can look forward to fresh food, entertainment and a safe place to sleep. However, life hasn’t always been this easy for the animals, as the majority of them were rescued from poachers, traffickers or markets, homes and businesses where they were confined and often mistreated.

The seeds for ISCO were planted in the 1990s when Austrian expat Josef Fuchs saw that unemployment rates were rising rapidly in Indonesia and many students were dropping out of university due to financial issues. He knew he had to do something, so he organized a festival and was able to raise funds to finance 3,500 students. This led him to delve deeper into the issue of education in Indonesia and together with Pascale Lalanne, a French psychology professor, he created ISCO with a focus on children in slums.

Residents at BWRC include Balu, a female sun bear who was sold on the black market when she was just a baby and trained to cry for attention. She arrived at BWRC after someone found being smuggled onto a bus in a box. Goffiniana is an endangered cockatoo with a permanently disabled foot, most likely because she was chained up with a metal ring. Then there is Ayuk, a pig-tailed macaque who was tattooed by his previous owner.

Founder and vice president Josef Fuchs says, “ISCO Foundation was born of an idea, and a need, to do something to help children find a way to break out of a cycle of poverty which, through no fault of their own, limits their ability to achieve their full potential. Fortunately, after the financial crisis in 1999, we were in a position to take the first, concrete steps to do something useful; something which has certainly worked, especially thanks to our partnership with local government and the Ministry of Education.”

ISCO operates on the belief that every child has the right to education, development and dignity. Programmes include educational support for children who face financial barriers to attending school. Sponsorships include school fees, uniforms, textbooks and transportation to school. ISCO also operates community centres that function as kindergartens in the morning and places for children to do homework or extracurricular activities in the afternoons. The centres also provide children with nutritious meals and yearly health check-ups.

The foundation also aims to prevent marginalised children from becoming street children and child labourers through protection and rights advocacy. They conduct parenting communication forums to educate parents on the importance of schooling for their children. They also help children obtain birth certificates, provide temporary shelter and safe housing for children in emergency situations and work closely with NGOs that focus on child welfare, child labour and trafficking issues.

ISCO runs programmes in 30 locations in greater Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan, the majority of which are urban slums. With help from sponsors and donors, they currently support over 2,000 children aged five to 17 years old. Josef says, “What is important is giving these children the chance and opportunity to become who they dream of being. Our motivation comes from what we see everyday—bright, happy, vivacious children who have the talent and the potential to do anything and everything.” www.iscofoundation.or.id 28

The Bali Wildlife Rescue Centre is one of only seven centres in Indonesia that is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing endangered wildlife and animals that are victims of illegal trading. The centre is run by the Friends of the National Parks Foundation, a non-profit conservation organisation that is dedicated to protecting wildlife and its habitats in Indonesia. With support and from the Humane Society International (Australia), the centre currently cares for more than 70 animals.

The main goal at BWRC is to rehabilitate and release the animals that end up in their care. As soon as each animal arrives, they are checked and treated for injuries and illnesses. Then the animals are monitored closely and in some cases retrained skills that they may have lost in confinement. When they are ready, the animals are either released in wildlife sanctuaries in Bali or translocated to other islands where they can live in their natural habitat.

Sadly, many of the animals at BWRC cannot be rehabilitated due to old age, illness or trauma. Take for example Beth, a Moluccan cockatoo that lost her leg and the use of one of her wings after she got stuck in a trap. Johnny is one of four resident pig tailed macaques that suffers from mental problems brought on from abuse. Then there is a lone Bali starling that is too disabled to survive in the wild. These animals will require care for the rest of their lives.

There are a few ways you can help the animals at BWRC get the care they need. The first is by becoming a foster parent to an animal of your choice. Your money will go towards food, medicine and shelter your new furry or feathered friend. The second is by volunteering at the centre and helping to feed the animals, clean their enclosures and create fun toys for them to play with. Finally, you can donate tools or money for a specific cause such as new cages or translocation costs. www.fnpf.org

X2 BALI BREAKERS RESORT Balangan now has a new luxury lifestyle property just steps from the Bukit’s famous surf breaks. Brought to us by BHMA Hotels and Resorts, the X2 Bali Breakers Resort features 58 chic villas, all cleverly designed to harmonize with the environment and sustainably conscious in keeping with the resort’s commitment to nature and clean oceans. Each villa has a private pool and sundeck, a lush garden and a well-appointed bathroom with a bathtub and rain shower. The resort also boasts three swimming pools, trendy dining and drinking venues, an outdoor fitness centre, soothing spa wellness centre and a wedding chapel.

Tel: +62 361 620 1000 www.X2balibreakers.com

VEGAN-FRIENDLY BEAUTY Glo gives us yet another reason to hit up their stylish salons with a full range of ethical and sustainable products. Swing by for a mani, pedi, makeover, or facial and you’ll find that the majority of their products are mineral-based, cruelty-free and vegan-friendly.

The stylists are now working with products like Youngblood mineral make-up, Olaplex hair product, Bio Sculpture vegan nail polish, and Pevonia organic facial treatments. In addition, owner Georgia Sutherland is producing her own independent cruelty-free brand that includes signature oils, body scrubs, lotions, shampoo and conditioner. www.glospabali.com

SOL SESSIONS: CARNIVALS OF FREE-FORM EXPRESSION Waterbom is taking the pool party concept to a whole new level with Sol Sessions, a series of carnival-like celebrations taking place at the iconic waterpark on the last Saturday of every month from now until September. The party gets started at noon with unlimited adrenaline rushes via the park’s 12 world-renowned water slides, two of which will stay open for exclusive after-hours sliding. When you’re not sluicing your way down twists and turns, you can get into the carnival groove with handcrafted cocktails, artisanal eats and beats by internationally acclaimed DJs. Tel: +62 361 755 676 www.waterbom-bali.com

69SLAM EXPANDS 69slam is one of our favourite Bali-born lifestyle brands for underwear, swimwear and bright, bold apparel, so we were stoked to hear that they’ve opened up a few more shops on the island and further abroad. The brand was born in 2004, and since then they’ve been constantly evolving and have expanded to over 45 countries. The newest 69slam shops can be found on Berawa (in front of their new HQ) and in Padang Padang, which brings the total to 14 shops in Bali. If you happen to be over Lombok way, check out their new digs in Kuta where they’re adding splashes of colour to the beach town’s scene. www.69slam.com 30

HAPPY FOR INDONESIAN HERITAGE As one of Indonesia’s most influential artists, Happy Salma is the perfect fit as the new Art Advisor at The Apurva Kempinski Bali. Together with resort team, the writer, director and jewellery designer will help bring the resort’s vision to life and raise awareness about the Indonesia’s rich culture and heritage. She will also craft elegant jewellery for the resort under her renowned jewellery brand Tulola, which draws inspiration from the Indonesian archipelago, taking motifs and designs from the past and restoring them into modern collections.

Tel: +62 361 209 2288 www.kempinski.com/en/bali/the-apurvakempinski-bali

MORE SENSATIA PLEASE Bali’s favourite skincare brand is expanding like crazy, which is good news for us because now it’s easier than ever to pick up natural beauty essentials. The newest store just opened at Trans Studio Mall with over 150 products made with all-natural, crueltyfree ingredients including a selection of vegan-friendly and pregnancy-safe products.

Highly trained beauty consultants are on hand for recommendations as well as tailored consultations focusing on individual’s unique skin concerns.

Tel: +62 361 620 7011 www.sensatia.com

BEACHFRONT BLESSINGS Celebrate your love tropical style with a beachfront wedding at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali. The white sand beach fringing the Indian Ocean is the perfect place to gather with loved ones and exchange vows as the afternoon sky fades into pastel hues. As darkness falls, guests can enjoy gourmet cuisine and a wide range of entertainment options from live bands to DJs and traditional Balinese performances under a canopy of glittering lights. Even better, you don’t have to lift a finger because the Westin team will take care of every last detail from flowers to videos, accommodation and more.

Tel: +62 361 771 906 www.westinnusaduabali.com

GILI BANGKIT FESTIVAL The Gili Bangkit Festival kicks off on June 15th with an entire month of fun activities that will highlight the indomitable spirit of the Gili Islands and showcase the best that Gili Air has to offer. Events include music and dance performances, stick fighting, a triathlon and workshops with local artisans that will give you a glimpse into the Sasak culture. Incorporated into the main festival is the Slow Food & Yoga Festival, which will take place from June 20th to June 24th with an array enticing eats and yoga classes. Proceeds from the Slow Food & Yoga Festival will support educational initiatives on the Gilis and in Lombok. www.giliairfest.com

NEW EARTH HAVEN The New Earth Haven festival is back for its second edition from June 19th to June 25th with a slew of immersive events and activities. The highlight of the festival is the World Health Sovereignty Summit, a three-day symposium featuring a line-up of international speakers and experts addressing the most critical issues facing people and the planet.

Speakers will include Jim Humble, Russell Simmons, Anand Krishna, Sacha Stone, and more. You can also expect workshops, ecstatic dance sessions, cacao ceremonies, yoga classes, traditional Balinese dance performances and debut film screenings. www.newearthfestival.com 32

SAMSARA EXCELS IN EXCELLENCE With 17 serene villas artfully layered into a lush jungle landscape, it comes as no surprise that Samsara Ubud rakes in the awards. The luxury boutique resort’s latest accolade is the Best ASEAN Hotel Package from the 32nd ASEANTA Awards of Excellence 2019. The annual ASEANTA awards celebrate the highest levels of achievement in the hospitality and tourism industry in Southeast Asia. Samsara stood out above the rest for their ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’ package, which invites guests to embark on a 48-hour journey without gadgets to reconnect with nature and themselves.

Tel: +62 361 209 1769 www.samsaraubud.com

GRACIE KELLY’S REOPENS Fans of Gracie Kelly’s in Bali Dynasty Resort will be happy to know that the Irish pub has reopened with a fresh new look. Now bigger and better than ever, the pub showcases classic architecture with a distinctive steeple and ornate glass windows, plus an extended bar, a dedicated stage and traditional parlour seating nooks. You can expect the same quality home-cooked food, different beers on tap including Guinness and Kilkenny, and entertainment such as live bands, pool tables, darts, big screen TVs and the famous twiceweekly charity quiz.

Tel: +62 361 752 403 www.graciekellysirishpub.com/

SUBLIME STEAKS Carnivores, this one’s for you. Sanur has a smashing new spot to indulge in succulent steaks and SpanishMediterranean delicacies. Located at Taksu Sanur Hotel, Puerta 26 specialises in dry-aged steaks from Spain, Argentina and Tasmania. Each premium cut of beef undergoes 90 days of the dryaging process in the restaurant’s own dry-age chiller room to ensure it reaches the pinnacle of tenderness and quality.

Signature dishes include the Rubia Gallega from Spain, T-Bone steak from Argentina, Wagyu Solomillo 6/7 from Tasmania, Paella Marinera, and Jamón Ibérico de Bellota.

Tel: 0813 38502233 www.puertasanur.com

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BALI’S FIRST BLOW BAR Spoiler alert . . . would you like to try some new cocktails? Then make your way to Blow Bar, the first salon of its kind in Bali with a custom-designed bar. Blow Bar is what happens when you drop a hair salon into your favourite upmarket bar. It’s an alternative bar that serves hairstyles with spritzers, martinis with manicures, and scotches with shaves. The expert stylists can do it all from cuts to colours, toners and more as you sit back, relax and do a bit of socialising over a cocktail or two.

Tel: +62 361 620 0167 www.blowbarbali.com

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Jl. Kayu Aya | Jl. Raya Seminyak | Seminyak Village Mall | Jl. Pantai Berawa | Jl. Batu Bolong | Jl. Batu Belig Jl. Raya Legian No. 66 | Jl. Raya Legian No. 154 | Beachwalk Mall, Kuta | Discovery Mall, Kuta Bali Collection Mall, Nusa Dua | Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud | Jl. Danau Tamblingan, Sanur

www.bambooblonde.com

NIKKEI-INSIPIRED CUISINE SugarSand Seminyak Bali has a brand new menu, and its already garnering rave reviews for the sublime Nikkei-inspired plates. The new dishes were beautifully crafted by executive chef Nic Philips to reflect Bali’s tropical climate and superb local ingredients. The new dishes include small plates to share like the char-grilled chicken tskune and beef meatballs, as well as robata grill selections like charcoal chicken, baby lobster and river prawns. Che Nic and head mixologist Sufian Mahmoud have also created innovative cocktail pairings to go with the Japaneseinflluenced dishes.

Tel: +62 361 209 9999 www.sugarsandbali.com

LUSCIOUS LASHES Nothing makes the eyes pop like big, bold lashes. LASHINC salon in Lippo Mall is now offering five different methods of eyelash extensions brought over straight from Europe.

Unlike temporary false lashes, eyelash extensions are neither a D.I.Y. affair nor a fleeting commitment. They are professionally applied by board-certified extensionists with semipermanent glue imported from Boomlashes that will keep the lashes in place for weeks to come. Choose from classic, light volume and mega volume lashes or keratin lash lifting to give your natural lashes a boost.

Tel: 0812 12951205

30 YEARS OF AWESOME MASON ADVENTURES Mason Adventures, Bali’s longest-established and critically-acclaimed adventure company, turned 30 this April and we were honoured to attend the anniversary gala at the worldrenowned Mason Elephant Park & Lodge in Taro. The party coincided with the 23rd anniversary of the park, so it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the company’s successes over the past three decades, which include a slew of superb facilities and extensive range of tours and products that include white water rafting, helicopter flights, jungle buggies and more. Here’s to 30 years of brilliant Bali adventures and many more to come!

Tel: +62 361 721 480 www.masonadventures.com

OCEAN EYES BY BASRI Basri only opened their first boutique on Jalan Hanoman in Ubud last summer, but the brand already has a huge cult following of fashion-forward peeps who love their chic dresses, timeless jewellery and artsy accessories made by skilled local designers and artisans. This summer they’re launching the new Ocean Eyes collection of women’s wear and it’s already set to be a smash hit. Think soft rayon and mixed silk rayon in classic hues like deep emerald green, navy blue, vanilla white and cool grey. Each piece is designed to be classy, comfortable and effortlessly cool for tropical climes.

Tel: +62 361 908 2663 www.basribali.com

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CONRAD BALI REVAMPED Conrad Bali, a luxury beachfront resort on Bali’s southern coast, just finished putting the final touches on the hotel transformation that began last September. The new and improved resort now boasts 103 expanded Premier rooms, a refurbished lagoon pool, a revamped main pool and an update to the all-day dining Suku Restaurant. Guests can enjoy thoughtful additions in the rooms like lush carpets with tropical-inspired patterns, new daybeds with velvety cushions in shades of blue, soft lighting that adds a warm ambiance and bathroom amenities from Shanghai Tai. Tel: +62 361 778 788 www.conradbali.com

BOODLES HITS BALI Coming to us by way of the UK, Boodles Gin is now available in select venues around Bali.

Each batch of Boodles Gin is made with labour and patience using English wheat, spring water and nine botanicals and herbs sourced from the finest growers around the world.

Unique ingredients include nutmeg, sage and rosemary, which add a mellow but herbal quality and balance out the piney notes from the juniper. You can find this prestigious British gin at W Bali - Seminyak, COMO Uma Canggu, Ayana, Alila hotels, Omnia and Finns Beach Club. www.boodlesgin.com

POUR ON THE HONEY For all you gents looking to up your grooming game, The Mensroom is your spot. Step inside the serene space upstairs at Spoiled Hairdressers and the talented therapists will work their magic snipping, shaving and styling your new look. The latest service on offer is Italian honey waxing, a technique that’s less painful than standard strip waxing and will leave your skin feeling ultra smooth. No hair is too coarse for this sweet smelling wax—in fact, the coarser the hair the better the result—and no area is too small or too large. After the treatment, you can expect four to six hair-free weeks.

Tel: +62 361 847 5141 www.spoiledhairdressers.com 38

UNLOCK THE SUBCONSCIOUS AT ANANTARA Looking to clear your mind of negative thoughts and emotional blockages? Anantara Seminyak Resort has just launched a new spa programme centred on hypnotherapy. The treatment is an effective therapeutic technique that provides healing through getting to the root of a problem and paving the way for new behaviours The sessions are led by Made, a certified hypnotherapist and resident Anantara Wellness Guru.

With a degree from the Indonesian Hypnosis Centre, Made personally customises each session based on individual needs.

Tel: +62 361 737 773 www.anantara.com/en/seminyak-bali/

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people

Ondy Sweeting meets salon star arvy arief to talk nails, glam and going gangbusters. images: lucky 8.

arvyanti arief and right, spoilt for choice.

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Jetset gypsies have long known that the Day One island essential is to get your holiday glam on with a serious salon session.

Forget about running in the rain for a lunch break manicure, Saturday spray tan or an after work wax to brush up on beauty. Why bust the budget before boarding an aircraft when Bali has some of the world’s finest salons to do the job in luxury.

Think Pink Nails – a New York City style nail salon in Bali has holiday beauty wrapped up. Set aside several hours for unadulterated indulgence. A series of treatments such as waxing, a facial and massage plus lash extensions can be finished off with a manicure and pedicure that will have your nails polished and buffed to perfection – all under one very glamorous roof.

Think Pink’s chauffeur driven car can be pre-booked to pick up guests and once installed on a rolling massage chair enjoy a range of treatments while sipping on blended juices, teas, coffee and even protein shakes.

Vast hand and nail treatments are on the menu and a collection of more than 2,500 colours from prestigious nail polish purveyors is dazzling from classics and urban to Chanel and Louboutin. The O.P.I Pro Spa is delivered by two technicians in a private room.

“This is my seven year itch,” says Think Pink founder Arvy who opened the salon in 2012 after decades in the fast lane of New York fashion. ““I’ve always loved nails. It’s a real passion of mine. Nails and high heels – all day, every day. Nails and waxing go together but I added other treatments due to demand. People were always asking me about facials so I chose Kiehls as our product because of its global reputation.

We do massage, threading and spray tans and hair but of course we are famous for our nails.”

Apart from cotton balls and acetone, every product at Think Pink is imported. “This is the only way to maintain our high standard of quality.

I never cut corners when it comes to quality.”

Excellence is part of the Think Pink experience from the gorgeous girls.

From one treatment to the next, therapists do not miss a beat.

Waxing is gentle with soft “hot” but warm wax for those sensitive spots, while traditional strip wax is reserved for elsewhere. Delivery is quick, painless and clean in a pretty environment studded with cool quotes from iconic actresses.

The cast of regulars includes Miss Bali, Indonesian actresses, famous stylists, holidaymakers and expats. The vibe is happy with people chatting and laughing. A popular trick among people coming from winter is to have an arrival make over and return two days later for a spray tan – because waxing and tanning never go together. Have a hair mask while enjoying nail treatments. While nail technicians are on your toes and fingers you can enjoy a head and shoulder massage while the hair treatment takes effect. The liberal use of hot towels on tight shoulders that have been stressed by carrying heavy bags is divine.

“My clients – the regulars – are expats, moneyed Indonesian women and visitors to Bali. We also have cabin crew from Garuda because they need to always look superb and some of the hotel front desk staff. It’s a wonderful thing to see our clients leaving so happy,” says Arvy who is a well-known Indonesian TV celebrity from lifestyle shows.

She believes that Bali is a bit like the Hamptons are to New York with a wonderful lifestyle of restaurants, parties and beaches.

“When I came to Bali with my now ex-husband, I had a single demand and that was to be within 30 minutes of somewhere that serves foie gras. So Think Pink was created in Batu Belig near the restaurant Metis, which has wonderful foie gras,” she says.

Arvy, in her trademark high heels, is always on the floor chatting and charming guests and working with her team. “I love to dress up and concentrate on work. I eat lunch at the table with my staff every day. I put a lot of time into training and my people stay with me for years.”

Once a year the entrepreneur takes two of her team to an international competition.

“I love to enter the competitions and we go to Nailympia, which has entrants from 103 countries. It is so much fun and we’ve been to Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Malaysia and this year we gained 3rd place in Sydney at the Beauty Expo 2018. I took the girls shopping at Gucci after that win. My dream is to compete at Nailympia in London.”

Arvy and Think Pink are involved in local charity work as part of Bali Divas. As a fund raiser for the Divas' 10th anniversary Think Pink has set a goal to raise IDR50 million to take at the salon on June 18, 100 per cent of which will be donated to the John Fawcett Foundation, which performs corrective eye surgery for the children and the poor. www.thinkpinknails.com

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people

Luiz Sanchez meets sam branson to find out what makes this scion tick. IMage: oscar Munar.

sam the man.

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Most of us dream of changing the world, but so few of us are set up to make lasting global change. Often it’s money that holds us back, other times it’s a sense of insignificance in the grander scheme of things. But every once in a while someone will emerge with many of the boxes ticked – and they rise to the occasion.

Sam Branson, son of the famous entrepreneur and now philanthropist Richard Branson, moved to Bali in 2018 to pursue his passions. “We came out here to spend quality time as a family,” he said [he is married to the actress Isabella Calthrope]. “We wanted to create a space for peace, a place to grow and to learn. I have never been anywhere with such a strong sense of community and present living. It’s liberating and inspiring.”

Sam’s move to Bali coincided with a shift in his focus towards wellbeing, spirituality, and an upand-coming music career. “We came initially for a two-week holiday and a yoga retreat,” he said, “and we ended up staying five months. In the end we kept extending our stay, as we felt this place gave us so many of the things we were looking for. Ubud is unlike any place in the world. It’s a city that grows out of an ancient jungle; it’s bohemian, has incredible food, yoga, meditation and arts.”

