Photo of the Week: Mona Lisa's Beef Rendang

In Sanur there is a restaurant called Mona Lisa. After trying their beef rendang in February 2012, it is now my only must-visit restaurant and must-have dish whenever I'm in Bali. I've tried a few other beef rendangs around Bali and this one remains my favourite. The beef is always tender, the flavours are beautiful, the portion size is perfect and if I ask for medium spiciness, medium spiciness is what I get. I have to admit that I'm not great at trying rendang's at other restaurants. If it's on the menu, I'm always tempted but then I think "What if it's not as good as Mona Lisa's?" and the ones I've tried haven't been. So if you're in Sanur, I would definitely recommend going to Mona Lisa and trying their beautiful beef rendang.

 

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The November Plan, Part 3: Villa Coco

For the last leg of my girl's trip this coming November (see here and here for the first 2 parts), I had decided on 4 nights in Legian. This would give us a chance to do our shopping, enjoy some sunsets, visit Waterbom Park and get to the clubs if we felt like a night out. I wasn't very familiar with the Legian area when I was planning the trip so finding appropriate accommodation was a bit tricky. I was after a villa; 2 bedrooms with a private pool. There are a few horror stories of people staying in villa's that have been broken into so security was a must and I felt more at ease with the idea of being in a villa complex. This way, we'd have the security, staff on hand all the time and other guests to mingle with if we didn't want to be tucked away by our own private pool.

After a bit of research, I came across Villa Coco. It is situated down a lane way just off Jalan Double 6 in Legian which is an area I'm quite familiar with now thanks to my recent stay at The Pearl which is just a few minutes walk away. It ticked all my boxes; it had plenty within walking distance, including the beach, is a villa complex with a range of different accommodation choices such as 1 and 2 bedroom garden bungalows, studio rooms, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom and a 4 bedroom pool villa as well as having a communal pool and mostly importantly, they're very reasonably priced. We are booked in for a 2 bedroom pool villa and the manager was quick to agree to putting in 2 extra beds so none of us have to share. The 2 bedroom villa's look fantastic with semi-outdoor bathrooms, good sized pools and a very comfortable lounge area. The reviews on Trip Advisor have been constantly positive.

While I was in Bali in July, I managed to have a sneak peak at a couple of the 2 bedroom pool villas and they look exactly like the photos on the website. I was very impressed with how great they looked. I'm so excited to stay here!!

Images from www.villacoco.com

 

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Sukin Organics Give-away

As you all know, Sukin Organics recently sent me a few products to review which I've been doing over the last week or so (see here). It's safe to say that I LOVE THEM!! They smell amazing, they make my skin feel lovely and soft and it's so nice to be using a product on your face that you know is not only good for you, but it's environmentally friendly too. They're definitely a brand I'll continue to use and I've already purchased a few more of their products; shampoo, conditioner and body lotion which all smell just as gorgeous!
Now something special for you, my lovely readers, that I have been so excited to announce over the last couple of weeks. I'm having a competition!! Sukin Organics has very generously offered up 5 gift packs as prizes. The Gorgeous Getaways gift packs includes Sukin's Cream Cleanser, Hydrating Mist Toner, Facial Moisturiser, Purifying Shampoo and Nourishing Conditioner and are worth $24.95 each (see here). They're all 50mls each which is conveniently the perfect size to pack away for a trip to Bali!! All you have to do to be in for a chance to win one is complete the form below and describe to me your BEST spa experience in Bali, or anywhere else in the world that you've been on holiday to. The top 5 answers will be the lucky winners of the gift packs. The competition closes at midnight (Australian Standard Western Time) next Wednesday the 2nd of October. The winners will be notified by email before being I announce them on here.

Good luck everyone, I'm looking forward to reading your entries!!

Photo of the Week: Potato Head Beach Club

Potato Head is a beach club located in Seminyak. Although I have to admit that I am yet to try other beach clubs like Ku-De-TA and Cocoon, I love Potato Head. It's a great atmosphere looking over the infinity pool to the ocean from your table or daybed, listening to cool music, drinking delicious cocktails and nibbling on yummy food. Many people say it's expensive, which by Bali standards it is. The way I always look at it is "How much would I pay for this kind of thing in Australia?" By Australian standards, it's CHEAP! I've been to Potato Head three times, and loved it each time. With its impressive architecture, good cocktails, cool vibe and just being a beautiful place to spend the afternoon or watch the sunset, it's a place I always make an effort to return to whenever I'm in Bali.