To date, Sam Branson has been involved in a variety of worlds, many based around the idea of change. Education has been a running theme. In 2010 he founded Big Change along with six friends including sister Holly and Princess Beatrice. The charity connects and supports organisations that help to create positive change for young people.

“Big Change collaborates with a bunch of organizations on a campaign called Reimagining Education,” Sam says. “We held a summit last year where we brought in leading thinkers on education. We are doing a ton of research but our main takeaway is that until we remove standardized testing, we will never change the system.”

His involvement was partly motivated by his own experience. He didn’t thrive in a traditional learning environment, and didn’t believe in his own abilities until discovering his own passions later in life. This in turn gave him empathy towards those that are not having their potential unlocked in traditional education.

“Passion is where you find that effort is effortless because you find inspiration,” he says. But the modern western mindset he says often pushes people to self-actualize through future events. “If I get these grades, if I attend that university, or once I get this job then I will be fulfilled. Most people will follow that carrot throughout their lives. We need to create a system wherein we honor and respect where young people are at in their lives, and give them the license to find themselves.”

Awareness and climate change have been another running theme. When he was 23, he embarked on a three-month arctic dogsled, which he describes as life changing. “It was so brutal, but amazing,” he said. “Especially at that stage in my life. I was a young man, soul-searching on this internal and external journey. It really solidified my passion for the climate and the world.”

Sam also grew up loving documentaries. “I educated myself through them,” he explained. “I had this love for documentaries and a growing passion for the world, so I wanted to create a company that specifically created films that inspired and educated people but didn’t just preach to the converted.” The result was Sundog Pictures, with a remit to produce quality factual content that starts conversations about the world around us.

And then there’s the music, unsurprisingly perhaps given his father’s background with Virgin. “It was always something I wanted to pursue,’ he said, “but it’s not uncommon to be afraid of doing that which you love the most. I guess part of my reluctance was because of my father’s history in the industry, but in the end I knew that if I didn’t pursue this it would be a source of deep regret.”

Richard Branson’s success no doubt casts a long shadow. Many people with successful parents often feel suffocated by powerful legacies, often remembered as the child of that person. Sam speaks fondly of his father, and has carved his own way in life in such a way that comparisons would be unjustified. “We are really close,” he says, “like best mates. Luckily my family is really tight. We have a place in the Caribbean which we go to every year for a few months.”

It’s a space that has allowed his family to spend quality time together, away from prying eyes and exhaustive public appearances. “It wasn’t so much fatherly advice as it was being a great role model that influenced me the most,” Sam explained. “He has got such an amazing enthusiasm for life and puts people above anything. To him a business is just a name and it’s the people working in it that matter.

Making money is just a byproduct of creating amazing things and that is a wonderful way to live. Who he is as a person rubbed off on my approach to life.”

It’s an approach that hasn’t always worked. “I went through quite a difficult journey in the past few years,” Sam explained. “I was running my production company, doing the Strive Challenge to raise money for Big Change, was doing a public speaking tour, and on the surface it all seemed great. But one day I hit a point where I was on stage giving a talk I had done a million times before and just froze. I thought to myself, I have nothing more to say and walked off stage. What I was doing was trying to be all things to all people without being someone for myself. Because I was deeply passionate about the world and had the opportunity, I spread myself too thin. I wasn’t living in sustainability with myself.”

So music it is, for now, that inspires and centres him.

His baby is Love Mafia, which aims to become an artist collective, although he is certainly at the core of it. “I am very narrative-driven,” he says, “and the music I make always tells a story. Our aim is to build a brand that really celebrates collaboration and diversity because in my experience, the only way to create empathy and compassion for other human beings is by understanding their story,” he says.

“The problem is that people retreat further into their own confirmation biases, which further feeds the divide. Underneath all that bullshit we all share the same feelings: fear, love, hate, compassion. We are all unified over these common experiences of emotion … and I am all for common stories in music, art, and creativity that bridges that divide.”

Instagram @bransonsam, @lovemafiamusic Twitter - @sambranson Sundogpictures.co.uk

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people Hamish, you’re well known among the Indonesian TV viewing public. For the wider world, tell us a bit about who you are and how you grew up.

I grew up in Bali and Sumba, where my father [the respected waterman David Wyllie] lived, so it was back and forth between the two. I finished my high school in Australia at the age of 15, then university.

When I came back I worked in the furniture industry, then the surf industry, then in architecture … then when I was 30 I had a bad accident. It changed the way I looked at everything, and after that I had a very gung-ho attitude. I didn’t want to waste any time at all. It was a wakeup call for me, and I felt driven.

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It sounds like you’re focused on sustainable development, when did you launch your architectural firm saka.id and why?

Growing up in Bali I witnessed the over-development of the island first hand and decided to create aesthetically interesting housing options to get involved. My family produced furniture and I found myself making chairs as a teenager, as a result I learned about the manufacturing industry. So after my business degree I asked an existing architectural firm to join forces with me and I have been working with them hand in hand for over 15 years now.

I wanted to get into conservation, and I spoke to a few people who told me the only way to really make a difference was to get a name for myself first. That’s when I started to get involved in the entertainment industry, and after a few projects I became known by the public.

That enabled me to start an NGO [Indonesian Ocean Pride], which is now making a difference, and I’m excited about the collaborations I’ve made so far.

Can you tell us how Indonesian Ocean Pride started?

In 2015, I was on a research trip in Papua tagging and researching leatherback turtles and whale sharks with an elite team of marine environmentalists, such as Doctor Mark Erdmann, Sarah Lewis and Shawn Heinrichs. Then I stepped back and realised nobody here in Indonesia knew anything about these projects, so we got together and collaborated and made a movement to get the nation involved and connect people back to the ocean again. Since then, thanks to efforts during our first campaign, West Papua has become the World’s First Conservation Province.

Tell us about your father … and what it was like with him.

My dad was an adventurer, and the most knowledgeable man about the ocean I have ever met, to this day.

From the age of three years old I was always going on expeditions with him on boats with his team and friends.

I was always that kid who was brought along for the ride.

I went all over the country on boats like that until I was maybe 10 years old. My dad was always trying to find uncharted territories … his life was a search, like a dream to most people.

Do you have memories of interacting with marine life as a child?

Growing up in Sumba, I swam with manta rays and sharks. I remember being in the ocean trying to catch dinner amongst 40 southern right wales while a pod of orcas was attacking them. That's how I remember the ocean as a kid. There was so much sea life back then, different sized tiger sharks saying ‘hello’ in the water. Now I am helping to preserve marine species and I will do whatever I can to enable my kid to see this kind of sea life when she gets older.

Tell us about your new TV show, Indonesian Authentic Places.

I wanted to give Indonesian viewers an educational platform. With Indonesian Authentic Places on MNCTV, I have an opportunity to showcase the country and its heritage to a large audience. Our tag line is “Eksplor Dan Jaga Indonesia” which means “Explore and Conserve Indonesia”. I’ve been pushing this message a long time, and it’s good to see people beginning to take action by not using single-use straws and plastic bags. I am excited to see how Indonesia connected with nature again.

What are the biggest challenges with ocean conservation in Indonesia?

Patrolling waters is so hard in a country that spans across 17,500 islands, each one like a different country, with the widest arc of marine life. It’s almost impossible to patrol the waters but maritime forces do. Our nation has been losing an estimated 20 billion dollars a year – over 10 thousand illegal fishing vessels have been operating every single day. Can you imagine the devastation that has taken place? Now with the maritime patrols and the hard work from KKP and Ibu Susu Pudjiastuti it’s coming to an abrupt end.

What are the most effective ways to get the message out about ocean pollution?

As Indonesians, we have gone through a cultural shift and detached ourselves from the ocean, forgetting that we are a maritime ocean people. Now supermarkets deliver food to people and they don’t understand where food comes from any more – the number of hunters and gatherers with respect for nature has fallen dramatically.

The message about ocean pollution can be spread not only by educating the next generation, but also through every individual making a difference, even a small change. We are ocean people and Indonesian Ocean Pride's mission is to connect Indonesian people back to the sea again.

How have you seen the perception of the ocean change in Bali over the past decade?

For me the focus on environmental awareness shifted with surfers: as they don't want to be swimming in rubbish. Surfers have helped to bring awareness to the oceans as they’re so connected to the seas. Now I see surfers are giving back to Bali too and not just coming for the waves. It sends a positive message to the community to be responsible and look after mother earth.

What advice would you give young people who want to get involved in eco-activism?

It’s not difficult to make a change. Avoid single use plastics and shift to reusable straws and tote bags as part of your every day lifestyle without preaching or telling people what to do, and you’ll find it’s contagious. So first lead by example, then you can consider other NGOs: whatever suits you. Our goal is to give collaborators a spotlight through our network, to empower people, keep the fire burning. The time is now . . . we don't have time to wait for the next generation: if we understand that, we can all make a difference.

Congratulations on becoming a father. What are your plans for 2020?

My number one priority is my wife and daughter followed by several projects tied to marine conservation. I’m going to be on this earth for 40 more years and I want to leave a positive footprint. My drive is my daughter, her name is ‘Zalina’, Zali means ‘Strength from the Sea”. It fits. Because I don't want be part of a generation that has ruined things for my kid. www.indonesianoceanpride.org

Hamish Daud, founder of Indonesian Ocean Pride, architect and TV personality is passionate about conservation in Indonesia. he spoke to karen donald.

outstanding in his field.

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people

now you see him, now you don't. jean blake travels the world making magic wherever he goes.

PHOTO BY ryerson anselmo for costes portrait,

jack the lad.

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Jean what does magic mean to you?

Magic is that special moment that the artist creates, when something that previously seemed impossible becomes a reality. But more than that for me magic is to travel, to see new cultures and enjoy life.

How did you grow up and when did you decide you wanted to be a performer and an illusionist?

I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and I have loved magic ever since I was a kid.

I had my first big show when I was in my second year of high school, where I wasn’t shy at all. Magic has been a part of my life for 20 years and my first real job ever was in a magic store. Five years ago I decided to do magic for living.

What did it take to get to where you are today with your craft?

A lot of time dedicated to learning and mastering different skills, a lot of practice and thousands of people! It also took a lot of courage for me to fly to other countries where I didn’t know anyone, to start from scratch again and again, having faith in my abilities to allow me to travel the world. What helped me most with this, as well as with not seeing my family for many years, was a positive mindset.

Why is it that people know ‘magic’ is a trick but they are still amazed by it?

Because the "trick" is only 15% of the effect in its entirety, there is no magic without an artist, the people enjoy the moment, the atmosphere, the character, the presentation, the show, and all of that affects the impact of the illusion.

What’s the biggest trick you have ever done?

I have appeared many times on the television in South America, and in one of these appearances I took a piercing piece and swallowed it. After swallowing it I then took it out of my body – from my eye. It was my craziest trick yet, but unfortunately I dont have the video for this trick. I'm ready to do it again.

Who are the best working magicians in the world today?

David Copperfield, Juan Tamariz . . . and me of course!

When was the last time you saw a trick from another magician and had no idea how it was done?

I used to work in Uruguay with Daniel K, the best Uruguayan magician. He had a dictionary in his hands, and asked everyone to think of a word. He then threw a ball of paper into the audience, where the person who caught the paper ball threw it again, making it a totally random choice of person in the audience. The woman was told to think of a word, and then Daniel K asked her to join him to the stage. He gave her the dictionary, and asked her to look for the word, but the page with that word was missing . . . imagine . . . then when she opened the ball of paper she found the missing dictionary's page, with her word circled. Mind blowing.

Are you ever tempted to use your card skills at the casino?

Everyone asks me that question, but I don't really like casinos, and my magic makes money on its own.

There are plenty of magicians in the world today, what makes you stand out?

I travel around the world doing magic, so I keep my skillset fresh with new illusions and new skills. I also genuinely enjoy sharing my illusions, which I think rubs off on the audience. Plus I'm cute as hell lol! No really I live by this quote from Rene Lavand. "The people can forgive you if a trick goes wrong, but they never will forgive you if they get bored."

Can anyone become a magician?

I think it's possible for anyone to learn some basic magic tricks, but in my opinion magicians are born with a love for magic, as well as the desire to create impossible moments.

What’s the difference between magic, mentalism and illusion?

Everything is an illusion, as an artist you are creating illusions, but mentalism is to play with the spectator's mind, like mind reading, mind control, predictions, that kind of thing.

What do you think about magicians who reveal how they do their tricks?

I think that maybe they just do it to get attention. While these magicians can destroy the mystery a little, they can't destroy a good show.

Where would be your dream gig, and what would you do there?

To do magic at all events staged by The Yak! I also love to travel so it would be to do big stage shows, touring all over the world.

What’s the best reaction you hope for from an audience?

That the audience feels various emotions when they witness my magic.

Sometimes the audience applauds, sometimes they scream and other times they can’t even speak . . . that's when I know it's working.

If we gave you one hundred dollars would you show us how you did that?

With more than 20 years of practice, acquired knowledge, mentors, travel and experience . . . it would need to be much more than a hundred bucks. www.jeanblake.com @soyblake

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people

Hi Dmitry and Ayu. So what made you want to open a world-class tennis centre and academy?

Our mission is pretty straightforward: to create a better life for everyone through sport and tennis. We want people (especially youngsters) to put aside their gadgets, get out of bars and do more sports. We’re strong believers that sport makes happier and healthier lives, and tennis is one of the healthiest sports on the planet. That’s why we launched our free Liga.Tennis app in 2017 and decided to open Liga.Tennis Center & Academy in May 2019.

Can you give us the lowdown on LTCA and what makes it special?

Located in Umalas, LTCA is a high-end tennis centre with six professional ITFstandard courts, fully equipped classrooms, a tennis cafe, pro-shop and lounge.

State-of-the-art innovations for guests include video streaming with match playbacks and a tie-in to our Liga.Tennis app. With more than 330 sunny days a year, LTCA provides the best possible tennis conditions for families, groups, amateurs and professional players. But LTCA is more than the sum of its facilities.

It’s going to be a game changer for tennis in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Sounds like you have some pretty lofty plans afoot. Can you tell us a bit more about your goals?

Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we’ve split our goals up by years. In 2019, we’ll mainly focus on our after-school junior academy, individual and group lessons, some tennis tourism and possibly inviting some ATP or WTA players to train late in the year. In 2020, we’ll launch the Liga.Tennis Foundation, as well as a nationwide coaches development programme and national tournaments for adults and juniors. By 2021, we want to be organizing ITF Juniors, Challengers and Futures tournaments and starting from 2022, hold an ATP/WTA 250 professional tennis tournament in Bali.

Can you tell us more about the Liga.Tennis Foundation?

The foundation is a project very close to our hearts. Together with a strategic corporate sponsor, we want to organize a framework for developing junior talent in Indonesia. We plan to run regular tournaments across the country and have our coaches scout juniors with the most potential. Those players will be offered the opportunity to move to Bali with their parents for a one-month trial with all expenses covered by Liga.Tennis Foundation.

Throughout the month, the players will work closely with coaches at our academy on the courts and in the classrooms to see if they have what it takes for us to offer them a long-term contract based on a free-of-charge or subsidized scholarship. It’s not just about talent but also work ethic and attitude on and off the court. Even if it doesn’t work out for these players in this initial outing, we will be supporting grassroots tennis around Indonesia and will be following all of the players we have worked with via the foundation closely.

Speaking of coaches, who do you have working with you at the moment?

We currently have a team of world-class coaches and will be expanding the ranks as we go. Drawing from both local and international talent, our coaching experts are all qualified and experienced with years of coaching in Bali and worldwide. Among them are R. Jordan A. Sanchez, Paul McCabe, Zamir Mohamed Yacob, Kadek Pursika and Komang Kurniawan, who represent four different nationalities and tennis backgrounds.

What programmes do you currently offer?

We have the Junior Academy for players aged four to 18 years old, individual lessons, packages, tennis camps and retreats, casual court hire and wheelchair tennis. In addition, we have regular fun group lessons for all types of tennis lovers nearly every day. For example, our Cardio Tennis class is an active tennis session (think a cross between a spinning class and tennis) for all levels. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a racket before!

The green movement is happening and huge right now in Bali. What is LTCA's policy on environmental issues?

We care. We’re currently educating against single-use plastic bottles at the site and are also looking at organising events to fight plastic pollution on the island that we can promote through our Liga.Tennis app to reach thousands of users worldwide. Our office team will also wear uniforms that are made from 40% recycled plastic. We’re currently talking to sponsors and prominent people in the environmentalist sphere to try and keep our impact to a minimum.

Sounds good to us. So how do we sign up?

Anyone can book a court or lesson online with a few taps on our app regardless of whether you are a member or not. However, members will also receive special benefits like one hour of free court booking every day up to five times a week, priority court booking, discounts on food and beverages and group lessons, and one introductory individual lesson with any member of our coaching team. You can apply for membership via our website or the app.

Last but not least, do you have any exciting events planned this year?

Yes, we are organising the Liga.Tennis Open 2019, which will be held from August 3 to August 11. This special event will feature cash prizes of IDR100 million, and the tournament will be open for all levels of competitive players with various categories to accommodate players from club to international level.

We are already on track to attract more than 300 players including confirmed groups from various countries. All matches will be streamed on YouTube and the Liga.Tennis app and we anticipate a large audience to attend big matches.

And like an ATP or WTA tournament, we will be holding on-court interviews for selected matches. Visit our website for more details and to sign up! www.liga.tennis/ltca

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world class sport comes to bali with LIGA.Tennis.

New balls please. image: oscar munar.

on court with ltca founders Dmitry Shcherbakov & Ayunanda Mahartaning.

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culture vulture

willem de jonge shares a family album of some note.

My grandfather Jonkheer Bonifacius Cornelis De Jonge was Governor General in the Dutch East Indies from 1931-1936. [Governor General was the equivalent of what the Viceroy in India was to England]. He married Anna Cornelia Barones Van Wassenaer and with their four children they lived in Bogor Palace on Java. My father Johan Antoni De Jonge was his father's Aide de Camp from 1932-1936.

The family travelled extensively throughout the archipelago, including an official visit to Bali in April 1935, during which these photographs were taken by national and international press agencies, court photographers and the family.

Together they form a unique and historically rare collection of 1250 images spanning his tenure as the last Dutch Governor of Indonesia, “A souvenir of life on and around the Throne of Bogor”, as it was dramatically called. The photographs in this article are combined with a short text translated from my grandfather’s diary.

My name is Willem De Jonge. If you would like more detailed information about the collection you can contact me at: willemadriaandejonge@gmail.com Visit to Bali April, 1935 Wednesday 10 April … We left for Banjouwangi where we boarded on H.M S. "Prins Van Oranje" arriving in the late afternoon in Boeleleng on Bali, the start of a beautiful tour around the island. We held a reception that day at the house of Resident De Haze Winkelman and dined without guests. The next day we visited a Lontar Library, where I was offered a Lontar book.

We then witnessed the Running of the Bulls in the Poera of Sang-sit, after which we drove along the "Riviera" of Bali. Refreshments in the Pasanggrahan of Gitgit, lunch in Singaradja and in the afternoon to

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Kintamani. Due to the weather we could not enjoy the famous view on Mt Batoer.

In the evening we attended a performance of the curious Sangjan in the Poera. A dance by young girls in trance, walking over burning coal without being affected by the fire. We stayed in the Hotel owned by the K.P.M., an important link in the chain that this shipping company has created throughout Bali, with the purpose to preserve Bali's unique culture and keep tourism under control.

After having enjoyed the beautiful view the next morning we drove on via Bangli to the Royal Tombs followed by a visit to the Poeri in Gianjar. Before lunch we arrived in Den Pasar where we stayed with Assistent Resident Jansen. After dinner without guests we attended a remarkable ceremony, the Ketjak, performed by 150 men representing two armies of monkeys.

Saturday April 13 … from Den Pasar via the colony for lepers in Sioet to Kloengkoeng: an exhibition of arts and crafts, the Batcave and another colony for lepers near Boekboek. We then arrived to the Poeri of the Anak Agoeng in Karangasem. A very kind and civilized man.

At our arrival something very unusual took place.

Also here, like in other places, priests and pedandas were attending, who prayed for the well-beings of the Viceroy and his family. This prayer, translated in Dutch, was handed over to me, which has actually never happened before and was meant as a token of special trust and praise. The prayers of the priests are not supposed to become public.

A scaffolding was built on the compound of the Poeri with on top of it a resting place with a magnificent

baldachin. When I asked what the meaning of it was I was told that the good spirits were asked to accompany me and protect me, but at the same time should have the opportunity to rest while I was present somewhere. Lunch was hosted by the Negara rulers. We received gifts.

Sunday April 14th … back to Singaradja via Batoeriti and Bedoegoel where we were offered a proper luncheon in Passagrahan on Lake Bratan. The lunch was hosted by the European authorities in Bali.

Later again I received an audience in Singaradja. One of the visitors was the Anak Agoeng of Karangasem who offered a petition in which was requested to restore self-rule in Bali. It was indeed a fact that the position of the Negara rulers was ambiguous. I could not agree more and promised to consider the matter seriously. But matters like this need time.

I was pleased that before my departure, more steps in favour of self-rule were taken. On July 1st 1938 the new situation was established. I wrote to the Anak Agoeng to offer my congratulations with this important event, receiving the following telegram in response: "Bali's self-rulers sincerely thank you and Mrs. De Jonge for your highly appreciated congratulations, remembering your gracious attention on offering our request".

That Sunday evening we witnessed another splendid spectacle. In the yard in front of the Resident's house a beautiful gamelan had arrived. On a low platform a dance was performed, by Goesti Rake, Bali's best dancer. It was a dignified finale of our stay.

Jonkheer Bonifacius Cornelis de Jonge, Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, 1931-1936.

DK 1 ... the first car in Bali carries the penultimate dutch governor of indonesia.

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culture vulture the kebyar duduk, sitting dance.

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clockwise from top left: H.M S. "Prins Van Oranje"; carried away to gunung kawi; running bulls; royal tour.

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feature

diana darling reflects on a bali fast Disappearing.

If you came to Bali as a young thing in, say, 1976 (or in 1980, as I did), you would have seen things that you can’t capture in a selfie. You would have seen the movement of the invisible. But these days the old holy has become shy.

It used to flash out everywhere – at springs and by dusty roadsides, on stone steps, in magical drawings on cloth. It surged up through trees, bounced on fireflies, and glowed at the bottom of a dirty glass of arak. It danced in public. The Balinese were playful with the holy in those days, with their rough trance and bawdy ritual theatre. Their religion was an unselfconscious, multi-dimensional gorgeousness, which to the Balinese was just ordinary life.

Now modern Balinese are becoming pious, and their religion is becoming a venue of identity politics. For the tourists, it’s wallpaper. The official face of Balinese culture is no longer a farmer but a grotesquely madeup dancer, often dancing for travel agents or guests of the government. The spontaneous magic and natural glamour of art performed for the gods now appears as just another entertainment item, before or after dinner. The ‘sacred’ is now a branding theme, applied to tour packages, spa treatments, cocktails.

Cultural tourism – conceived by prominent Balinese in the 1970s – was a strategy for somehow sharing their culture with tourists without ruining it. In those days, Balinese culture was a rural way of life with a peculiarly spectacular way of engaging with the spirit

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world. Then, slowly, what a tourist could see of the culture became obscured by the visual noise of new buildings and traffic jams; and the tourism product shifted from ‘culture’ to self-indulgence.

But life is like that: it keeps changing, and it tends to get worse as you grow old. Tourists have been complaining about the ruin of Bali since the 1930s.

These days there is a generation of expatriates who remember the 1970s and ‘80s as a time when Bali was still infused with the old holy.

Things looked different then. Before the advent of cement blocks in Bali, people built their houses from what was on hand: stone and bamboo from the river gorge, mud bricks made in the back yard, and tough wild alang-alang grass for the roof. For Balinese, the ‘bathroom’ was the pigpen and the river. For foreigners, the bathroom was under the eaves, with a bin of water filled every day by a girl carrying a bucket on her head from the nearest stream.

This girl, your pembantu, did everything for you, because you yourself couldn’t carry water (or firewood or market produce) on your head. You didn’t know how to wash your clothes in the river. You rather felt like you couldn’t cook rice. Your pembantu would come to work at dawn and sweep the packed-earth yard around your house of the blossoms that had fallen in the night, and then spend the day cooking, laundering, doing your errands. But the main reason she was there was to make the daily offerings. She

was probably the daughter or niece of your landlord, who was concerned about all the demons that would be attracted to the house of a foreigner. So she was there to keep harmony on the land. (Her doing everything else for you foreshadowed the pampering style of resort hospitality.)

In your little bamboo house, lighting was kerosene lamps that your pembantu cleaned and filled at the end of every afternoon, after sweeping up again before the swift fall of night. You listened to music on a little cassette player that ran on batteries. You also needed batteries for your torch, which you carried in a woven Dayak bag – along with a sarong and temple sash – whenever you left the house. You wrote on a little manual typewriter, or by hand.

Your bed was built of bamboo and it wobbled. The mattress was thin and lumpy, and had to be aired regularly by your pembantu. Your Chinese bedlinen from Singapore was baked fresh in the sun. If something really had to be ironed, your pembantu did it, of course, with an iron heated with burning charcoal. This sometimes scorched the cottonrayon clothes that everyone wore and many expats designed.

The weather was always with you. Nowhere was truly indoors. In the hot dry months of September and October, the world was coated in fine dust. In the rainy season your feet were always wet, and your leather shoes (which you never wore except to go

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to Immigration) turned green with mould. Often in the rainy season you would be soaked to the skin in a sudden downpour. Then you would dry yourself at the fireplace in your kitchen, with a glass of muddy coffee, and wood smoke swirling in your hair.

In those days before telephones and fax, much less the internet, important business communications were conducted by telex at somebody’s office. But if you wanted to talk to anyone in Bali, you went to their house. To get there, you might walk along the beach or through Ubud and the occasional rice field. If it was far, you’d go by motorbike. If you had to go into Denpasar, you might take a bemo – a tiny truck with benches in the covered thing on the back – which plied vaguely defined routes and picked up anyone who waved it down. If your day in Denpasar was to be a busy one – say, the bank and then some shopping on Jalan Gajah Mada, then picking up airline tickets at the Bali Beach Hotel, followed by lunch at the Tandjung Sari – you might hire the bemo for the day for your private use and feel like a lord.

Time was slow in those early days, when nothing was truly comfortable or convenient and entertainment was scarce. People looked for the extraordinary in the subtle things around them. In your bamboo hut, you lived with the earth, amidst its smells and sounds.

There was the sound of water running through ditches in the rice fields outside your house; the sucking sound of a buffalo pulling a plough through the mud, and the rattle of its wooden bell. There was massive birdsong in the morning, and the soft whooping of owls in the night, and the sound of wind rattling the leaves of coconut trees. The croaking of frogs was so large a feature of the night that the frog orchestra was a popular theme in the carving of wooden souvenirs and stone statuary, with each frog carrying a musical instrument. And you lived with the sky, ever alert to the weather and the time of day and the age of the moon. Would you get home before dark? Would there be enough moonlight to light your way?

In your sooty kitchen, you learned that the gods had resting places there – in the firewood rack above the stove, by the big terracotta water jug, in the rice basket

– and your pembantu gave them little offerings every day after the cooking was done. She also put offerings at all the important points around the house where the invisible tended to cluster: by the gate, on the seat of your motorbike, on the ground in the middle of the well-swept yard, and on the little purpose-built shelf above your bed. Your landlord would have insisted that your house have its own temple, perhaps just a single shrine, before building began on the house itself. On certain days the offerings would be more elaborate and you might be encouraged to put off going to Denpasar for another, more auspicious day.

It was a time of oblivion about the rest of the world, partly imposed by Suharto’s military dictatorship which permitted only news that flattered it.

International newspapers and magazines were censored and always out of date. Bank transfers and letters from your family took weeks to arrive.

Sometimes you felt like you lived on another planet.

Yet it was a warm, voluptuous, and spacious planet.

There was plenty of room for everything, and great freedom to move around in it. You could go anywhere you wanted, could drive up or down a street as you pleased and park at the door of wherever you were going, stop right outside the gates of a temple festival, where there was room for everyone to mill about in the ritual clutter. In the 1980s you could fly from Bali to Jakarta on a nearly empty DC-10, drinking whisky and smoking kreteks.

In those days, only the main roads were paved, and if you stuck to them you’d never get lost anywhere on the island. You always had a view of Gunung Agung.

On the coast, you could walk from your bedroom down a dirt track straight onto the beach.

And, if you liked, you could stroll along the beach completely naked, for this was also a time of astonishing personal liberty. The Balinese may have thought you were mad, or barbaric, but they didn’t appear to mind; or perhaps they were just too courteous to say anything. If you made a mess of yourself on magic mushrooms, they cleaned you up and called in a healer.

Very early on, there was a special relationship between the Balinese and the foreigners. It was not equitable, but it was collaborative and extremely fertile. This had much to do with the fact that, especially in the 1970s, Bali was very poor. Its economy was agrarian and its technology was neolithic. A decade earlier it had been devastated by mass killings and famine.

And the national government, which permeated everything, promised that riches would be brought to Bali by international tourism – so foreigners were to be welcomed.

The early expats were not what the government had in mind, however. Indonesia was preparing (with great slowness) for a style of high-end tourism where visitors would stay in an enclave of five-star hotels, spend their dollars on souvenirs, and quickly be on their way. But in the 1970s, Bali was also a fabled destination on the hippie trail that extended from the Mediterranean through Afghanistan and India to Southeast Asia. It was about drugs and surfing and mysticism, and Bali was the jewel at the end of the rainbow.

These unanticipated visitors could hardly believe the glory of Kuta beach and its rolling surf and sunsets that soaked the world in red at the end of every day.

And they were fascinated by the Balinese – by their beauty and dexterity, by their outlandish intimacy with the gods, by their fearless and tender care of the dead.

Above all, they were delighted by their exuberant welcome. Whatever a wasted hippie might wish for, the impoverished Balinese competed to provide. A place to stay? Come stay at my house! A cold beer? We have the coldest! Or maybe you’d like me to climb a palm tree for a coconut? No problem!

Before long, foreigners and Balinese entered into a long love affair of many guises. Some of course were simply love affairs, and some resulted in marriages.

Many of these produced little businesses, such as food stalls that catered to the tastes of surfers, hippies, and the growing tide of Australian students on holiday.

Some grew into destination restaurants. The famous Made’s Warung took off in 1969 when the Dutchman Peter Steenbergen fell in love with the nubile Madé

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Masih, and they began serving food that foreigners craved, like bacon cheeseburgers and lemon sorbet soaked in vodka. Others saw the potential for producing handicrafts or jewellery or simple clothes.

Or furniture. Or artwork in shells or glass. Or whatever.

Some became rich in logistics businesses, exporting whatever people thought up to sell. Foreigners provided ideas and marketing, while Balinese provided labour and land. Investment cash came from wherever you could find it, and many Indonesians from outside Bali flocked to get in on the action.

Expats in Kuta set the pace for going modern. They were the first to devise hot-water showers (say, from a coiled black hose on the roof of the bathroom), the first to design chic houses of timber and polished cement, the first to get air-conditioning, the first to venture into gastronomy. They partied hard at discotheques until breakfast time. Their Balinese partners opened petrol stations and supermarkets.

The scene in Sanur, on the other hand, was about gentility. Whereas Kuta’s expats were young and ardent, Sanur’s expats were sedate and exclusive; many lived in a park of private villas in Batujimbar.

The focus of chic in Sanur was the Tandjung Sari hotel, which began as a few little huts on the beach, and whose brand evolved as bare-foot epicureanism for rock stars and royalty, in contrast to the hulking Hotel Bali Beach up the coast, whose main market was international sales conventions. Hotels and expat houses in Sanur were large, fan-cooled bungalows and open-air pavilions surrounded by coral walls and masses of bougainvillea. Sanur’s most notorious expatriate was the Australian painter Donald Friend, who lived there in the 1960s and whose household was run, or perhaps overrun, by young boys. This idyll was perfected in the 1980s by the Australian landscape designer Made Wijaya. But aside from serving in houses or hotels, the native population of Sanur remained aloof from the foreigners, and devised their own, sometimes clueless, local restaurants and souvenir shops according to what they imagined the tourists wanted. They mostly kept to their own quiet way of life, their coral temples, and their discreet black magic.

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Meanwhile in Ubud – which conceptually included the villages of Peliatan, Mas, Celuk, Batubulan, and Batuan – the tourism scene was all about ‘culture’.

Already in colonial times, Ubud had been known to tourists as ‘the village of painters’ while Peliatan was ‘the village of dancers’, Mas ‘the village of woodcarvers’, Batubulan ‘the village of stone carvers’ and Celuk ‘the village of silversmiths’. Batuan was good at all these things. But the village of Ubud had the nous of marketing culture to tourists, thanks to the enthusiasm of Puri Ubud, its ruling family, for engaging with foreigners since the 1920s. Its most glamorous guest in those days was Walter Spies, the German painter, musician and amateur ethnographer who became the model for later generations of Ubud expats of how to ‘be’ in Bali – that is, you must be erudite in all things Balinese: the inscrutable multi-level language and peculiar calendars, the impossibly complicated music that made your heart ring like a bell. Visiting anthropologists found Ubud a good base from which to conduct their studies. The local people were used to foreigners and happy to elucidate what they understood from Puri Ubud to be Balinese culture.

In the 1970s, Ubud’s tourists were accommodated mostly in homestays, little huts in people’s backyards, which allowed visitors to participate in the life of the host family. The Balinese took pleasure in helping their guests put on traditional temple dress in order to fit in more respectfully with local religious ceremonies, and both sides did their best to understand each other’s strange cultures. Lasting friendships often arose, and of course businesses, too. Perhaps the most exemplary of these is Threads of Life – an endeavour started

by Jean Howe and her husband William Ingram, with the help of I Wayan Sudarta – which is devoted to indigenous textile traditions of Indonesia. The friendship perhaps began when Jean saw the ghost of Sudarta’s late father sitting in the family courtyard.

No matter where they were, Bali’s expats of the 1970s, ‘80s and even ‘90s seemed to ride a tsunami of success. This was a time when if you had an idea, you could carry it out. Start something, design something, build something, stage something. Creativity was burgeoning, and everywhere there were bright young

Balinese to help you turn it into a business project.

The Balinese were caught up in the excitement. They contributed their talent and their connections, their genius for teamwork. Jewellers and woodcarvers and dancers and builders brought the knowledge they’d inherited about the old way of doing things and an eagerness to do things in a fresh new way – and make money!

For this was also a time when money was surging into the island. Everything multiplied – the population, the tourist arrivals, the hotels and artshops, the banks, the villas, the malls and spas and gourmet shops and car dealerships – and urban Bali is now almost choking on money. The only thing that has not multiplied is the land, but there are plans for that.

In this newly rich and crowded world, the Balinese see money as the metric of success, even a virtue: if it makes money it must be good. Yet the people of Bali have not lost their bearings, nor their memory of poverty. Money – a new form of life’s abundance – is gratefully recycled back to the gods in religious ceremonies, always on a scale beyond their means.

Ritual extravagance is a sign of devotion. And big ceremonies make a point about Hindu pride.

Yet to some outsiders, excess and the holy do not go together. Foreigners have always had their own notions about what Bali should be; in general, they think Bali should be the way it was when they first got there. Some foreigners today feel that the Balinese should be spending their new wealth on education, health care, waste management, low-impact public transport, and animal welfare shelters.

But the Balinese have always known how to manage the universe. The difference between now and then is that in the olden days, the entire universe seemed to fit into the little world that was Bali, and to us the fit looked perfect.

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feature

why did you come to bali? we asked diana darling to dissect a generation of island refuseniks. image: oscar munar. styling by angie angGoro.

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Seated, left to right: Bruce Carpenter Collector and connoisseur of Indonesian tribal art.

Cynthia Hardy Muse, businesswoman and co-visionary with her husband John.

Amir Rabik Entrepreneur and host to the stars.

Jean Howe California-sunshine carrier and co-founder of Threads of Life.

Leonard Lueras Writer, publisher, and consumerresearcher for Bintang beer.

Standing, far right: Arthur Karvan Founder of the famous Arthur’s club in Sydney; designer of fashion fabrics and boutique residences Standing, left to right, back row: Emerald Starr Chocolate entrepreneur and developer of spiritual resorts in bamboo.

Pintor Sirait Sculptor in steel and expert best friend.

Milo Fashion designer, devoted son, and celebrity host.

William Ingram Co-founder and chronicler of Threads of Life; former computer geek.

Ananda Hart Painter and socialite; former Hollywood movie star super-hero.

Ian van Wieringen Painter; expert on long-legged beauties.

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feature For one thing, we were young. Even so, most of us already had a past. Some of us had recently been in the movies or bereaved or divorced or bankrupt or had just got out of jail. Most of us had been travelling for a while – often rough, sometimes dangerously.

And the much-missed Madé Wijaya, né Michael White – who famously arrived in Bali in 1973, having jumped ship and swum ashore in a storm – designed beautiful gardens for resorts and moguls all over Southeast Asia.

But his brilliance was his uncanny understanding of Bali.

Everyone was good at something, although some hadn’t yet discovered what it was. Everyone was looking for something, even if they didn’t know exactly what it was.

Each of us had a private Bali, peopled with Balinese friends and families, who gave us a place to live and opened up worlds to us, introduced us to young craftsmen and old sorcerers, took us to holy places, and showed us the way to behave around ‘the gods’. They taught us the gamelan tuning systems and how to carve masks and make them come alive in the dances.

Some were looking for a sort of perpetual high, where the air was always gentle and there was always someone cool down the beach or at the next table, and no one would bother you about who you were or how you spent your days and nights, and if you ran out of money it was easy to make some more, if only enough for the next week.

We were all sorts of people – actors, scholars, con artists, filmmakers, fashion mavens, lawyers, fortune-tellers, potters, musicians, mystics, chefs, beach bums, heiresses, poseurs, photographers, traders, painters, stockbrokers, surfers, dancers, published and unpublished poets, and publishers, too. Some were good at taking rich people around the archipelago. Everyone had a go at designing something; some made a fortune at it.

Before the late Linda Garland became “the bamboo queen”, she designed nice things for the home, made

by Balinese artisans. Her genius lay in persuading rock stars and tycoons that they needed these things. She decorated homes for David Bowie and Sir Richard Branson. Everyone who was important adored her.

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We used to gather at places like Murni’s, Mak Beng, the Tandjung Sari, the Blue Ocean and Madé’s Warung. We got our mail at the poste restante of the local post office.

(The late Shane Sweeney, a seminal expat, once waited for months for an important letter, only to find it filed under “M”, for “Mr.”) We shared tailors and sent each other presents with our driver, if we had one. When we started having children, some expats started schools, and later organic farmer’s markets. All the expat kids had Balinese children’s rites. Madé Wijaya said of the sons of Linda Garland and Amir Rabik that they had full Anak Agung wardrobes.

Snob appeal was varied, depending who you were. For some it was simply a matter of making a pile of money and spending it on building a fabulous house. For others it was having chic Balinese friends – venerable dance masters or priests or artists, or princelings in the government. In some circles, it was cool to be able to read Balinese script or to be treated for black magic.

Status symbols also varied. Everyone appreciated heirloom keris and rare Balinese textiles, and a few could wear these things with flair. What you drove, on the other hand, was never a big deal. It was more impressive to have a driver who could negotiate the bureaucracy and possibly wrangle snakes.

Some of us were just looking for something to do. Some of us were looking for a cheaper place to do what we were already doing. Some of us were looking for each other. None of us would have said at the time that we were looking for ‘healing’.

John Hardy had legendary success designing jewellery when he teamed up with his wife Cynthia. “He had the ideas, I had a business model,” she once said. Neiman Marcus, a high-end retailer, saw one of his silver key chain ornaments and said, basically, “Can you make us a gazillion of these as earrings?” They did, and John Hardy became a worldwide luxury brand.

Others were introverts and avoided foreigners, often irritating other expats by punctuating their speech with Balinese slang.

sarita newson, janice mantjika.

Perhaps we took our Balinese friends on tour to New York or India. We helped with their medical bills, and many put the children of their Balinese families through school.

When our Balinese friends died, we went to their house; later we gathered in a corner of the graveyard, smoking kreteks with the gong orchestra.

As expats, we were not nearly as nice to each other as we were to our Balinese friends; but then, unlike the Balinese, life among us was unstructured. Some people were extroverts and threw ‘full moon parties’ where everybody had to wear white.

Anthropologically, we felt a tribal kinship of oppression under Indonesia’s murky immigration laws; and we were serially polygamous. Our culture prized achievement and gratification. There was no point in being political, because we were foreigners and could be expelled on a whim. But as we got older, people became engaged with problems facing society and the environment, and many expats now work with Balinese in charitable foundations.

Today, as the group shot here shows, the early expats are still sexy. The man-eating divas may have gone vegan, but the fire of life is still blazing.

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so many moments in time, lived in the now.

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yak fashion

Photographer: Otkidach Anastasiya @otkidach Models : Danella Ilene @danellailene Krista Lunn @kristalunn for Balistarz Style / Assistant: Aimee Fogelman @notjustanyaimee Assistant: Miguel Lukas

this page and right: batik by Bin House @binhouse_official. headpiece by Milo www.milos-bali.com

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yak fashion

left: sarongs by milo www.milos-bali.com.this page: batik by Bin House @binhouse_official. bustier by milo.

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yak fashion batik by Bin House @binhouse_official.

Knecklace by milo www.milos-bali.com.

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batik and bustier by milo www.milos-bali.com.

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omnibus happy days.

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g av a f ox r ef l ects o n a m o th e r's l ov e a s h e l o ok s b ac k o n ti m es g o od a n d b a d.

My mother died last year and, to my eternal shame, it came as a blessed relief.

My father passed away 12 years earlier, and that

was a shock.

In the middle of the night, as he slept, he suffered

a massive stroke, and less than 48 hours later died

naked, the residents desperately trying to avoid looking.

A few weeks later she announced she was off to the

corner shop to buy some cigarettes, clad only in her bra and knickers.

Although she had spent most of her life in

without gaining consciousness.

Africa, we managed to find her a place at a home near

years - stubbornly defying the doctors who told us in

she was born.

My mother, however, lingered at death's door for

2009 that she had only months to go.

She was a bright and vibrant beauty in her day, the

queen of trivia who could beat everyone at Scrabble and do a crossword faster than anyone she knew.

She read voraciously – although in later years

became darkly fascinated by the true crime genre -

Birmingham, in Britain, just a mile or so from where My sister, bless her, also moved to the UK to be

nearby.

Mum was miserable at first, pleading with us to

take her home whenever we'd visit, but she was

deteriorating fast and soon had no idea where she was.