 

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The November Plan, Part 2: Beji Ubud Resort

After enjoying 3 nights in Sanur in November (see here), my friends and I will then be heading up to Ubud for the next 3 nights. This will be my first time staying in Ubud and choosing accommodation here was probably the hardest part of planning the trip. I've only been up to Ubud once on a day trip so I didn't know whether it'd be best to stay in the centre of town or a bit further out, I wasn't familiar with any of the hotels, the restaurants or even the streets. I only had a few must haves for where we would stay: comfortable rooms with twin beds, good location and a view. After a lot of research, I finally settled on the Beji Ubud Resort. I chose it based on the recommendations from a fellow Trip Advisor poster. It met all my requirements and was a reasonable price, but most importantly, it doesn't just have a view, it has the view. Set right on the edge of a valley in Ubud, The Beji Ubud Resort seems to have made the most of the view they have. The hotel is set over numerous levels and has 5 pools, 4 of which are infinity pools overlooking the valley.

The rooms all look fantastic and very comfortable. Only two twin rooms were available and I was lucky to book them. These rooms are Garden Rooms which are of the lowest standard in the hotel, but there does not seem to be any compromise on comfort and quality.

Although the hotel is located about a 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive out of central Ubud, I don't think it'll be an issue. The hotel has a shuttle bus running throughout the day and a lot of restaurants offer pick up and drop off. I am really looking forward to our stay here and am SO excited to see that amazing view with my own eyes.

All images from www.bejiubudresort.com

 

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Testing out Sukin Organics

After enjoying a facial at Koa Boutique Spa in July (read about it here) and discovering that Sukin Organics is an Australian brand readily available in shops like Priceline, Sukin very kindly sent me a few products to review. I chose to get their Foaming Facial Cleanser, Revitalising Facial Scrub and their Facial Moisturiser.

There were a number of factors that attracted me to the Sukin Organics range. First of all, they pride themselves on being environmentally friendly- they're carbon neutral, vegan friendly and cruelty free, have recyclable packaging, the products are grey water safe and biodegradable. Secondly, they're made of natural ingredients, meaning they're free of nasties like sulphates, animal derivatives, mineral oils and parabens. Lastly, they're affordable. Skincare can get very expensive. It's very easy to go out and spend a heap of money on cleansers, moisturisers, toners, eye serums, anti-ageing creams, even kid-friendly and hair care products. Sukin Organics offers all of these plus more at affordable prices.

I have to admit that I am very lucky with my skin. I very rarely get pimples or blemishes and my skin is a very normal and manageable combination type. I do however, completely take this for granted. I'm terrible at sticking to a regular skincare regime. The only thing I can do on a regular basis is take my make-up off- which I wear everyday for work- every night before I go to bed. Other than that, I only ever do the occasional cleanse and very rarely moisturise so I decided that to fairly test out these products, I would really have to commit to sticking to a regular skincare routine.

What I first noticed about the Sukin Products was the smell. It was beautiful and it definitely took me back to when I was getting my facial in July. Because the products contain ingredients like evening primrose oil and tangerine oil, lavender and vanilla extract the smell is very natural, unlike some other products I've tried that really do just smell like chemicals. The feel of them on my skin was also lovely. I quite happily cleansed and exfoliated away while breathing in the beautiful aroma that was left behind. I found the moisturiser soaked in really nicely. Before I knew it, my skin was grease free (unlike some other moisturisers that sit on your skin feeling yuck) and feeling amazing soft and smooth.

My first impression so far is great. I'm really looking forward to using the products more over the next couple of weeks and seeing the difference it makes to my skin. Check out all of their products here.