By coincidence, the sheltered accommodation had

and even in her seventies enjoyed nothing more than a

several nurses and helpers from Zimbabwe working there

Zimbabwe sun go down.

so in time mum forgot she was in the UK and became

glass of Baileys and a sneaky cigarette to watch the But then she started "losing it".

At first, shamefully, we accused her of being

– escapees from the country’s economic malaise – and convinced she was back in Africa.

When she settled in, she at first ruled the place

selfish, trying to grab the spotlight when her four

like the lady of the manor. She was still quite

attention.

gardens for an afternoon cigarette.

young granddaughters had become the centre of

She'd constantly repeat herself, forget even the

simplest things and make inappropriate comments to strangers.

Finally, we got a proper diagnosis. She was

suffering from Pick's disease, the specialist said,

mobile, and liked nothing more than a stroll in the We could even take her out for a lunch at a village

pub, although after a few hours you could tell she was getting anxious and wanted to return.

But her condition deteriorated fast.

Within a couple of years she was no longer mobile

which had us heading to the medical textbooks.

and had to be lifted out of bed into a wheelchair.

course with steady deterioration and fatality

knife and fork and had to be spoon fed by immensely

"Pick's disease has a rapidly progressing insidious

generally occurring (on average) four years from diagnosis," we read. "No known cure exists."

She came and stayed with me for a couple of months

in Singapore for one last hurrah, oblivious to our plans to put her in a dementia home, as doctors recommended.

That visit was bittersweet.

Frequently she was lucid, more than holding her own

in conversations with my friends over a long lunch, but the next day she could be a complete stranger.

Sometimes her actions were so shocking, you just

had to laugh.

One day at work I received an urgent call from the

security guard at my condominium asking me to return immediately. When I got home, mum was paddling in

the shallow end of the communal swimming pool, stark

Within months she was no longer capable of using a patient helpers.

There was still a twinkle in her eyes when you

visited, however, even if her vocabulary had been reduced to a few words.

On one of my last visits, she confused me with my

brother – attempting a smile but repeating his name as she gamely clasped my hand.

My brother stopped taking his daughters to see her.

He wanted them to remember her when she was full of life, not the hollow shell that she’d become.

And I dreaded visiting too.

The last time I did, it broke my heart. There

wasn’t even a flicker of recognition. She couldn’t say a word and just sat in her wheelchair, head slumped, drooling.

I left after 15 minutes.

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omnibus

I had to go for a long walk, in turns berating

myself for not having the courage to give her more of

my time, and feeling sorry for myself for being put in

me," was Beckham’s defense.

In an even more controversial case, French captain

this position.

Zinedine Zidane was sensationally sent off in the 2006

visit again, I got a long-awaited – but not dreaded

the Italian called him the “Son of a prostitute”.

Last year, a few months before I had planned to

– call from my sister to say mum had slipped into a

World Cup final after head-butting Marco Materazzi when Reduced to 10 men, France lost a final they were

pneumonia-related coma from which she was not expected

widely expected to win.

they were right.

issue.

to recover. Doctors gave her just hours, and this time There would still be one final indignity, however.

In her final hours she had been moved from the

dementia home to a local hospital, and as a result

there would have to be a full coroner’s inquiry into

Even Pope Francis has weighed in on the mother The Catholic Church, of course, elevates motherhood

to a holy pinnacle, with Mary, the mother of Jesus, venerated as a primary saint.

In a discussion of freedom of expression in 2015,

the cause of death.

Pope Francis defended the rights of individuals

health system is such these days that it would take

particular train of thought.

The state of Britain’s non-emergency national

nearly two months before that could be done, and her

to hold contrary opinions, but warned against one “Curse my mother, expect a punch,” said Francis.

body released.

“It's normal . . . you cannot provoke.”

around the world as International Mother’s Day,

not everyone makes a good mother – although it is the

This month – May 12 to be precise – is celebrated

although Britain stubbornly clings to the fourth Sunday of March to mark the date.

We all have mothers, even if some of us are not

fortunate enough to get to know them.

Nowhere in modern fiction, perhaps, is motherhood

given as much prominence as in the hit current TV

While motherhood is cherished around the world,

exception rather than the rule.

Take the case of Mary Ann Cotton, for example.

The 19th Century nurse poisoned and killed 11 of

her 13 children, all four of her husbands and two lovers – all for their insurance money.

The Times reported she still hoped for a royal

series Game of Thrones – particularly given the claims

pardon after conviction, but was hanged in 1873 and

houses competing for the sword-forged Iron Throne.

caused by the rope being cut too short – possibly

of various illegitimate offspring to the myriad ruling Daenerys Targaryen, one of the main characters and

arguably one of the good guys, is known as the “Mother of Dragons” having hatched three of the beasts by walking through fire.

Cersei Lannister, a definite baddie, has no doubt

been made worse by the deaths of three of her offspring

died not from her neck breaking, but by strangulation deliberately.

In her memoir Mommie Dearest, Christine Crawford

details how she was treated cruelly by her adoptive

mother, the Hollywood superstar actress Joan Crawford, who used her as a career-boosting accessory.

Turned into a hit Hollywood movie starring Faye

for whom she schemed endlessly over the course of the

Dunaway in the title role, it describes the author's

In many cultures, the worst insult you can hurl at

attracted much controversy regarding child abuse and

series.

an enemy is to insult their mother – seeing red can often, literally, be the result.

In 2004, playing for Real Madrid, David Beckham

thought he had tackled Real Murcia’s Luis Garcia cleanly, but the linesman flagged for a foul.

Enraged, the England captain unleashed his entirety

of Spanish at the official, calling him a hijo de puta (son of a whore). The referee went straight to his pocket and produced a red card.

"I didn't realise what I had said was that bad. I

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had heard a few of my team mates say the same before

upbringing by an unbalanced alcoholic mother and trafficking.

This month I’ll think back with a great deal of

regret, a great deal of gratitude and a great deal of love for the woman who was my mother.

Hopefully some time later this year, the three of

us – her children – along with various grand children, and friends, will gather in Zimbabwe to scatter mum’s ashes in a place she loved.

For those of you who still have your mums around,

enjoy them while you can.

sweet dreams are made of this.

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travel

We were somewhere on the edge of barstow when the drama began to take hold. by ano mac. images: harry Mark.

desert storm.

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Can’t remember where the idea originated. One day it was there and the next, well, much like a fart at a party it just appeared out of nowhere. You just remember thinking, damn, that hit fast, man that hit hard ... and didn’t that linger for longer than we wanted?

First, there was a pair and then a trio who quickly became a quartet, onto a quintet and finally, we stuck on a sextet. We came in from far flung and beyond, our little convoy of rogues and rascals. With no time at all spent dawdling in LA, we drove out of town on the 15 heading towards Vegas. In Barstow we hung a right and headed out into a land where the life had been sucked out of it, and then we continued on for another hour.

Then at a spot, much like every other spot for as far as the eye could see, a spot only a few souls on this earth could remember, he slowed his truck and with two concerted pulls on the steering wheel, hauled us to the left. Off onto an unsealed road where we plunged into a plague of Joshua trees that loitered from here to the horizon.

Forrest Minchinton and Micah Davis were the locals amongst this flush of fellows. Harrison Roach, Matt Cuddihy, Zye Norris and Lewie Dunn had flown in and now they were headed on to his dad’s place out behind yonder called The Compound. We drove past the fertile plains that turned to sand and in the distance we could see where their friend, the wind, had plied a whole lot of its convincing coaxing and piled mountains of it upon itself to make dunes. And the sky, the sky had no clouds.

I knew that wasn’t always the case. But when we were there, the absence of any kind of cloud was frankly disconcerting.

The plan was we’d amass before heading south. He’d scrounged around and managed to get four bikes together as well as a ‘63 Chevy panel van that was heavy on patina both inside and out. First light we packed up our kit at the desert compound and transferred to the caravan and headed out. We wanted to stay away from built-up areas. Taking a route that meandered south past places with names like Bagdad Lake and Old Woman’s Mountain, we’d head towards Calexico, a town well east of

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travel hardtracking.

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San Diego and some distance west of Yuma. Where we’d cross the border.

We’d blaze our own track down the Baja peninsula seeking the less ridden(and what would turn out to be much, much harder) road and hopefully discover that eureka moment it promised. But enough about the route, you’ll find a billion stories out there about this well-trodden path. Since the 1940s people have been heading to Baja to ride motorcycles. In the ’60s and ’70s people were going down there to surf.

Fast forward to now and here we were heading down the same road ... to do both.

You really get to know people when you remove the noise from around them.

Six friends spread across four bikes and a rust bucket Chevy panel wagon prone to breaking down and loaded to the gunnels with tents, boards, supplies and plastic bins full of ice and beer. This was a quest, you know, like some modern-day search for the Holy Grail. But we weren’t searching for an Eldorado, what we wanted was more like a motor nirvana. We wanted to hit the bike and board equivalent of enlightenment marinated in cold beer after a hot day, against a backdrop of dunes with a sky so full of stars that it looked like someone had sprayed silver paint across the entire canopy.

Well, things don’t always go to plan.

Brakes break, as do cables, tires, tubes, shocks, carbs and a scorecard of other bits and bobs that followed us south. Rerouting, two-up and towing became par for the course. Breakdowns and beer fuelled it. The Chevy stopped inexplicably in the middle of nowhere and smack bang atop of a bed of scorpions. Harry and Lewie we’re locked in the car for the better part of a night with just cold beer and the

thought of death by a thousand stings to keep them warm.

To get where we were going we had to put in at least five to six hours a day in the saddle, quickly developing sores and discomforts we each wore like boy scouts wear their merit badges. The four on the bikes were, for the most part, Forrest, Zye, Micah, and Matty. Harry and Lewie were in the Chevy. Ride, breakdown, beers ... repeat. The days melted together and our minds drifted and unintentionally we started to give in to a collective id. Pack mentality.

Up until then, we’d all been cutting our own routes, albeit in a planned direction and then by some unseen, unspoken command or snap of the fingers, we’d close rank and slip into this hive mind. Tempered under the relentless heat and the daily routine of ride, breakdown, beers ... repeat.

It got to the point that everyone looked forward to when the sun hit that position along its sweep across the sky telling us it was time to look for a place to make camp. We’d learnt the hard way it’s better to set up early than to leave it late. Now nearly 10 days in we wore bodies that continually ached yet we still had enough clarity in our sandblown minds to circle up quickly and efficiently.

Once the food was sorted and done that buzz of energy had us hankered into conversations that became barrage after an onslaught of different personal and logistical problems that we’d each been holding court with that day just past. As they petered out we got to opportunities and musings.

They all needed input or output and remember this is that time after you feel you have just finished the day, so most responses were neither helpful nor entirely civil ... then it is done

and you're necking the last out of the beer and heading to bed. Tomorrow we’ll do it all again.

There were many times along our route that one or all of us was seduced by the sirens' call of some such thing that appeared on an otherwise spotless horizon. Someone was bound to fly off towards a new-found jump, attraction, person, food stall or distraction whipping us into a frenzied dalliance by this or that, and of course in the risk of missing out, the rest would follow.

And that’s pretty much what happened on that last day when the coast came back and the desert turned to sea.

What was built broke apart. The one was gone and the individuals returned.

Renewed vigour trod tall through each of the six. The road hugged the barren coast for the next 50 miles and we were already totally intoxicated in her when finally ... the waves came into view. The very idea that we’d come together as one now seemed so distant and ludicrous that it was dropped like a hot tamale in the dust.

We parked the bikes, grabbed the boards and started to make for the water. We waded out to our knees and then as a wave passed, made that initial dive in. The cool waters washed away the fatigue we’d been carrying for the past two weeks and the first waves we caught made us forget about the tortuous repetition we’d needed to endure to get here. Now we had, it was all worthwhile.

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oral pleasures

saraH douglas is blown away by an indonesian tapas menu that surprises from the start at SVĂ . image: lucky 8

local with a lift.

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Local flavours and a contemporary vision set the scene at the new contemporary home of eats, drinks and beats in Berawa. SVÁ, (pronounced Swar), is a venue that overshadows its neighbours, standing a full three stories and clad in latticed black iron.

The ground floor bar overlooking the parking lot, in the shadow of Finns beach Club, gives only a glimpse of what lays await on the floors above. It’s a teaser, a taster, a place to sample an intoxicating cocktail inspired by local ingredients like turmeric, ginger, kemangi, cinnamon and pandan. Small bites follow suit with samplers like lumpia stuffed with seasonal vegetables, tenggiri fish cakes and a tangy tahu (tofu) spiked with palm sugar and tamarind.

Upstairs the full experience begins in the formal dining room that offers Indonesian tapas plates that travel from the garden, over land and sea. The real surprise comes in the shape of Chef Euis, who has packed a lifetime of experience into her short but travelled resumé. From her home in Bogor, Java, where her mother’s cooking inspires her dishes, to Dubai, to a stint at Blanco par Mandif, a master with Indonesian dishes, to her time with an Italian chef on the picturesque island of Bawah.

“My mother taught me about respecting ingredients, transforming local ingredients into delicious dishes prepared over time. Mandif opened my eyes to a modern version of Indonesian dishes. Working at Blanco par Mandif in the early days, cooking for just 10 guests, taught me about perfection, but it was an Italian chef who taught me to cook with love and passion,” she explains.

She learned early in her career that in the pursuit of perfection, taste is sometimes sacrificed. At SVÁ, she does it her way and the presentation is every bit as painstakingly beautiful as the taste. Her tapas dishes are designed with maximum impact, a real respect for ingredients and a solid knowledge of Indonesian food. From here she elevates the menu to present-inspired dishes that are lighter and fresher than the original. She wants people to sample more dishes, without feeling full to overflowing. Indonesian food can be heavy and rich, at SVÁ Euis aims to heighten the experience in a semi-fine dining setting.

The dining room itself is expansive and formal, with banquettes and tables scattered throughout the space, surrounded by windows. The service is charming and relaxed yet efficient.

Our Sunday evening meal began with cocktails downstairs, before we headed upstairs. While downstairs is created for a cocktail and a light bite, the dining room invites you to explore the affordable and brief but captivating menu.

We began with an urab salad, a very common dish across Indonesia, made with snake beans and a creamy coconut sauce. This version arrives deconstructed, the seasonal vegetables retain a fresh bite, a peanut cracker adds crunch, a light shredded coconut paste brings the flavours together and unusual additions like shredded red cabbage add colour and bite. Our waitress tosses the salad at the table to mingle the flavours; it’s fresh and delicious.

a beautiful lamb jus. Absolutely delicious and a steal at just Rp85,000 for two lamb chops.

Next on our list is Bebek Betutu, a Balinese-inspired dish that the Chef has recreated using a duck breast, cooked sous-vide style and then crisped at the last minute resulting in a tender, juicy piece of duck breast with all the signature spices of a classic betutu. This is also priced to appeal at under Rp100,000.

From the sea we chose the Udang Bakar Madu, (charred prawns) another familiar dish that was absolutely on the money. The texture of the prawns was ideal; the sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and savoury, definitely recommended for seafood lovers.

Euis feels a responsibility as a chef to promote local cuisine. Her time with Chef Mandif opened her eyes to how beautifully Indonesian food can translate to a fine dining experience. This sparked a passion in her, which is very clear on this menu.

Indonesian desserts are not easy to translate for western tastes, but again, Chef Euis has done it perfectly on this menu. It borders on revolutionary.

Dadar Gulung is a dish familiar to most Indonesians. Heavy on the pandan and coconut, loaded with palm sugar, it is generally very sweet. This version is light, the pandan balanced perfectly with jackfruit, the coconut comes as a steamed sponge and a nitro ice cream, which is both creamy and crunchy sparkles with pandan but doesn’t overpower. Wow. Sago is another dessert that Indonesians may recognize but not in this form.

Based on the coconut biscuits that are native to her home in Bogor, these form a crunchy base, layered with mango sauce, a mango gel, a steamed coconut sponge, caramelized banana and coconut ice cream, again flash frozen using nitro.

The menu here incorporates local flavours, contemporary plating and classic cooking techniques, but what surprises most is the balance brought to each thoughtful dish. And this talented young female chef who has such a clear vision of what she wants to achieve.

Upstairs, the final level in the SVÁ experience is a nightclub that sparkles with disco balls playing off smoky interiors. It is in its final lead up to opening on our visit so we’re denied a dance but it’s easy to see that a lot of money and effort has created this multi level venue.

The name SVÁ is derived from Sanskrit and the owner wants to imprint her Balinese culture onto the venue on an energetic level. It is contemporary, it is atmospheric (once you head upstairs) and it brings something new to this part of Berawa. Take the time to meet the chef, she’s inspiring and her menu throws a spotlight on Indonesian food through her light and beautiful tapas dishes that will surprise you. They did me. www.svabali.com

From the land menu we chose Tongseng Kambing, two perfectly seasoned lamb chops served with baby cos lettuce, cassava and coconut béchamel and

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oral pleasures

The wide-eyed thrill seekers shooting out of Waterbom’s most challenging slide, The Climax, can now stumble into a brand new concept restaurant to get their wits together, and it’s every bit as exciting as the ride itself.

Waterbom does things differently, and always has. As Asia’s premiere water park, it has evolved into so much more than a day out with the family. In fact many of their guests are adults. They come for the thrills and spills, a day out with piped music and swim up bars, to take advantage of the private cabanas for celebrations and gatherings and simply to have fun.

Do they notice the care and skill that has gone into the Food and Beverage outlets, the efforts that have gone into creating a 100% carbon neutral park, the lush gardens and chill out zones that are tended daily with filtered and recycled water? “ Probably not,” explains Chef, food guru and head of M&M catering, Michael Szarata, “but it makes us feel good”.

Waterbom has developed side by side with couture catering group, M&M Concepts. It is surely the only park that is catered by a world-class team of chefs who look after the park by day and cater some of Bali’s most glittering events by night.

Waterbom and M&M have grown up side by side. When Bali Hyatt’s Executive Chef, Michael, decided to hang up his apron and set up a food consulting group, Waterbom had just opened and was his first client.

The founders of Waterbom wanted to serve more than the predictable burgers and fries available at most parks. Michael arrived to overhaul the food outlets and took over as General Manager in the early years.

“It wasn’t my passion but it was a great experience for me. I started to build M&M behind the park at the same time and attracted some amazing chefs who would never have been interested in the job if it were only catering for a theme park. Not for long anyway,” he explains.

As the park has grown, and is now run by the innovative and ecoconscious Sayan Gulino, son of the founder, Waterbom has continued to break new ground. With food outlets scattered throughout the park, catering for the youngest to the most sophisticated palettes, it is safe to say that Waterbom’s Food and Beverage offerings rival most five-star resorts.

On my visit, I’m introduced to their latest concept, and a new food consultant in barbecue chef, Aaron Willis. The US-born Willis, aka “the generous chef”, will spend a year at Waterbom developing their new Beach Shack concept, complete with a barbecue pit and a smoking new menu.

Michael’s partner, former London caterer, Fiona Tarini, is in charge of concepts for M&M and is part of the big, happy family behind Waterbom.

“We are creating yet another exciting food destination here at The Beach Shack. We hired the design group behind Motel Mexicola to create a really funky, colourful space, which is adjoined to the new Sugar Shack.

It is the hub of our Sol Sessions series, with a regular line-up of DJs, and we’ve gone with a Caribbean-inspired grill menu to take things to the next level,” she explains. The concept also includes a complete overhaul of their cocktail menu. The perfect antidote to the heart-starting Climax.

Michael starts to get “cheffy” describing the menu at The Sugar Shack, waxing lyrical about Ottolenghi-inspired desserts and interactive cookie and soft serve stations, prompting Fiona to interrupt in the way of longterm partners. But I get it straight away. Enthusiasm is the lifeblood of

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this park, including a genuine passion for serving great food, and it never seems to diminish.

Behind Waterbom is a family of professionals who genuinely love their jobs. You can see it any day you visit. There is usually a team gathering at The Wantilan, the largest food outlet in the park, going over plans and brainstorming new ideas. The Wantilan is also scheduled for an artisanal overhaul next year but for now, shwarma stations, salads and healthconscious meals are offered alongside the burgers and fries that many patrons still love.

It’s entirely possible to spend a day at Waterbom without discovering all there is to see, do and eat. On my recent visit we met for lunch at Thaitalian, a large bamboo restaurant that overlooks the wave rider. The menu here is based on cross-cultural street food – noodles meet pasta, roti meets pizza etc. Behind the scenes, few will notice that the Thai green chili paste is created by hand or that the pizza dough is leavened for 48 hours, all you need to know is that this it tastes much better than the usual theme park fare.

Fiona, a former London caterer and Thai cooking enthusiast, travelled to work with street food sellers to get the recipes as close to the real thing as possible. The menu works perfectly here for those who want to enjoy a restaurant experience in the park.

The kiddie corner is another revelation. The menu is designed to feed hungry kids, fast. With an easy menu of comfort food like pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches, healthy fruit and vegetable salads, and pizzas, everything is prepared daily in the park. A coffee corner is close by to revive parents who can also spike their sugar levels with the famous Waterbom donuts that are made fresh throughout the day with a kaleidoscope of toppings.

The mandate to take care of the planet and create a holiday destination that feeds the daily crowds that cross borders and age ranges is a challenge that Waterbom has mastered. It somehow manages to bridge the gap between a destination that is all about having fun while offering something so seamlessly sophisticated that patrons barely notice. The results are in the numbers. Waterbom sells out often and yet you rarely feel the crowds.

It is also, without doubt, one of the most carefully maintained parks in South East Asia, with international standard safety features, beautiful gardens and spotlessly clean service areas.

While families congregate in the kids' area and youngsters head for the family friendly slides or chill out on the lazy River, thrill seekers are more than happy to ride the big slides and chill out at the pool bar. Groups can book cabanas or an entire garden area for private events, and everyone has the space to enjoy their own Waterbom experience.

Smart, dedicated, environmentally conscious and delicious fun is all part of a day at this multi-award winning water park, it’s a great reason to get wet and get into the holiday groove.

Stay tuned for upcoming events including movie nights and their Sol Session music day and night packages. www.waterbom-bali.com

waterbom bali is as serious about its food as it is about fun in the sun, writes sarah douglas. images: lucky 8.

enjoy the food fiesta at waterbom park.

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oral pleasures

the mexicola group marches on.

teamwork is the key from the mexicola, da maria and tropicola venues.

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Like a whirling dervish, Motel Mexicola broke the seal in 2013 with a venue that spelled good times and good food, fuelled by tequila and spelled out in living colour. It was an overnight sensation and continues to play to packed houses, educating patrons bite by bite on the intricacies of genuine Mexican food and the fine art of throwing back tequila shots.

Motel Mexicola is and was driven by passion. Conceived by like-minded friends who owned venues across Sydney and beyond, they brought their own holiday vibe to the island and took it by storm. This was an Instagram moment from the start. Every corner of the venue is adorned with icons and stunning colour. From 6pm the “Motel” sees families dancing on the tables, lively groups knocking back shots of tequila and frosty margaritas, chowing down on authentic Mexican food and singing aloud in a language they didn’t know they knew.

Partner Adam Hall did not hesitate when his mate, Adrian Reed, said he’d discovered a piece of land on his Bali holiday and wanted to launch a new venue. “Hell yes,” he shouted, and the work began.

With a restaurant consulting group and a number of successful pubs and bars under his belt, including Paddington’s celebrated gastro pub, The Four In Hand, Hall joined the partnership with a group of restaurant professionals who had a love of Bali in common.

The group now has four venues and a fifth due to open this year. Following on from Motel Mexicola came Da Maria, featuring a classic Italian menu with ties to Bondi beach and an interior inspired by the island of Capri.

Then came Tropicola, like an icy pole on a hot day, complete with a retro public baths fitout and peppermint flavoured bathrooms. And finally, the wild child of the group, Luigi’s Hot Pizza, opened in Canggu weaving a familiar mix of music, booze, food and fun.

“We’ve got a great Executive team and a huge number of people who are at the front and back of house,” explains Adam. His role as owner covers everything from fixing chairs to steering the business, while sharing the love between each of the venues.

Food is at the heart of the group. Each of the partners brings something to the mix, from design to operations, from restaurant experience to events, from mixology to

soundtracks. They strive for consistency, high standards in their food and beverage operations and thrive on word of mouth.

“We want them to come, stay longer and then come back,” explains Adam, “for that to happen we have to have a strong team in the kitchen, behind the bar, in operations, event management and marketing.”

Despite the high-octane party atmosphere, there is a very strong food ethic in the group.

When Executive Chef Steven Skelly joined, he was sent on a tour across Mexico to learn more about the native cuisine. Former Chef at Sydney’s renowned Pier Restaurant, he arrived in Bali to head up the seafood restaurant Urchin before he was spirited away.

The food at Motel Mexicola was a curve ball. While everyone was expecting nachos and tacos, the Tex Mex classics that many associate with Mexican food, these were not on the original menu. Instead there were soft shell tacos and tostadas, glorious slow braises known as Adobos, enthusiastic platters of charred seafood and spiced chicken, salads and churros.

Despite all the colour and fun, it is a creative menu cooked by a fabulous team of chefs guided by Skelly.

Together with two imported pizza chefs, handsome and masterful with their dough, Skelly put together a menu of classics for Da Maria. Inspired by the menus from Sydney restaurateur Maurice Terzini, Da Maria shot out of the box only to flounder a little before finding its happy place. Smaller and quieter than before, the bar is a popular place for catch-ups, the restaurant buzzes all day and the Sunday night parties are one of Seminyak’s hottest tickets.

Tropicola opened on the beach at Batubelig last year to a queue of Mexicola enthusiasts who were keen to take their clothes off, dive into the blue-tiled pool, lounge on the striped bleachers and sip icy cocktails to a Latinoinspired soundtrack. The menu travels from Miami to Acapulco with a healthy dose of beach club classics and loads of fresh seafood.

Tropicola became a playground for the party people by day but there is still much to be done explains Adam.

“We’re not really finished here. It’s time for Tropicola to really get some love from us, we’re adding more shade, putting even more focus on the food and the bar and ensuring that every experience is a great one. We’re hoping to

finish upstairs with event spaces and a rooftop restaurant,“ explains Hall.

Operations manager, Bella, has just rejoined the group after opening Fishbone Local and Mason; Sydney Chef Dan Medcalf has joined Steven Skelly in the kitchen, following his stint at Sydney’s much-loved Dolphin Hotel; Denny Bakiev takes care of all things behind the bar and is locally known as the tequila pusher, while the dynamic Nicolaza is the group’s Creative Director.

Luigi’s, Da Maria’s wild child, brought the group to play in Canggu’s Batu Bolong.

Monday, Thursday and Saturday nights are party nights under the tented venue created from shipping containers. Design drives the look and feel yet the menu and the bar are the lifeblood of the group.

The next venue to open gives Steven Skelly wings to fly his own creative flag. UNI, aka the love child of Urchin, puts Skelly back where he belongs behind the stoves, getting creative with seafood. UNI is a grown up venue where fine food will make its home in flashy Berawa, where café culture thrives.

While taking care of all the venues in this flashy parade of eateries and party palaces is about constant evolution, Tropicola is the baby that needs the most love right now and the team are moving in to take it to the next level.

Even moving their offices there so they spend more time on the ground, entertaining friends and patrons and adding the finishing touches to the original design.

It’s a place that calls you back as there is a sense of unfinished business. Menu items you have yet to try, new cocktails that dance on the tongue on a hot, sunny day, new soundtracks to dance to and Insta moments yet to be lived.

One thing Adam says Bali has taught him, and every one of the group, is patience.

They know it takes time to get it right, they are professionals, well versed in the language of their guests and beyond that, they want these to be venues they want to hang out in themselves. They are the final arbiters of taste and their track records speak volumes about their determination to be the very best. S.D. www.damariabali.com www.motelmexicola.info www.tropicola.info

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oral pleasures

loca vore

looking good at locavore.

ONDY SWEETING talks sustainability at one of ubud's leading restaurants, Chefs Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah created Bali’s game changing Locavore restaurant in Ubud with the notion to create food and drinks using more than 95 per cent local ingredients. The duo’s extraordinary culinary skills and altruistic business plan struck gold.

Since 2013 when Locavore opened as Bali’s first fine dining restaurant dedicated to ‘local, seasonal and ethical food products’, the operation has turned into an empire that includes Nusantara – a traditional Indonesian restaurant; the intensively creative cocktail bar Night Rooster; Bali’s first ethical butcher called Local Parts; Locavore To Go, a takeout café cum delicatessen; and Localab where experiments are constantly underway in what looks more like a science lab than a test kitchen.

Unsurprisingly and after many years of hard work this year they won the top gong in the sustainable Restaurant Award at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, presented to the restaurant with the highest environmental and social responsibility rating as determined by audit partner Food Made Good.

Let’s just touch on social

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responsibility and how important it is to develop permanent relationships with local producers. Keeping the lines of communication always open Ray and Eelke ensure the freshest seasonal produce and ethically raised meat animals. Locavore goes all out to support sustainability within its community and of course within the kitchen itself, it is an important part of the package. Ingredients are grown locally and foraged within Indonesia’s many islands. Food waste is recycled into fermented sauces; the remains of citrus fruits are made into detergent and off cut stems morph into herb salt. Solar panels cover the roof of the restaurant and there are plans forging ahead to go off-grid.

In the constant search to lower the Locavore carbon footprint even further the boys turned their attention to their choice of water. As you can imagine guests, chefs, staff and the kitchen use vast amounts of the stuff, so the aim was to find a single, local water producer. “Seek and ye shall find” it is said – they of course did, and welcomed BALIAN Natural Mineral Water to each and every table throughout the Locavore venues.

It doesn’t need an environmental scientist to tell us that lugging water from one country to another in plastic or glass bottles makes zero sense and the time to go local is now. BALIAN prevails and is served at the tasteful tables in glass bottles; it rolls in pots and pans in the kitchens, is the basis for divine cocktails and fishy sauces and quenches the thirst at the busy galleys and lab.

BALIAN is sourced from neither aquifer or from industrial complexes from abroad, but directly from a natural spring right here on the slopes of Gunung Agung, and locally trucked direct to the doors of Locavore. Give or take a few kilometres (around 62 actually) – could that make BALIAN possibly the shortest travelled water of all?

“There are 260 million people in Indonesia and we have 60 working with us," said Eelke. "We are just a drop, in the ocean but you have to start somewhere,” he said. “It’s better to be a part of the solution than to be a part of the problem.” Amen to that. www.locavore.co.id

Local flavour with

a contemporary twist

Jl. Pantai Berawa, Gg. Kedaton No.5 Tibubeneng, North Kuta, Badung Regency Bali 80361, Indonesia

oral pleasures

chef matt mCcool is at the centre of a special dining experience at capella ubud.

fresh, fun japanese cuisine at its informal finest.

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Lush decision-free dining coupled with heavenly cocktails is Ubud’s hottest culinary experience at Api Jiwa. The brilliant Australian chef Matt McCool is on the grill and delivers the full Omakase experience that does not disappoint.

The beef rendang delivers a slice of perfectly pink wagyu beef with deconstructed curry and coconut cream. The babi guling is cooked outdoors for six hours and comes in a steamed bun and a sweet hoi sin sauce.

Omakase is a beloved style of eating in Japan and the words loosely translate to “I’ll leave it up to you” and hands over the culinary journey to the chef. Being liberated from the hard choices dinner morphs into an exciting and suspenseful trip through Asia. There are no menus or dish descriptions.

Watching the action and chatting casually with the chef has a homely feel, albeit a home with a stunning interior.

Chef Matt chats with every group who comes to each of the two nightly sittings and talks desire. While he explains the Omakase notion of shedding control and how the kitchen is ruled by the ancient Japanese barbeque technique called robatayaki. He is on a fact-finding mission where he gleans the culinary preferences so he can make 10 dishes to suit.

“I work with a core plan and the best ingredients and then branch out to cook for individual tastes. I really enjoy cooking on an open fire using charcoal. It takes a lot of skill to manually control the temperature,” says Chef Matt, who uses a bamboo fan to prevent flames from burning meat while infusing them with smoky flavour.

While 10 dishes may sound hauntingly like degustation, it is not. Each Omakase plate delivers bite size pieces of deliciousness. An eggshell half is filled with a delicate crab and shitake mushroom chawanmushi with a ponzu gel. This is paired with a plum-infused gin and tonic. Next up is a skewer of chicken yakitori sprinkled with white sesame seeds and placed over an espresso cup of the broth made from the water used to poach chickens, creating a rich and clear soup.

“The portions are small so they have to be packed with flavour,” he says.

House-made XO sauce spices, a warmed oyster and soft tuna sashimi topped with a sliver of crunchy daikon and a drop of Thai nam jim sauce is excellent. A skewered chicken meatball, dipped into an egg yolk cured with soy, dashi and citrus juice, is a taste bomb and paired with a passion- fruit gin cocktail sprinkled with black tea leaves. Chef Matt aims to engage as many senses as possible with the delicious smells occasionally rivalling taste. Thai-style curry over a juicy scallop, finished with coconut powder that had previously been oil until Matt worked his magic on it. Together with a yuzu cocktail; mixed yuzu, vodka and jasmine foam made from processing tea leaves.

“Our cocktails are a result of many nights hanging out here with mixologists from Locavore and Indigo. They come for dinner and we talk about food and how best to pair the dishes with cocktails. It’s really on another level,” says Matt.

The feast swings from cocktail to dish and back again.

Matt McCool is a thoroughbred who sharpened his skills in Michelin-starred kitchens including Gordon Ramsey’s Maze and Tom Aitkens’ namesake restaurant in London. More recently he was in charge of the kitchen at Aria – China World Hotel’s fine dining establishment in Beijing. As a young chef, he caught the attention of Time Out magazine and won 2011 Chef of the Year. He has been on the stoves at Bali’s W hotel and Sydney’s Shangri-La and is now the Culinary Director of the utterly chic five-star tented camp Capella Ubud.

The Api Jiwa kitchen is a small place surrounded by diners watching the action while the team of three performs a dance that allows them to serve 10 dishes to 38 people a night.

While he is at the grill, painting, brushing and turning meats, we discuss salt farming in the north of the island, the future of Australian cows being partly raised in Indonesia, the quality of Lombok oysters, Bali slipper lobster and the spices used to enhance their natural flavours. It is casual and fun.

Matt is naturally generous with his insights as he is with food. He believes that most cultures love to share food. “The Chinese always share, Italians love it and it is a beautiful act.

I really enjoy interacting with our guests, who come from all over the world and the island. I speak a little Chinese, which is always a good way to open a conversation,” he says.

It is more than conversation that Chef Matt opens. At the end of the first sitting, one of the groups had to be photographed with the man himself.

Api Jiwa is on the lower level of the amazing Capella Ubud tented camp, which is designed by the iconic and visionary architect Bill Bensley, and the night view is of tall palm trees, gardens and the enormous former water tank turned swimming pool. Candles twinkle to create an insanely romantic destination.

The restaurant is claiming its rightful place on the itineraries of globe-trotting foodies, expats and locals who are searching for a cool new way of exploring culinary delights. Check it out. www.capellahotels.com/en/capella-ubud/dining/api-jiwa

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so sorga.

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oral pleasures

a sweet story By Ondy Sweeting. image: lucky 8.

Balinese love and devotion plus centuries of organic cross-pollination has created heavenly chocolate that can be created nowhere else on earth.

Sorga Chocolate grows Bali’s unique type of cacao bean that is the result of nature’s propagation of cacao varieties that were brought to Bali from South America by the Dutch in the 1700s.

“We think of our cacao as a menage à trois rather than a clone and it’s the basis of the extraordinary flavours we achieve at Sorga – but there are several secrets to the art of making exquisite chocolate,” says Sorga Commissioner and visionary Emerald Starr.

Apart from Bali’s excellent cacao growing conditions of constant warmth and volcanic soil and the expertise from three of the world’s premier chocolate making authorities including a doctor of molecular biology – Sorga’s raw products receives deep love and devotion as a religion.

“The Balinese perform a ceremony every 210 days to agriculture and there is a specific day for orchards and plantations. Having the cacao trees honoured by priests and the Balinese people – whether you believe it or not – the reality is created by the cultures that create them. I believe that's why the Bali cacao is so different here because it has devotion and love that is absolutely real,” he says.

The regular rituals of Balinese rings true with the famous school bullying experiment where three plants are grown in the same conditions but one is adored and praised, another is taunted and verbally abused and the third plant is subjected to utter indifference. We all know which plant flourished.

And flourish, Sorga does. The company has a range of

truffles and ice cream and multiple chocolate bars – which are vegan – that includes salty cashew, ginger crunch and orange spark, a product that utilised the skills of the molecular scientist. There is a retail shop in Ubud and the product is appearing on the shelves of deli’s and grocers across the island.

“The orange spark chocolate bar is our real designer bar and it's a result of a molecular biologist who understands how and when flavours open in the mouth and at what temperatures. Orange spark is made from orange oil with a little chilli and both become volatile at different levels of heat. The orange oil opens first in the mouth, followed by the chocolate and then the chilli turns up a little later and this can be in the mouth or throat or on the tongue,” Emerald says.

Sorga has three mocha flavours crafted from Bali coffee.

The 72 percent cacao is a blend of Arabica and Robusta from Kintamani; an espresso bar is 85 percent cacao along with the wild luwak bar, which is made from beans collected from a coffee plantation where the cats are wild and forage for dropped ripe beans.

“The cats are amazing and know the best of the beans to eat. They are like truffle hunter pigs but they get to eat and enjoy the beans,” he says.

Sorga uses clean, certified and organic raw materials and has discovered abandoned cashew forests in the north of the island where a Swiss man raised money to buy processing equipment – the original of which left with the Dutch – and recruited beggars to work there for a living wage.

Another unique method in making this exclusive Balinese chocolate is the ‘stacking’ – or fermenting the fruit. Sorga repeats this fermentation process three times rather than the usual single fermentation

of commercial chocolatiers. It also includes banana leaves, which are rich in natural yeast that enhances the process and removes the bitterness from the fruit.

“The sweet pulp fruit has an acidic note and that tart note goes into the chocolate, which is not bitter or sweet but has a tangy flavour and when the sugar is added the fruit flavour comes back. That sets Sorga apart from all other 98 percent of chocolate in the world,” says Emerald.

Sorga aims to keep a low carbon footprint and maintain quality by not jetting vast amounts of products around the world while still creating an international profile.

“The mystic of Sorga is that it's one of the finest chocolates in the world and you have to come to Bali to get it. We want to get it known to the five million tourists that come to Bali every year.”

The company has also tapped into superfoods by producing a 100 percent cacao bar that is packed with good oils and antioxidants. All of their chocolate bars are vegan but this is no whole food hippy product rather more a luxury treat.

The company is dynamic and developing new talent with 21-year-old Regal Starr relocating from Nepal to become Sorga’s new CEO. By the time Regal was in year 12 he had finished business courses until his Masters degree. “He was born into a business family and was involved with management and saw success and failure since he was 17 years old. Due to his excellent accomplishments we believe he will guide Sorga into a super successful future,” says Emerald. www. sorgachocolate.com

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oral pleasures Ondy Sweeting heads east to Sanur's Fairmont hotel and the new beachside offering, Pier 8.

Images: Lucky 8.

this page: sea food, eat food. right: crustaceans, comfort & cocktails.

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Juicy crab, lush prawns and lobster buns will have east-side seafood lovers descending on Sanur’s newest beachside bar and restaurants – Pier Eight at The Fairmont Sanur Beach.

Pier Eight is a stellar addition to the growing beachside restaurant scene on the calm and pretty beach, fast becoming one of town's most picturesque venues. The landscape is picture postcard perfect overlooking golden sand and sea to a clear view of the cliffs of Nusa Penida.

Brightly coloured outrigger boats owned by the local seafaring community bob on the tranquil ocean.

As the sun sets in the west the scene blushes with a flush of pink and three iron bowls on pedestals light up with fire, setting a romantic tone for an evening of culinary delights.

Pier Eight has a tight menu that showcases fresh seafood cooked with a Louisiana flourish, inspired pizza and small plates that will satisfy beefeaters.

The real indulgence of deep-south dining is the melange of French, Creole and coast. Expect a huge bowl brimming with shellfish with rough-cut corn on the cob and purple sweet potato. The signature Seafood Boil at Pier Eight tosses together enormous black river prawns, cracked pieces of succulent mud crab, local clams and mussels that taste creamy and mellow. Louisiana spice is added with slices of chorizo and a piquant black pepper sauce.

This is a guilty pleasure that requires the use of fingers and dedication to fully enjoy. Even the chips are doused in chilli-infused salt that adds a little kick to their perfect crispness. Coconut shell finger bowls ensure that dignity and white clothing remain intact.

Chef Filippo Abissa has clearly enjoyed creating this

menu that depends on the sea. Given that he was raised on the coast of Sicily, Chef Filippo has an almost genetic appreciation of all things fish.

“I have worked on many islands including Mauritius, the Seychelles, Maldives and Indonesia’s Bintan Island, so I have really explored how to create interesting seafood dishes,” says the chef who has been on the pans for 24 years.

While the menu at Pier Eight is small it is well executed with clear plating in a gorgeous environment. Hot or cold lobster buns mingle chunks of lobster with celery, lemon, mushroom and chopped chives then topped with grilled cheese. It’s one impressive sandwich. There is tuna tartar, tiger prawn salad, lobster thermidor and a fresh poke bowl filled with salmon, tuna, seaweed, avocado and raw veggies.

While pizza had not been part of the original plan, Chef Filippo demanded a pizza oven to bake bread. Surprise: pizza is now on the menu with classic margherita to rendang and the truly inspired carbonara pizza that is a perfect balance of Parma ham, slices of shaved parmesan cheese, egg and rocket. It’s a superb pizza. Try it. The garlic bread is a slap of crisp pizza drizzled in oil, fresh garlic and parsley. Going off the menu – which is a habit of the chef – is a white pizza with smoked salmon, cheese and caviar.

“This is a romantic pizza. Couples really love it so I suggest it when I’m chatting at the tables. It’s so good,” he says.

The small plates are excellent for sharing and include fat green olives served with fresh thyme, aranchini filled with creamy rice, crispy chorizo and the luscious Wagyu beef topped with dollops of crumbed foie gras and a sweet tomato jam and truffle oil. Two of these morsels are more

than a meal for a meat lover.

“We try to buy most ingredients locally, but we bring in the lobster from Canada because cold water lobster is the best,” says chef Filippo.

Soon to be included on the menu are prawns paired with delicate lemon and wrapped in a thin pasty and flash fried for a crisp finish.

The cocktail menu is tropical and aims to be refreshing, which suits the menu well and utilises fresh island fruits, basil infusions and coconuts. The Fresca is a hit mix of vodka, Campari, fresh watermelon, mint leaves and a simple syrup while the cucumber and basil blush is a muddled drink with vodka, triple sec and sugar. Both are outstanding for Bali’s sultry equatorial heat.

Pier Eight enjoys the wonderful mother cellar of The Fairmont so the wine list is extensive. House made lemoncello or a fine French cognac as a digestive is a must, as is the palette cleansing zabaglione ice-cream with crushed cookies.

The restaurant opens at 11am, which is fitting for its front row position on the beach and it is open to the passing public. A few sun lounges are on the sand in the shade of trees and dishes are delivered to the beach.

The entire resort has an interactive sound system that plays chilled tunes and staff have access to it so if a track isn’t pleasing to the ears, just ask and with the brush of a finger it will be changed. It’s a cool technology that allows guests to enjoy influence over the choice of music that floats on the sea breeze. www.fairmont.com/sanur-bali

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big six The Oberoi Bali The original complex which is now. The Oberoi Bali was built in 1972, making it the island’s oldest luxury hotel, but it wasn’t initially designed as a hotel, but rather a cluster of luxury villas. The first Bali resort designed by Australian architect Peter Muller, this was an eye opener for many in the industry, reflecting classical Balinese architecture and traditional elements. Built on the sands of Seminyak beach long before it was a tourist destination, it sits on sacred land and has an incredible, colourful history that includes being overtaken by hippies in the ‘70’s. The Oberoi today is every bit as luxurious and inviting as it was designed to be. With 74 luxurious villas built across the seafront, surrounded by walls for privacy, it is also a destination for food lovers. The restaurant is famed for its Indian and Indonesian dishes and rightfully so; authentic, delicious and refined they reflect the traditions of the island and the Oberoi group. Long-term executive Chef Enrico Wahl has a lot more in his culinary arsenal however and guests who choose the Chef’s menu are in for a fine dining experience that challenges the very best Bali restaurants. Mentor to many of today’s shining stars on Bali’s dining scene, Wahl is a craftsman who embraces modern techniques and classic cooking. Sitting in the openair wantilan-style dining room, overlooking the gardens and the ocean beyond, really is one of Bali’s most memorable dining experiences.

Tel: +62361730361 www.oberoihotels.com Yak Map O.9

sarah douglas celebrates six of bali's culinary originals.

Tandjung Sari’s founder Wija Wawo-Runtu, a man who would become world famous for his guest list. In its day it played host to some of the biggest celebrities on the planet, including Mick Jagger and David Bowie, who were regular guests. Tandjung Sari is Sanur’s graceful queen in a legacy that marks Sanur as Bali’s first luxury tourist destination.

Opened in 1962, paying homage to its Indonesian roots, the hotel is a step back in time yet still beautifully maintained. It is still owned and managed by the Wawo-Runtu family and these roots run deep. Elegant lunches overlooking Sanur beach are a mainstay for many local residents, and starlit dinners offer some of the island’s most authentic theme nights. Beautifully executed Indonesian dishes rule this menu and highlights include the chance to enjoy the multi-course rijstaffel, Balinese banquet menus and live wok nights.

Stunning performances accompany many dinners, from Keroncong orchestras to soulful Legong dances and Jazz performances. To dine at Tandjung Sari is to say you have joined the generations who have embraced Balinese culture and Indonesia’s culinary traditions. You have dined with stars.

Tel: +62361288441 www.tandjungsarihotel.com

Amandari Architect Peter Muller had refined his Balinese aesthetic by 1989 when he designed the Amandari, the second Aman property to open and the first in Indonesia. With the classic hallmarks of Balinese resort architecture, pathways lead to private walled villas, classic gateways and sculptural elements form the perfect antidote to Ubud’s busy streets and the location captures Bali at its most beautiful. Its restaurant set a new tone for Ubud, serving refined dishes inspired by Indonesian cuisine; it was long regarded as the finest dining room in Ubud. Today a new league of chefs continues to redefine Indonesian food alongside a sophisticated western menu and a fine list of wines and cocktails. Sitting at their dining room, overlooking the moonlit pool that overlooks the stunning Sayan gorge is still a celebration of Bali, fine dining and warm, genuine hospitality. Expect a very personal artisanal experience, whether you stop in for afternoon tea or stay for dinner.

Tel: +62361975333 www.amandari.com

Made’s Warung It began as a roadside food stall and spawned an empire that went beyond the humble warung’s expectations.

Made’s Warung is credited with being the first to begin serving western dishes to satisfy the army of surfers who discovered Kuta Beach in the late 1960s and ‘70s. It became a landmark; a meeting place and it grew to feed generations of tourists who arrived in the white wash of the early surf community. Today the original Kuta site is a classic warung with staggered seats and an Indo/Western menu.

When Made married Peter, a Dutch national, the warung became a restaurant and continues to grow in popularity.

The Seminyak restaurant opened 10 years ago. A large emporium and sprawling restaurant, the second location cemented its fame and welcomed the second generation of the family, with the third now in the wings. It still serves one of the island’s best nasi campur, the classic soto ayam sings with flavour, pork ribs to steaks and seafood are spiced in numerous ways and the vast menu offers something for everyone, from comfort food to Indonesian classics. From breakfast to lunch and dinner, Made’s is an institution in Bali that is well worth a visit. I pay special homage to their pancakes, anything but humble, and the staff, many of who have worked at Made’s for decades.

Tel: +62361732130 www.madeswarung.com Yak Map V.11

Tandjung Sari “My hotel is my living room, my guests are my friends,’ said

La Lucciola It may be a more recent addition, built in the mid ‘90s, but

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there is little doubt that La Lucciola changed the way we dined in Seminyak. The lofty, two-storey open building on Seminyak’s beachfront was built at the end of a dusty gravel track when Seminyak was still an outer suburb, its only neighbor The Oberoi Hotel. With the opening of La Lucciola, breakfast became a thing, a meal you went out for. Suddenly we had great coffee, immaculate service, a modern Italian menu and best of all, a thoughtful wine list.

When two friends, Stephen and Jeremy conceived this iconic Bali restaurant they clearly had an inkling that change was coming; that Seminyak would become a hot spot, that diners would be in search of more sophisticated dining options, while a wide sea view sealed the deal. La Lucciola is still on the list for most Bali expats and a must visit for many visitors.

It holds its own in so many ways, for breakfast, brunch, long lunches, casual coffee mornings, dining under the stars and special celebrations. It’s a classic for all the right reasons and judging by the steady stream of visitors, that is unlikely to change. The beautiful open-air restaurant is as stylish today as the day it was opened and the standards of food, service and drinks continue to challenge all newcomers.

Tel: +62361730838

Yak Map N.7 Warisan meets Metis When Warisan first opened on Jl. Raya Kerobokan, many thought it was a long way from anywhere. Nevertheless we went, for the parties and the fabulous Italian menu.

The partners, owners of Warisan furniture, created a space filled with beautiful antiques, a long bar and a pretty open garden. Moving forward a dynamic duo, Said, front of house, and Chef DouDou, arrived and the open-air venue morphed into an elegant French restaurant. As with many good things, the partnership with Warisan came to an end and the boys made the move to new premises and set up Metis restaurant around the corner. In Jl. Petitenget In the huge growth cycle that is Bali, Warisan and Metis are now located on two of Bali’s busiest streets. In the last few years Warisan has struggled with its culinary identity but the arrival of a second-generation expat from the family behind iconic venues like SIP and The Living Room has welcomed a new crowd with the speakeasy-style Rebenga Lounge and Kitchen concept. At Metis, many of the classics from the previous Warisan menu remain, including one of my personal all-time favourites, their pan-fried foie gras with apple and raspberry vinaigrette. The DNA of both these venues speaks of Bali’s formative years, when a good glass of wine was hard to find and both the expat community and visitors would travel far for fine food.

Tel: +623614737888

www.metisbali.com

Yak Map U.3

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oral pleasures It's Sunday. In Bali.

What are we going to do? (sorry mother, but church can wait).

float away at sthala and right, it's your round at ji terrace, tugu.

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Kick back on cushions on a raft in Ubud or enjoy long family days by the ocean or peachy beach club parties – Bali has an unrivalled Sunday scene, writes Ondy Sweeting.

For those looking for something new on Sunday, the Sthala – a Tribute Hotel near Ubud has a fabulously romantic brunch on a raft on the gently flowing river beside the hotel. The raft is cushioned and veiled behind curtains with a Japanese style table loaded with tasty delights, fruit juice and a chilled bottle of Two Islands sparkling wine.

The raft is tethered to a pulley system, so once you have boarded, the electric hoist reels the raft about 20 metres downriver where it bobs blissfully on the water. Kick back and listen to the flowing river with a background track of chirping birds and jungle breeze. It’s wonderfully serene. Brunch includes bakery, pizza, lobster, salad, cut fruit and a cheese plate. Indonesian treats are sweet and exotic while doughnuts are a nod to honeyed desires. Call +62 361 301 8700 for a reservation any day. www.sthalaubudbali.com oneeighty° is the dramatically beautiful pool and restaurant space at The Edge in Uluwatu. A ‘pool pass’ provides a day beside one of the island’s most iconic swimming pools that has a 6.5 metre glass bottom 'lip' that stretches over the cliff. Watch Instagramers strut as foodies settle in to enjoy a broad menu that offers an impressive range from heavenly hamburgers and pizza through to juicy lobsters and crisp salads. Cocktails are delicious and the wine-list is one of the most extensive in the region. Beer is glacial, which is perfect for long hot summer days. oneeighty° is open to day-trippers from 11am and there

are plenty of sun loungers, pods and umbrellas. The music is low key and never interrupts the sound of the swell below. The pool club is part of a swanky villa operation, so it also has a day spa that is chi-chi and luxurious where massage tables are set in an ankle deep pool with an infinity backdrop and ceiling-to-floor windows over looking the ocean. www.oneeightybali.com Manarai Beach House at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort opened last year to impressive reviews that just keep on rolling in. The Ismaya Group, which is behind Jakarta’s hottest nightclubs, brings this seaside jewel to us. The fresh blue and white colour palette works well with the violet coloured day beds and the azure sparkles from two pools with the big blue ocean as the horizon. Double size day beds, comfortable cabanas, al fresco lounges and a small air-conditioned restaurant – with a cool wine cellar – has made Manarai a hit with families by day and the party peeps as the sun crosses the island. Paradiso Sunday is an afternoon dedicated to island tunes, friendly grooves and two-forone cocktails. One pool has a swim-up bar that is a place of creative production for classic and unusually enticing cocktails. www.ismaya.com/eat-drink/manarai The St Regis Bali has launched ‘Family Traditions at St Regis’ with a cute children’s character deer called The Jak [no relation to our own brand or baggy-haired mascot, by the way]. In collaboration with Papinee – a storytelling brand for children – the resort has developed a new family driven brunch with Sunday Brunch Discoveries with The Jak at Boneka. Expect the high-end gastronomic delights fresh from the St Regis kitchens with dynamic and interactive activities for the tots. The Jak – as the new mascot for St Regis Hotels in the Asia Pacific – delivers

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a themed menu and creative drinks for kids plus plenty of entertaining moments. This inspired idea is in addition to the resort’s famous Astor Diamond Champagne Brunch, which is Bali’s most extravagant Sunday feast. Dishes include rare delicacies that are cooked to order to heighten flavour, fragrance and pleasure. www.stregisbali.com Ji Terrace by the Sea at the Tugu Hotel Bali is located in the hipsterchic centre of the world, Batu Bolong, Canggu, and has a Japaneseinspired Sunday brunch. This all-you-can-eat à la carte experience requires several hours of dedicated gastronomic exploration. Take up a prime position on the terrace and watch the waves roll in on the famous Old Man’s surf break. This is people watching at its best. Order from the menu that touches on sushi, sashimi, fresh salads, rice dishes and multiple morsels of Wagyu beef, fresh buttery fish and sumptuous chicken. We are talking Ahi Tuna with Thai basil; teriyaki chicken and beef tataki sprinkled with crunchy tempura flakes – and every dish is made to order. Pair up with Ji’s signature Wasabi Bloody Mary for a kick, or upgrade to the brunch package to include wine. In an excellent act of generosity, Ji brunchers are given free access to the pretty pool in the neighbouring Tugu hotel for a post-prandial dip. www.jirestaurantbali.com The unique element that sets the Mövenpick Resort apart from other resort brunches is the choice of dining. Who knew that Peruvian food was on the menu? This is a global buffet-style brunch with live cooking stations where chefs guide diners through the selection of famous Peruvian/Japanese fusion dishes, grilled meats to order, local seafood, the famous Balinese babi guling or sucking pig, Indian tandoori as well as a fresh noddle kitchen. The dessert zone is mesmerising and presents the age-old question of ‘where to start’. The urban-style Anasara restaurant overlooks a pretty garden and live jazz is played throughout the day. Children under the age of 12 get free access to one of the Mövenpick pools, which will help burn off all that energy. www.movenpick.com/Indonesia/Bali The super glam W Bali Seminyak has a legendary brunch in its oceanfront restaurant Starfish Bloo. Claim a plush booth set within a six-foot high bamboo interpretation of an Indonesian fish trap to set a stylish scene. The brunch is a weekly opportunity for the W’s talented chefs to show off with massive fresh seafood platters, black truffle lobster congee, dim sum, classic English roasts and Balinese babi

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guling. Waiters whip around with shots of unique cocktails to try. The buffet swings from east to west with clever creations such as smoked duck breast with green tea, international dishes hewn from local ingredients and grain fed beef cooked on hot rocks. It’s a dazzling Instaextravaganza. Pair the culinary tour with a choice of dozens of wines and bubbles from Starfish Bloo’s cellar tower. www.starfishbloorestaurant.com And if you are with kids, Sands Restaurant at The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali has an impressive brunch buffet that kicks off at 12 noon.

Sit inside behind a huge glass wall that frames the azure water of the Indian Ocean and a pretty crescent of dazzling white sand. Adults and kids can enjoy frocking up in an apron and having a go at creating their own mie tarik from scratch with a chef guiding their progress.

The buffet is vast with Balinese dishes and classics such as Javanese noodles. Western tastes are well catered for with crispy pork belly, grilled prawns, tender steak and salads while Chinese shu-mai, black pepper beef and sweet pao are hot options. Sweeten up with delights from the chocolate fountain or a traditional crème brûlée, cakes and ice cream. An Anvaya brunch is perfectly rounded off with a swim in the ocean, lounge on the beach or a dip in the pool – as part of the brunch experience. www.theanvayabali.com/en/dining Prego at The Westin Resort Nusa Dua is a go-to place for families – and the more the merrier. Kids under 12 eat for free and a raft of activities includes cup cake decorating, pizza making, and a miniplayground with supervised games, dancing and a trampoline. Kids love the pasta and pizza selection and of course the cake-packed dessert kitchen, which also has a chocolate foundation. Grown ups start with a complimentary glass of prosecco and then launch into the Italian buffet that is packed with home-style dishes such as caprese salad, prawn and artichoke salad, cold meats, cheeses plates, pasta, pizza, grilled fish and meats, lamb chops, calamari skewers and steak. Prego is an enclosed air-conditioned restaurant plus it has some al fresco dining space. A trip here also means complimentary access to the amazing beachfront pool – and fresh towels are on the house – a charming and thoughtful touch for families with several kids. A top tip is to signup to the hotel’s loyalty program for an instant 20 per cent discount. www.facebook.com/pregobali

clockwise from top left: manarai, movenpick, oneeighty, the laguna, prego.

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In such a fast paced world it’s reassuring that some things remain the same. images: lucky 8.

green and peaceful gardens greet you at kayumanis sanur, and right, gong restaurant promises tradition and delivers.

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Kayumanis Sanur is the kind of property that endures like a good relationship.

Reassuringly luxurious and consistently Balinese, this collection of one, two and threebedroom villas set in verdant tropical gardens feels like how a home in Bali should – quiet, lush and private.

Personal touches are everywhere. Balinese offerings await outside your door, the mini bar is free and restocked daily, the service is discreet and welcoming. Even the initial tour of the villa – usually a chore borne with a forced smile – was a joy as a delightful member of the hotel staff walked me through the property’s amenities.

The gardens are a dream. Framed by traditional Balinese gates that lead to your home away from home, they are green beyond belief and feature stunning traveller palms and tall trees.

The hotel’s restaurant sits among this scene, open to the breeze and sounds of nature.

Specializing in upmarket Balinese cuisine, Gong restaurant promises a sensory dining experience, and delivers. The menu is driven by market-fresh ingredients and seasonal delicacies infused with local herbs and spices for added flavour. Every dish is a journey that unveils the exotic secrets of Bali’s culinary heritage.

This is a property that feels small but offers a lot. Privacy and luxury are at its core. Villas are large, with separate sleeping and sitting pavilions, a private pool and garden … even a kitchen. It feels like you could live here, spending your days lost in a novel away from the screen-dominated world. The compound is set in the west of Sanur, securely secluded by a high wall and an attentive staff. If it’s the beach you crave, then they have that covered too.

Recently opened earlier this year, Kayumanis Seaside Sanur is a colonial style restaurant and terrace set directly on Sanur’s golden Sindhu Beach. Bringing a note of sophistication to the surrounding venues, it’s a versatile destination offering indoor seating, a shaded terrace, open-air table settings and double daybeds facing the Indian Ocean.

Structurally, the bistro is inspired by a classic Indonesian home with a vaulted ceiling and two breezy verandas reminiscent of a bygone era. An inviting entrance is enhanced by painted tiles and mood lighting that casts a subtle glow as evening descends. There is also an open concept bar and working kitchen where all food and drinks are prepared in full sight.

After lunch and a beach lie down it’s back to your private villa for a massage. Kayumanis Spa Sanur provides a comprehensive menu of traditional Balinese healing and beauty treatments that explore the ancient Hindu belief that balance is the very essence of overall wellbeing. One standout is their Bamboo massage, a therapy that dates back to the kingdoms of ancient China.

As a natural element, the Chinese believe that bamboo has the power to cure physical, mental, emotional and spiritual ailments. This form of massage stimulates blood circulation and helps eliminate harmful toxins.

Dinner at Gong beckons. In keeping with the very local flavour of the property, Kayumanis offers a Balinese rijsttafel, a real culinary pleasure and a chance to sample some of Bali’s best cuisine with a selection of the island’s most flavoursome dishes presented in one grand meal. Accompanied by steamed yellow rice and spicy condiment, this tasty array of dishes is a heritage from the era when Indonesia was under colonial Dutch rule.

Post dinner it’s back to the villa for a peaceful night, then to awake once more among the birdsong in this extremely sweet and special place.. www.kayumanis.com 121

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Checking in and hearing, ‘Madam you have been upgraded to an ocean view villa,’ is guaranteed to put a smile on the faces of most travellers. No matter how jaded you are, this is the key that unlocks a flood of happy hormones.

Karma Kandara, perched on the edge of the cliffs of Ungasan, on the quiet side of Bali’s Uluwatu peninsula, is a treat in any language. The private pool villas are vast, the coral pathways wind neatly between them and lead ultimately to the cliff edge and spectacular views.

Karma Resorts has grown into a global company and they are built on some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Karma Kandara is no exception: this is a stunning place, whether you come for a day, a week or a month.

Best of all is that Karma embraces everyone, from jetsetters to retirees; honeymooners to wellness travellers; families and friends.

Karma Kandara is a collection of villas with one, two and three bedrooms, in addition to the privately owned luxury villas on the cliff that are available from time to time. It’s welcoming and friendly and its quirky imperfections are part of the charm. It’s never precious.

The villas combine Balinese architecture with modern luxury. There’s lots of wood, stone and glass and each villa has its own pool, courtyard, garden and private balé, and space, lots of it.

We’re thrilled that we have been upgraded to an ocean view villa. The moment the door opens on our three-bedroom pool property, the ocean greets us.

Our verandah overlooks the sea, and the pool literally hangs over the edge of the ravine. Who has a horizon pool in their villa? We do!

I’ve spent a lot of time at this resort, so there is a sense of coming home for me. Most Bali expats have been here at least once and taking visitors to Karma Beach for the day is on everyone’s bucket list. It has one of Bali’s best beaches and the Mediterraneaninspired beach club with its line up of international DJs, a menu full of fresh salads, seafood, sushi and mezze plates, combine with a list of fabulous cocktails and affordable wine to make this a special day out.

No matter which villa you stay in, all have great views, and a few are extra special. We’ve stocked up for our stay and it takes no time at all to unload our

duty free in the well-equipped kitchen, tune in the music, choose our rooms and make ourselves at home on the terrace for a swim and cocktails.

Karma’s globe-trotting Spa Director, Judy Chapman, is in house so she joins us for a catch up before we all head to dinner. The spa at Karma Kandara is one of the highlights of the resort, and a popular destination spa, so she makes sure we’re booked in for treatments the following day.

A brand new inclinator has been installed, making this staggeringly beautiful trip down the cliffs even smoother than before, and with a bigger capacity, there’s less waiting as well. We aren’t having our spa day at the beautiful Ocean Spa (such a treat and so romantic) instead we’re heading to the cliff top spa, which is nothing short of amazing and never disappoints. The spa menu is one of the island’s most innovative, with healing modalities offered alongside beauty treatments and heavenly relaxation therapies.

Wellness holidays are a new focus for the resort.

Guests can choose to mix it up or book a package.

The yoga pavilion on the beach offers some unique fitness classes, the gym is perched on the ravine and a gourmet wellness menu has just been finalized. The world’s first female yoga ambassador has just joined the Karma group and she’ll be hosting wellness days at the resort. Proving once again that you can have your muesli and your Champagne too.

Dining at Di Mare, the resort’s siganature restaurant, is another highlight. Executive Chef, Joseph Antonishek, has worked in some amazing dining rooms before coming here from LA. Taking on this job has its challenges with a host of venues, room service, wellness menus and discerning guests to please, yet there’s little doubt that he has the energy, enthusiasm and the skill to take Karma dining to new heights.

We settle in for a three-course dinner with pasta to start, beautiful pan-seared scallops to follow, and meltingly tender slow cooked beef for main course.

Mixed with a soft red from California, overlooking the moonlit sea below, it’s destination dining at its best.

Dinner is followed by a seductive tapas of desserts, designed to share. The menu is a great mix of East meets West and gives us a hint of the direction this talented chef is taking.

Joseph’s job includes creating the menus for

Karma Beach Club, room service, Di Mare restaurant and special events in the private wine room Veritas, all of which are constantly being updated. He has become inspired by the wellness packages designed

by Judy and the spa team, so the wellness menus are innovative, beautifully presented and a delicious alternative for those after something lighter.

“We are taking our wellness menus to the next level. We’re not doing Canggu-style bowls, we do elegant bowls full of super foods. The entire menu is designed for a five-star guest and Joseph has really embraced this, I am really excited by what I’ve seen so far,” says Judy Chapman.

Today’s traveller is thinking differently about their holidays these days and Karma has anticipated this trend. With the appointment of the world’s first female global yoga ambassador Karma will be hosting wellness days and retreats throughout the year. The option of continuing your exercise regime, your yoga program and healthy eating or using your holiday to get in shape, as opposed to loading on the kilos, is part of today’s Karma experience.

Our villa is waiting as we head back from dinner.

Beds turned down, air-conditioning on, the lights on low. The pool glitters in the moonlight and the ocean is a breath away.

Early mornings are monkey time and following a brief encounter on my terrace, we were more than ready for a beach walk and a swim in the impossibly blue Indian Ocean. Karma Beach in the mornings, before the music starts and the crowds arrive, is really quite beautiful. The water is more like the Maldives than a Bali beach, with white sand, crystal clear water and a beach protected by the surrounding reef . . . it’s worth getting up early for.

Restored and relaxed we head to Di Mare for what has to be one of the best resort breakfasts on the island. A full à la carte menu is offered as part of your villa stay and it’s all fresh and delicious. From tropical fruit and bakery baskets to ricotta hotcakes, smoothie bowls, eggs benedict, fluffy omelettes and Asian breakfast favourites, it’s a perfect start. Looking out over the endless ocean, with the breeze offering relief from the heat, you realize how blessed you are to be here. www.karmakandara.com

sarah douglas checks into karma kandara for 24 hours of Unapologetic pampering.

bali beach life. and why not?

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stephanie mee makes hay while the sun shines at the four seasons resort jimbaran bay.

a pool with a view and right from top: cocktails, sunset and soirĂŠeS.

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When it comes to beaches in Bali, surfers head to the Bukit, party peeps hit up Canggu and Seminyak and solitude seekers escape to the serene shores of Amed. But where do you go when you want a mix of it all? Jimbaran ticks all the right boxes for its great balance of bright energy and chill vibes, stellar scenery and fab food. And if there’s one spot where you’re guaranteed to find all of those things and more, it’s the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Nestled in the gentle curve of a three-mile stretch of golden sand, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay is one of Bali’s grand dames, having graced the shores here for nearly 25 years. Yet you’d never know it from walking the grounds, as the hotel recently underwent a huge revamp with renovations to all 147 luxury pool villas, a fresh new look and dining concept for signature restaurant Taman Wantilan and an exciting new cocktail programme at renowned beach club Sundara.

Now more than ever, the resort is drawing in folks from all corners who come not just for the divine seaside accommodation, but also the all-day offerings in a gorgeous setting. Whether you’re looking to just chill by a pool, do some action-packed water sports, indulge in world-class beverages and bites, or get pampered next to the sea, the resort is your one-stop spot for the ultimate day in Jimbaran.

Mosey in mid-day and make your way to Sundara where you can relax in a breezy balé next to the longest beachfront pool in Bali. Work up an appetite doing laps in the 57-metre infinity-edged pool that hovers over the beach. You can also get the body moving with a stroll down the beach, snorkelling or stand-up paddling in the calm waters close to shore, surfing the breaks further out, or even some AntiGravity Yoga.

When the hunger pangs set in, the daytime menu at Sundara features Asian-inspired bites and vibrant beach club fare. Start with a chirashi bowl brimming with yellow fin tuna, sea bream and snapper sashimi. The soft-shell crab comes with a light tempura crust and sits atop a zesty green mango salad with crunchy cashews and roasted chilli jam. Larger plates include the green curry with duck, blue swimmer crab linguine and grilled snapper with wokfried morning glory and spicy sambal matah.

listen to the sound of waves crashing below as a skilled spa therapist stimulates the senses with gentle dry body brushing, a fragrant flower rub, a Balinese massage that combines long, soothing strokes, skin softening body oil and tension-relieving compresses, and an anti-ageing floral facial treatment.

As the sun starts to sink below the cliffs of the Bukit, the terrace at Sundara is the place to be for one-for-one happy hour specials and live music. The new Liquid History menu takes you on a journey through Indonesia's past with a seductive selection of libations that showcase houseinfused arak, local fruits and spices. Try the Pandan Harum with pandan wangi-infused arak and vanilla tonic or the Wajik Ireng with coconut charcoal-infused arak, young coconut water, coconut purée and palm sugar.

After a few cocktails and cool tunes, you’ll probably be ready to fuel up again, and Taman Wantilan is just the spot.

Set in a huge Balinese-style pavilion, the restaurant offers nine live-action cooking stations where you can pile your plate high with an array of international delights. Choices include fresh sushi and sashimi, aromatic Indian curries and tandoor creations, smoky Indonesian satays grilled to order, pastas like the truffle mac n’ cheese, and savoury roast meats to name just a few.

Be sure to save room for dessert because the sweet treats by award-winning executive chef Yusuke Aoki (world champion at the 2018 Valrhona Chocolate Chef Competition and Best Pastry Chef at the 2018 Indonesian Salon Culinaire) are to die for. Yusuke draws on his French training to create decadent sweet treats that burst with Balinese flavours. Must-haves include the mango mousse cake with coconut sponge and earl grey tea crème brûlée with spiced poached pear.

Here’s an insider tip: if you really want to up the ante on your Jimbaran Bay experience, we suggest coming to Sundara on a Sunday when you can indulge in Bali’s longest brunch. Running from 11am to 5pm, this lavish half-day affair includes an unlimited selection of vibrant small plates, live acoustics on the open-air terrace, access to the infinity pool and kids club, and free-flow options that include arak and tonics, imported wines and Prosecco.

Cheers to ending the weekend on a high note! www.fourseason.com/jimbaranbay

For those after a bit of pampering, an Al Fresco Flow spa treatment is just the ticket. The treatment takes place in a balé perched above the rocky shoreline where you can

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I m p i a n a

V i l l as

Seminyak’s first Villa Resort gets a reinvention as Impiana Villas Seminyak.

Oh, if these walls could talk, the Seminyak tales they could tell would fill a book.

It began as a single villa, home to Australian expat Jim Elliot. Located in Jalan Kunti, the spacious villa with its signature yin and yang pool was one of the first rental villas in Seminyak and before long, the idea spread and spread.

By the time The Villas in Seminyak was sold to its Malaysian owners and became Impiana Private Villas Seminyak, the property had grown to encompass two sites, with 50 private pool villas and two spas including the iconic Prana Spa and Chill, the home of reflexology.

It is almost two years since Impiana took over. Much of the original architecture has remained. It’s been buffed and polished, the alang alang roofs have been replaced in most villas and the signature yin and yang pools, inspired by the original villa, sparkle with personality and new tiles.

A modern reception area has been built on the street to replace the discreet reception that existed. A new restaurant, Oswego, has also been added to compliment the existing Prana Garden restaurant, which is now overseen by an Indian chef, offering authentic Indian food.

All in all, this is a refurbishment that honours the original design and for many, this is great news, as the property holds a special place for so many of us, who have stayed, wined, dined and been pampered here. And yes, partied.

The property offers one, two and three bedroom private pool villas. Each is surrounded by beautiful gardens and Balinese-inspired walls that offer both peace and privacy.

With open living and dining areas, kitchens and lush, tropical gardens, this is a sanctuary within busy

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Seminyak. As an older property, built on a large plot of land, it also offers more space than many modern villas.

The design of the villas themselves has been copied many times over, yet this property is the original and bears all the hallmarks of a classic.

Circular open living spaces, with vast alang alang roofs, are the defining feature of the two and three bedroom villas. The three bed villas also offer a third circular guesthouse, separate from the main villa, otherwise they are very similar.

Indoor/outdoor bathrooms are another defining feature and can be found in all the villas. Created from terrazzo in warm colours, with creamy stone and tile, they speak volumes about Bali and they have been lovingly restored under Impiana’s management.

The one-bedroom villas vary in design, some are two stories, with a mezzanine, and others laid out on one floor. The recent upgrades have included polishing all the terrazzo, replacing the furniture to update the interiors, and retiling the outdoor areas, yet still retaining the original character.

Impiana is a well-known resort company in Malaysia. The expansion to Bali has seen them purchase two existing properties, The Seminyak Villas and a beautiful, private villa overlooking a temple and the sea, in the peaceful Canggu village of Cemagi.

The Impiana Villa in Cemagi is a stunner. Formerly a private home, it has six guest rooms, including a selfcontained joglo, a swimming pool that overlooks the sea and a private tennis court and family games room.

The gardens are laid out like a golf course, and the sea temple it overlooks is reminiscent of Tanah Lot, without the crowds. It’s a popular wedding venue and great for families and groups.

Along the Sayan terrace, where luxurious resorts including The Amandari and The Alila Ubud reside, Impiana is creating its third property. A luxurious spa resort that will include a second Prana Spa, inspired by the first. The company hopes to launch this by the end of this year.

Returning to Impiana in Seminyak, I couldn’t resist a peak at the villa where it all began. The island’s first yin and yang pool remains, the rest is a distant memory.

Here a seven-eight bedroom modern villa is being built.

Construction is well underway when I visit. Located directly behind the new reception area and the modern Asian meet Western Oswego restaurant and bar, it will be the resort’s premium property.

Oswego, inspired by Impiana’s KL-based wine bar, is a modern, open space for casual dining. With both Asian and Western menus, it has been designed in soothing colours of cool blue with wood. It’s a clear sign that times have changed, but not so much. The Villas long time Chef, Wayan, is behind the stove bringing years of experience to this fresh, new space and giving Impiana Villas a presence on Jalan Kunti.

For those who have visited in the past, it is a sign of the times that this is now a bustling tar road. In its day, Jl. Kunti was little more than a gravel track with a smattering of local warungs and a single villa. It’s reassuring that its history is reflected in the current resort, that Prana Spa remains largely as it was designed and that progress has only improved this property. If only walls could talk, or perhaps it’s better they can’t. www.impianaseminyak.com

classic comforts.

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venting in a villa

clockwise from top left: aria villas ubud; origin ubud (and Next); origin seminyak.

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State of OrigiN

Ondy Sweeting meets Insitu Asia co-founder Jork Bosselaar and gets swept up in the excitemnet of Origin.

Three long-time hospitality experts with a shared history and a passion for the future have merged minds to develop a ground breaking vertical business aimed squarely at tourism.

Three years ago Arjen De Boer, Yuta Oka and Jork Bosselaar decided to drop their day jobs, synthesize their collective expertise in upscale hospitality technical development services, high finance and operations to create Insitu Asia. The springboard that put this into motion was a reconnaissance trip to Bali.

“We were inspired by the vertical development and interested in properties with a low footprint like backpacker properties, tents, lodges, plus high end hotels. Hostels are not what they used to be and they now attract older adventurers who want new experiences – they are very cool brands these days,” says co-founder Jork.

It started when Arjen first built Aria Villas in Ubud and then in 2016 Insitu took over the management. This was closely followed by the launch of the Origin brand that now has villas in Seminyak, Ubud and a luxury-tented camp, which opens this June in Uluwatu.

“We are catering for a travelling audience who appreciate to have their own space," he says.

Origin guests will never be given a breakfast coupon for a morning buffet. Instead, they are offered a choice from a daily revolving à la carte menu and the dishes are delivered at the chosen hour. Ingredients are sourced locally. The bread for Origin Ubud comes from the game changing restaurant Locavore. Bathroom and spa products are all made in-house in collaboration with local producers using regional and sustainable resources.

Insitu Asia has a niche that is based on a combination of four to five-star standard in operations and security models with an emphasis heavy on technology.

“Our properties are a bit like traditional guesthouses where visitors connect with the locals," sazys Jork.

"Origin doesn't arrange lunches or dinner so people have to go out and explore the area at least to eat. In Seminyak the experience is of a savvy town while in Ubud a village is closest for dining with the town a little further south.

“Our team of locals share inside knowledge about the best places to visit, the best coffee, the most beautiful temples and the off-the-track restaurants.

Our recommendations are so much better than blindly following a mobile phone,” he says.

Taking a photo does not tell anyone about a destination. People want to explore the culture of the people who created the place and Origin supports this notion.

The brand has spread south to Uluwatu with a tented camp. The land was lush with mature cotton trees and old gardens, so the group has built around these natural features. Twelve tents – each with a roof span of 50 sq m – have a living space with custom-built furniture, and huge outdoor bathrooms with a tub and shower. Architecture and interiors are by Singapore’s hip Studiogoto. It is going to be an epic destination in the heart of surf city where pumped up cliff clubs loom large above old school beach bars serving coconuts and cold beer.

“You’ll literally be surrounded by greenery. We fell in love with the site, which is full of towering cotton trees and has a beautiful, natural element. That works for us,” Jork says.

Origin has plans for Bali and beyond. “We like the hills of Bali – being an avid cycler I love to go up north – and we are looking at a few sites now. The island has so much to offer with its unique culture, geographic beauty and unstoppable popularity. Then there are the northern islands such as Banda, Sulawesi and east

to Flores,” he says. The birthing of Insitu Asia was not a particularly sane process – but what big plans are truly banal?

“When we decided to quit our day jobs our idea was to do the full 360 of developing properties. First up we invested in a co-working space in Singapore. District 6 was the premier space to focus on property technology.

Our love for real estate led us to work with Singapore’s avante guard technology brands including JLL Liquid Lab and Propell, the property technology accelerator.

“They used our platform to get our membership up and get starter labs going. Insitu invests in property tech and we develop our own property.

“The Bali properties are created with our own funds and we work with other investors to develop properties on their behalf. We help them to bring it under the brand and realise the project. We give consultancy to others. We know what’s happening on a vertical field in Malaysia, big brand properties in Thailand and resorts in remote locations. It’s bringing all that together with the methods we have all gathered over the years from our jobs in high end hotels.”

Origin Seminyak has partnered with Orca Nation – a dive company based in Singapore that delivers educational programs for children focused on ocean conservation. The group is part of the global organisation Change Makers, Rule Breakers – which is based at Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

“We can make camps for school children to give them experiences that will change them for life. Indonesia has so many sites that are ideal for that purpose. It's a great program that defends the future by educating the young. That is where change will absolutely happen,” Jork says. www.originseminyak.com www.originubud.com

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over the edge

sophie digby shares the love about a special place in southern lombok.

At first we whispered about it together, knowing smiles and nods, then muttering in low tones we would begrudgingly share our prized information with friends looking for romantic getaways. Now at the pinnacle of Instasharing we shake our heads, but do manage to share our unique buffalo beach images to all and sundry.

Possibly one of the most famous photos to have ever come out of South Lombok is exactly that image; the one of the crescent-shaped, white sand beach with “water buffalo and herder” front and centre, with a vast backdrop of azure blue sea. Yes, that is 'my' beach, it is 'our' beach. It has been our beach for over nine years; nine years in which the kids have turned from sand snobs into adults. And we have matured enough to understand that sharing is caring – even if you don’t know who on earth is following you.

That beach, that gorgeous beach, is Selong Belanak and the place, and I mean THE place to stay on said beach is Sempiak Villas. Sempiak and Selong Belanak Beach are basically three bays to the right of Kuta Beach Lombok – if looking out to sea – and a mere 35-minute drive from the newish Lombok Airport in Praya, with flights that arrive from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Jakarta.

Divided into two parts, holiday houses and villas, the Sempiak Villas team encourage those travelling with children under the age of 12 to stay in the houses, located near the beach, where the land is flat and spacious.

As opposed to The Villas, which elegantly hug the steep side of the hill – infinity pools with no fencing, complex staircases leading here and there . . . you can understand that the villas are not ideal for young families. Yet both villas and houses have easy access to the amazing horseshoe beach and, just as importantly, to the beachside restaurant Laut Biru (or Blue Sea).

When they say “blue” it is usually (depending on cloud cover) a ridiculous understatement!

Five holiday homes, sleeping between two and six people, are ideal for families, generous in size and comfort, they each come complete with stereos, fridges, coffee and tea-making facilities and of course books and magazines. The community area shares a swimming pool, sun lounges, beanbags and an elevated reading and lounging space with views. A short

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buggy ride (two minutes) or a five-minute walk and you're on the beach, under the shade of the trees possibly doing a “take-over” of the balé (yes, this too is 'our' balé!).

Six of the gorgeous villas, each with a sweeping views of the magnificent bay, high up on the hillside, sleep between two and four people, ideal for couples or friends travelling. A spacious sitting room and wrap around verandah just begs sunset cocktails or a cup of tea of course (each villa comes complete with large fridge, coffee and tea making facilities and hi-fi). Even this high up room service is still available so cocktails are also possible, although maybe an ice bucket and wine is the easier option? Of note is that Villa Kesambi has its own private pool whilst the other villas, Okep, Kokoh, Kembang, Kenanga and Kruing share the main pool slightly to the left of the hill, alongside sunbrella’d tables and sunbeds and yet again, that breathtaking view.

A recent addition to Sempiak’s inventory is Villa Karang Sempiak, the jewel in the crown. This four-bedroom property situated at the highest point of the hill, commands the view of all views (we have yet to stay in this villa so it’s still open to be claimed by any one of you). Large and self-contained with infinity pool, dining and sitting room with TV, this is where you should go with that close-knit group of friends for that milestone birthday trip or that Nyepi getaway. I suppose my question would be: ‘would I want to leave the villa?

But then again why am I not at my beach?’

Food and drinks are usually the decider to get the group up and moving, and Sempiak’s dedicated beach bar and restaurant, Laut Biru, has a fabulous menu with both Asian and Western dishes. Simple and delicious. The staff is amazingly friendly and charming, and the wine list is, whilst not ample, not badly priced. Juices, beers and cocktails, they are all here, as you position yourself to look out to sea, the fishing boats lighting up for a night of fishing on the horizon, as the night sky puts on a show just to prove to you that Sempiak and Selong Belanak is as beautiful at night as it is during the day.

Why I am still unsure that I should have even told you about my beach?

Thankfully, I didn’t tell anyone about the Spa! sempiakvillas.com

southern comforts at sempiak.

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over the edge Unique and legendary, this little known island called Sumba boasts the spectacular lelewatu resort. a Jewel not to be missed, writes sophie digBy.

views to die for; interiors (and exteriors) to nourish the soul.

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Sumba, the jewel in the crown of Indonesia – is what I hear. With over 17,000 islands and over 270 royals and sultans it’s a tall call, but one I have answered to no less than three times already. Why? Well, some experiences just shift quickly into the VIP lounge of one’s brain, to that inner memory bank, where outstanding, breathtaking and extraordinary are part of the furniture. I suppose it’s really a combination of small occurrences, each thrilling, surprising and impressive in their own right, that accumulate into that singular ‘wow’.

So where is the wow in Sumba?

Firstly, in their belief system. Forty percent of the population is Christian, with the remaining 60 percent being Marapu (Mar meaning grandfather and Apu meaning creator and source for life). It has animistic, spiritual and dynamic elements with a belief in balancing universal life and an eternal afterlife. Stone altars abound. Massive carved stone totems”and megalithic tombs lend the island that untouched, undiscovered and totally otherworldly feel and energy.

Linked to this is the annual Pasola ritual held by the western Sumbanese in celebration of the upcoming rice-planting season. This two-part event (there are four separate Pasolas in total, one in each of the different districts of West Sumba) starts pre-dawn, when everyone heads down to the sea in search of the Nyale worm, spawning in their millions, at a certain time of year on the south beaches of west Sumba. With buckets and buckets of worms caught, to eat fresh – raw or cooked – or be used as fishing bait, the second and rather violent part of the ritual is set to start. Spear throwing men on horseback. Sturdy horses known as Sandalwood ponies career across the open arena with rider astride, taking aim at another oncoming horseman. The aim? Bloodshed! The more blood spilled the better the rice harvest will be. The atmosphere is electric, the passion and just the sheer number of people at the main event is quite daunting. The memory? Unforgettable!

Sumba, which is about twice the size of Bali, is non-volcanic and, although generally quite dry, the short rainy season sees it convert into verdant rolling hills as far as the eye can see. It is this time of year that we have come for a short visit to enjoy the Nyale Festival, the Pasola and get all ‘megalithic’.

Lelewatu, a close neighbour of the globally famous Nihiwatu Resort, has recently flowered into being. Designed by the renowned architect of all things Indonesia Popo Danes, the resort is a befitting tribute to the culture and heritage of Sumba. Ten hectares of rain forest and cliff-front make up the expanse of this new overnight option based on one of the Lesser Sundas. Spacious rooms, private pool and butler service – and yes, of course, those pampered enough as we truly do come to expect this as a given. The unexpected however, and something I had never experienced to such a degree of constant enjoyment, was the view from my very own balcony. A view that I will covet for the rest of my life; a memory that jumped right into that VIP lounge in my brain. It was so easy to be present, to be in the now. The mind stopped wandering and incessantly chattering and seemed to engage with my eyes and the seer behind them. All three of us just looked out to sea. Mesmerising. Hours of gentle meditation, eyes wide open.

For those wishing for a few days of digital detox, Lelewatu is just perfect. The Resort team creates unique itineraries for each guest, suited to the number of days and interests.

Internally, there are two restaurants and a bar, an infinity pool, a spa villa and huge grounds to wander around – take a gentle stroll to see the famed Lelewatu stone bracelet, on property, after which the resort is named. (Watu means stone in Sumbanese whereas in Indonesian it is batu). In the spirit of keeping that mind entertained and away from all things digital, day trips and half-day outings can be arranged, with or without picnics. Visits to traditional megalithic villages, pristine beaches, saltwater lakes, surf spots and waterfalls are yours for the asking. Note that there are only approximately 715,000 people living on Sumba so expect little development, you will cross paths only very occasionally with any other travellers which is a definitely a godsend – for us it was anyway, coming from Bali at around six million people on an island half the size.

Lelewatu, as a massive nod to Sumba’s traditional housing, boasts three types of one bedroom villas, (cliff-hanger, royal honeymoon and the standard), two types of two-bedroom, a four-bedroom and the Uma Humba, an eight singlebed, open plan living space – which is akin to the typical communal, compound way of village living here on the island. The aforementioned villas are dotted throughout the property, along the paved walkways and buggy paths, built on a number of different levels. At the top of the cliff-side property and set back is the main arrival area and Le Humba restaurant, tastefully decorated with framed Sumba handicrafts and traditional metalwork, wooden pillars throughout.

The second tier hosts the guest-only restaurant Bokosawu, the resort’s infinity pool, the sand-floored, grass-thatched bar and one of the most amazing sunset viewing spots in the world. The other is, of course, directly from my villa, just a couple of tiers further down, with an even more up close and personal encounter of this majestic Indian Ocean and her constant, hypnotic swell of waves.

For a fast-facts run down, all villas do in fact have flat-screen TVs (though why you would want one here escapes me). Room service is 24 hours; buggy service and housekeeping arrive promptly when called. Cooking with the chef, spa treatments, romantic private dinners are some in-resort activities. Handcrafted, ex-resort itineraries are tailor-made and chaperoned by charming, efficient guides, who are also a great source of ethnic tales and cultural legends. www.lelewatu.com Lelewatu Resort, cliff-side, over looking an uninterrupted view of the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean on the west coast of the island of Sumba (an hour’s flight east of Bali), molded a good part of this particular heady impression. Designed by renowned archipelagic architect Popo Danes, the resort “captures and curates the essence of Sumba”.

Sumba is non volcanic.

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brands

Sk y’s the Limit Luiz Sanchez lets his hair down at sky garden.

in the zone, and right, more than just a club.

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Going as far back as the late '80s Bali has been a popular tourist destination for partygoers, and since 2005 Sky Garden in Kuta has been a focal point of that experience.

From its humble beginnings to being selected as one of the greatest nightclubs in the world, Sky Garden’s focus has always been on creating the best customer experience possible.

“We want Sky Garden to be one of the highlights of your Bali vacation,” says Cay Cabotage, Sky Garden’s General Manager. “From the food we serve at the buffet, to the extensive cocktails prepared by some of the island's top bartenders, we make sure all these contribute to an overall good time.”

The club has surely come a long way from its early days.

Back in 2005 it was a one-storey complex competing with dozens of other nightclubs in the area; just another stop in the Kuta club-hopping scene. “We owe much of this growth to our patrons and guests,” Cay continues. “People on vacation are our main target audience and these guests come from all over the world. The fact that Sky Garden has become almost synonymous with the party scene of Bali speaks volumes about the time our guests spend with us.

It's a venue where different cultures coexist. We understand our guest's need to cut loose and unwind, and we make it really easy for them.”

This attention to detail, service and teamwork is what has propelled Sky Garden into the list of top 100 nightclubs worldwide, ranking 59th this year and steadily climbing higher. “Our overall success isn't derived from just one source, it's everyone who keeps this establishment running like a well-oiled machine,” Cay explains. “We have custodians who maintain the building's cleanliness, we've got amazing staff, we've got a killer marketing team. The hard work of everyone who contributes to this establishment becomes evident in the experience we provide and our amazing guests see this.”

Visiting Sky Garden is quite the experience. The venue offers a wide variety of experiences ranging from their famous buffet prepared by chefs from around the world, to a number of dancefloors that collectively host up to 25 DJs every night. This variety means there is something for everyone, every night, and the fact that it gets packed without fail is testament to their success in diversity.

The mind-boggling number of DJs performing at Sky Garden certainly keeps things fresh. Over the years the venue has housed some of the most famous names internationally, including Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Dash Berlin and Don Diablo. “We have chosen a number of amazinglyskilled DJs from all walks of life; both Indonesian and international,” Cay explains. “From Australia, England, the Netherlands, Turkey, across Asia and more. We pride ourselves not only on having some of the best Indonesian DJs perform here, but also leading talent from Asia and the rest of the world.”

Over the past few years the face of tourism in Bali has begun to shift away from the binge-drinking party scene that Kuta has long been associated with, towards the more artisanal, gluten-free, fairtrade, decaf Martini beach club experiences found in Canggu, and yet Sky Garden continues to expand and see more and more tourists come through its doors every year. “Nightlife and partying in general is a social ritual,” Cay continues. “As we've seen in our establishment, people from all over the world come together, listen to music, dance, and meet new people here. It's a place to interact and this in itself makes it an attraction. Sky Garden has been running for 14 years now with no signs of slowing down, we like to think that we've become an institution and a staple in anyone's Bali experience.”

A staple it certainly is. The entrance fee gives you access to five different stages, dozens of DJs each with their own sound and rhythm, an all-you-can-eat buffet and free-flow drinks. Sky Garden also has VIP booths for the more upscale experience, and VVIP sections where you can have the very best view of your favorite performer. “Sky Garden holds large events every week but it doesn’t stop at events for us,” Cay says. “We believe that giving our guests an experience that they will not forget is just as important.”

Cay says that they are always looking for exciting new opportunities to expand their brand across the island, but are currently focused on continuously improving the Sky Garden experience in Kuta. “You never know what the future holds and we're definitely gearing up for exciting things ahead,” she said. www.clubskygardenbali.com

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brands

five stars for sensatia, a company that just keeps on giving, writes stephanie mee.

shared goals at sensatia.

We always love watching Bali brands succeed, and even more so if the brand has a mission that goes above and beyond just selling products. For nearly two decades now, we’ve watched Sensatia Botanicals grow from a small cottage industry creating handmade soaps into an internationally renowned all-natural skincare brand that has never wavered on their commitment to support the environment and the local community.

Sensatia’s story begins when American-born Michael R. Lorenti Jr. found himself in the small fishing village of Jasri in Karangasem, East Bali. It was the superb surf breaks that drew him there, but the warm and welcoming nature of the villagers that made him decide to stay.

Michael says, “When I first got to this part of the island, the local crew was just amazing; so incredibly friendly, fun, entertaining and ready to go anywhere with just the shirt on their back (and then give you the shirt on their back).

This definitely made for some really ridiculous times back in the day, so of course I wanted to figure out how we could build something together.”

“At the time I was tired of all the horrible chemical products out there with their ridiculous claims to do this and that. Most of the garbage on the market was water, fillers and chemicals with very little of the valuable ‘key ingredients’, which is why you bought the products in the first place. So I created Sensatia for family and friends who wanted alternative, healthier, pure and delicious products.”

Sensatia was born in 2000 with just three employees making cold-pressed coconut soaps. All the ingredients came from the local area and the products were made by 136

hand in Jasri. Despite its humble setup, a US chain store group quickly picked up the brand, followed by Japanese distributors. Soon orders for other products began to roll in, and after just a year, the company had expanded to 23 employees.

or artificial ingredients in the products, and all finished goods go through a quality control centre before leaving the facility to ensure they meet strict standards including GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and halal certification standards.

One of the reasons Sensatia was able to grow as quickly as it did was because it was designed to support and empower the local community. From the beginning and to this day, 20 per cent of the revenues go directly to the employees.

What’s on the outside also counts when it comes to Sensatia’s environmentally friendlt ethos. In terms of packaging, the company uses biodegradable shopping bags made from cassava starch and encourages customers and clients to return their bottles for recycling.

Michael says, “My heart drops when I think of some of the stories I had to pry out of some people’s mouths. Things you and I often 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 that could siphon a small bit of the world’s affluence into this little village the world had forgotten, or perhaps never even knew about.”

Michael says, “The empties we collect from both our retail customers as well as our hotel customers are sent to the local Bank Sampah where the plastic is processed and cleaned, then sold to companies making plastic products from 100 per cent post-consumer plastic waste like plastic cargo pallets.”

Being good to the Earth is also fundamental to the company. Michael says, “We carefully consider every raw material before using it in a product to make sure we can maintain sustainability and have a low impact on the environment. We think of every choice as though we were already 100 times larger, meaning it's important to make the right choices now so when we are much bigger our impact is still minimal.”

Each Sensatia product is made with only natural, cruelty-free materials that are sourced from reputable, sustainable-minded suppliers and tested in the lab before being processed. You won’t find any chemicals, synthetics

Now nearly 20 years on, Sensatia offers over 200 products in more than 40 countries and boasts five-star clients like Alila Hotels & Resorts, Mandapa Ritz Carlton, Karma Resorts, The Katamama and W Retreat & Spa Bali to name just a few. By staying true to their goals, the company has grown exponentially and they expect to continue to do so in the coming years.

Success may change some individuals and brands, but Michael says, “Rest assured, we will always maintain our small family charm, remembering one world, one people, and to always tread lightly. Our products are special, our people are special, and our purpose is greater than that of just profit.” www.sensatia.com

yak events the eighth yak golf community cup brought them in from far and wide for another great day on the fairways of bali national.

They came, they swung, they won prizes. A total of 88 golfers joined us for the 8th Yak Golf Community Cup at Bali National Golf Course on March 30, 2019. Pairings were in teams of two for this Ambrose rules Texas Scramble, a fun format that sees both golfers tee off, picking the best ball after that and onwards to the hole.

Lakeman Ceramics trophy in the style of the Texan day.

Players arrived to register and were immediately pointed towards the Door Prize table, where we gave away 60 plus prizes of F&B vouchers, free hats, t-shirts and more before heading to the terrace for our now legendary chipping competition onto the 18th green. Energized by jamu from Live Essences, golfers did their best to get closest to the pin with the winner walking away with a one night stay experience at Plataran Canggu Resorts & Spa.

And the winners were…

After a team photo the action moved to the car park where buggies awaited our players as well as BNGC General Manager Mark Holland who ran through the rules of the day before we headed off to our allotted tees.

Play started at 12:30 with participants refreshing themselves at both halfway houses along the way, courtesy of Mama’s Sausages, Albens Cider, RivaReno and Karma Kandara, who provided coconuts and bean bags for a sit down. Deus motocycles added some eye candy to hole number 6.

Each hole was marvelously adorned in banners created by Supaprint, with prizes going for nearest the pin on five holes and nearest the line on one. A Hole In One prize of a Royal Enfield motorcycle sat unclaimed on Hole 9, much to the sadness of each player. What a great prize that would have been!

Hole number 10 was sponsored by the fabulous furniture empire Warisan who provided chairs and table set up for a quick sit down in the shade.

Ultimately play moved to the terrace post match where sponsors provided a fantastic line up of food and beverages from Heineken beer, Wild Turkey whiskey, Two Islands wines, cocktails by SVA and wagyu beef by The Conrad, great canapes by Mozaic and Puerta26 from Sanur.

Onwards to the awards ceremony, where we gave away a further 14 top prizes to the winners including a fabulous

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With so much great support and such a fun day, we can’t wait for a rerun in September for the second round this year.

Fore!

Best Team Gross Winner – Meva Schmidt and Alit Gunastra (66) – Heligolf to Handara For 4 px including Green Fees Best Team Gross Runner Up – Hans Schutte and Charley Ryals (67) – 2 X 2 nights stay in Deluxe Premier Room – Bed & Breakfast for 2 at Away Legian Camakila Best Team Nett Winner – Thibault Charlene and Sacha Mohtashami (69) – Four rounds of golf at Lombok Kosaido with 2 nights stay at the Legian Sire Best Team Nett Runner Up – Kazumasa Kishi and Nyoman Sarjana (70) – Two nights with Bali Luxury Villas Nearest to the pin Hole #4 – Goro Ekanto (45cm) - 2 nights Karma Kandara Nearest to the pin Hole #6 – Hartono (231cm) – 1x 2 nights stay in a Garden Suite at Montigo Resorts Nearest to the pin Hole #9 – Aryawan (88cm) – 2 nights stay in a One Bedroom Deluxe Suite at The Legian Seminyak Nearest to the pin Hole #12 – Kazumasa Kishi (298cm) – 2 nights stay in the ocean facing room at the Discovery Kartika Plaza Nearest to the pin Hole #17 – Meva Schmidt (113cm) – 2 nights stay at Junior Suite at the Renaissance Nearest to the line Hole #13 – Nengah Natya (40cm) – sponsored by Conrad Hotels Men’s Longest Drive #7 – Corey Paul Rotthenbuger (265 yards) – winning an Oakley Watch Ladies Longest Drive #7 – Meva Schmidt (240 yards) – winning an Oakley watch Chipping Contest Winner – Charley Ryals (152cm) – One (1) night stay experience in Plataran Canggu Resorts

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fashion freestyle

www.johnhardy.com

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www.lily-jean.com

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fashion freestyle

www.atlaspearls.com.au

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www.bambooblonde.com

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fashion freestyle

www.biasagroup.com

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www.deuscustoms.com

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fashion freestyle

www.69slam.com

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advertiser's directory

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Sandat Glamping Tel: +623618946388 www.glampingsandat.com Page 12 The Anvaya Beach Resort Bali Tel: +62361759991 www.theanvayabali.com Page 39 Yak Map C.13 The Apurva Kempinski Tel: +623612092288 www.kempinski.com Page 41 Yak Map H.16 The Edge/Mesa Hotel & Resort/ oneeighty Tel: +6236188470700/+62 3618470700 www.mesahotelsandresorts.com www.oneeightybali.com Page 55 Yak Map G.14 Tugu Hotel Bali Tel: +623706120111 www.tuguhotels.com Page 26 Yak Map P.1 W Bali Seminyak Tel: +623614738106 www.wbaliseminyak.com Page 115 Yak Map K.4 MEDIA / PRINTING Supa Print Tel: +623618475740 www.supa-print.com Page 149

Yak Map D.7

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Yak Map O.7 Potato Head Tel: +6236147377979 www.ptthead.com Page 19 Yak Map L.5 Sardine +628113978111 www.sardinebali.com Page 4-5 Yak Map L.5 Sky Garden Tel: +62361755423 www.skygardenbali.com Page 72 Yak Map D.11 Settimo Cielo Tel: +623614741117 www.settimocielo.com Page 31 Yak Map R.6 SugarSand Tel: +623612099999 www.sugarsandbali.com Page 13 Yak Map P.13 SVÁ Indonesian Tapas & Bar Tel: +628113930118 www.svabali.com Page 105 Yak Map K.1 Tropicola Tel: +623619343636

www.tropicola.info Page 23

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horoscope

astroyak

star gazer dallas kalmar hits the charts to put your life in perspective.

aries Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to go slow | And sometimes if you wanna hold on, you’ve got to let go. With Mercury in your domestic/foundational 4th house until June 26, followed by a solar eclipse there on July 2, discussions around home, family and (emotional?) security that begin now may have a longer half-life than you originally expected–so keep the faith about what looks to be a loss or disappointment.

Prime yourself for the best possible outcome by visualizing your way through both ‘best’ and ‘worst’ while trying to remain unattached to either. “Everything is happening for me, not to me.”

The Serenity Prayer from the 12-Step Recovery Program might just sum it up best. You want “the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” On July 16, the lunar eclipse falls in your sentimental fourth house and pings depth-plumbing Pluto, bringing up a whole heap of stuff to be cleared. Hard-to-accept secrets, family dysfunctions and old psychic wounds may surface. Delve into a healing regime now so you can begin your cosmic new year with a clean slate.

libra

Life in the fast lane. Seismic shifts–especially pertaining to your career– have probably resulted from the May 18th full moon in your sign (and you can expect to continue feeling the tremors well into the next season). With pedal-to-the-metal Mars zooming through your career house until August 18, make the most of this energy behind the scenes until Mercury goes direct on Aug 1: review branding initiatives, social media profiles, marketing strategy, etc.. February finds you with a few more feathers in your career cap–and perhaps also more stamps in your passport!

scorpio I’m listening now. Over the next few months, the emphasis is on accepting your truth, versus expressing it–as well as defining what ‘home’ or ‘security’ actually means to you. For most of July, Mercury will be doing the Charleston between your communicative 3rd house and domestic/foundational 4th, which could wreak havoc on contracts or result in a devastating lapsus linguae, to say the least. Best to keep a low profile until August, but make use of the solar eclipse on July 2, which ushers in a clean slate to support your goals in these areas – and might also inspire you to be a better listener. …and so it is.

taurus

Shake it out, shake it out. Happy solar return, Gemini! The new moon on June 3 heralds your cosmic new year, so remember to make some big wishes before you blow out those candles (and watch them come true by the Gemini full moon on December 12). Sensuous Venus also shows up for the party this year from June 8-July 3, just in time to make you–and your celebrations–sparkle. Relish the rewards! All that glitters isn’t necessarily gold, however. On July 16, a lunar eclipse in your secretive 8th house could shake up issues around intimacy, debt or your shadow side. Reveal to heal.

gemini

Please don’t wake me now. With a compendium of planetary power behind your sign, this summer/winter was made for you and your highest-vibrational self!

The solar eclipse on July 2 kicks off your astrological new year with ample support from the cosmos: Mars arrives just the day before, pipelining some extra oomph into your house of work, money and self-worth, while Venus saunters into your sign to make you shine.

Your ambition’s officially out of remission, and the law of attraction puts you in the right place at the right time! Just delay any big publicity moves until Mercury goes direct on August 1.

cancer

You’ve got to fight | for your right | to paaaaaaaarty. Happy solar return, Leo! Just in time for the festivities, voluptuous Venus sashays into your sign from July 27-August 21 to indulge those champagne wishes and caviar dreams. However, the lunar eclipse in your health zone on July 16 may have already blown the whistle on a wellness issue, prompting you to bypass such luxuries in favor of Kombucha and quinoa. Wellness gets top billing for the rest of the year, and rightly so. By month’s end, you’ll be hosting the Sun, Mars and Venus in your second house of income and self-worth. Healthy=wealthy.

leo

Working on a feeling | Breaking down the ceiling. Have the past couple of years felt a bit like a #selfcaresqueeze? When the new moon fires up your healing twelfth house of rest on July 31, give some thought to what no longer serves you emotionally (anger is poison!) and choose to let. It. Gooooooo. Remember, when we forgive others, it’s ourselves we are setting free. When Mars also tours your sleepy 12th house until August 18, savor the slowdown and use it properly, recharge–you’ll need the energy reserves next month when non-stop Mars blazes into your sign that same day until October 4th.

virgo

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Give it up, to give it up | you know what’s on my mind. The full moon in your sign on June 17th gives you the green light to nurture yourself–but are you even sure what that will entail? Don’t wait–initiate a plan to figure it out, then commit to it by the new moon solar eclipse on July 2–a perfectly potent time for starting something with staying power. With Venus also in your erotic 8th house until July 27, part of what nurtures you might also come from intimacy with another person–in which case, the cosmic conditions couldn’t be more accommodating!

sagittarius

This is the natural order of things, change sets in. Harbingers of change, an eclipse can be best likened to spilling a glass of water on the floor–whilst never particularly convenient, after you wipe it up, the surface left behind is almost always cleaner, shinier (perhaps even better) because of it! Sometimes, it’s our resistance to these sometimes-messy miracles–not the change itself–that causes the most angst. Themes to watch for with a proverbial towel at the ready: the balance between me and we. Where have you been overextending–or pretending–at your own expense? Detach with love.

capricorn

aquarius This too shall light; every moment to the letter. Is that the scent of slightly singed Phoenix feathers? The next six months could find you completely transformed, especially as it pertains to unfinished business in relationships (primarily with yourself). On July 16, the lunar eclipse in your cathartic 12th house pings Pluto to assist in creating a plan to clean up your side of the street. While Mercury’s backspin until July 31 could expedite any overdue forgiveness-dealings or fences in need of mending, it definitely isn’t the time to sign on the dotted line or start any new relationships/projects.

Fly, my pretty… pisces So many roads I know | All I want is one to take me home. Take the high road. The Sagittarius full moon in your professional 10th house on June 17 positions you for a big win or bit of fame in the workplace–as does the lunar eclipse the following month, July 16. However, with premeditating Pluto cracking the whip on Mars and Mercury on June 19, beware gas-lighting, power struggles and manipulations in some of your closest relationships. While it may be tempting, taking the bait and going all ‘lese majesty’ is not the best way to ‘stand your ground.’ Take the high road–that energy is available to you now.

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