 

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Photo of the Week: Segara Village

Segara Village Hotel in Sanur is one of the best hotel's I've stayed at. Sure, some of the rooms could do with an upgrade, but the gardens are immaculate, the pools are perfection and the staff are friendly. After three stays here, I look forward to returning one day. It's a beautiful beachfront hotel in North Sanur that has a huge option of good restaurants just a walk away. The photo is of one of their three pools; the main one right by the beach. It's a fantastic size and was always a great temperature to cool down in on a warm Bali day. What I loved most about this pool is that the pool lounges around the outside are all sitting in about 10 centimetres of water which flows out from the raised pool. It's a nice feeling being able to just swings your legs off the pool lounge and dip your toes in the water. It's an even better feeling when you're doing it in Bali, at a beautiful hotel, next to a beautiful pool.

 

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Testing Out My New Camera

I recently invested in getting a new camera that would be suitable for all my Bali travels. I always rely on my iPhone for my photography in Bali but I decided that I needed to get something that was more travel-appropriate. I chose the Nikon AW110 based on its reviews. It's a great compact camera that is waterproof, shockproof and has WiFi capabilities, making it easy to transfer photos from the camera onto your smartphone or tablet, which was essential for me as I do all my writing on my iPad.

The AW110 is a 16 megapixel camera that has a 5x optical zoom, is 18 metres waterproof, shockproof up to 2 metres and has built in GPS (I'm yet to test this out) and WiFi. For me, it sounded like the perfect camera to take travelling.

I was so excited when it arrived in the mail last week, and after being very busy since then I finally had the time to test it out. I took it out to my backyard and had a few test shots on my cat while she was rolling around in the sun and a couple of close-up shots of some flowers. I took photos with both my new camera and my iPhone taken at the same time.

Left: iPhone, right: camera

 

You can see that the camera lets in more light and saturates the colour more, which I love. The settings are all very easy to use and as well as the usual auto mode, it's got lots of other settings to suit all different types of conditions. If you're not one to manually select the settings, the auto mode is great as the camera adjusts to the light conditions and automatically selects the most suitable setting to get the best shot possible.

I took my camera to Cottelsoe Beach to test the camera out in different weather conditions. I was quite happy with how the camera performed. It was quite a cloudy day and while my iPhone failed to take bright photos despite this, my camera managed just fine. The photos were bright and the colours turned out better than the photos taken with my iPhone.

Left photos: iPhone, right photos: camera

 

The WiFi is also easy to use and is probably the thing I'm most impressed with. For years with my old cameras, I always thought that cameras need to have WiFi capabilities to save the trouble of taking out your memory card, plugging it into your laptop, manually transferring the photos and what not. All you need to do with the Nikon AW110 is download an app on your phone or tablet that Nikon has made specifically for its cameras, turn on the camera's WiFi, connect your device to the camera and then you're free to view the photos and transfer the ones you like directly onto your device.

So far, I'm very happy with my new purchase and I can't wait to test it out further in Bali with some food photos and water photos.

The Nikon AW110 is available at stores like Camera House and JB Hi-Fi for $385-$399.

 

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Anna's Tips For Taking Great Food Photos

A big part of my travels and my blog is FOOD!! I absolutely love Indonesian food and if I knew I wouldn't come back a few kilos heavier, I would very happily eat all day in Bali. Trying new restaurants, new dishes as well as sticking to my old favourites is something I most look forward to when a holiday is approaching. I've learnt a few tricks to help my photos turn out the best way they can and I'm sharing them with you!!

• Presentation and background

The dishes in Bali are typically very nicely presented, but when you're taking a photo of the food, you're always going to get a shot of the things in the background too. Before the food arrives, I typically spend a few moments shuffling things around. I make sure my handbag is out of the way, I might put a couple of things within view like the serviettes and toothpicks or a candle that are usually always on the table in Balinese restaurants, like this shot I took of my dessert at the Pearl Restaurant.

• Light

Photos always turn out best in natural light, but I always find that restaurants in Bali are generally very dimly lit at night time. This frustrates me a lot, not just because it doesn't make for good photos but I don't like eating in the dark. To compensate for this, I either choose a table that is directly under a nice bright light, or I use a torch. Yes, a torch. I don't mean a huge, heavy, blinding one, but a nice small one that can very easily fit into my handbag with room to spare. Compare these photos for example.

The left photo is taken in natural light, the right is taken under artificial light (I chose the table because of the lighting). There isn't a huge difference in the photo quality. Compare the next 2 photos.

These photos were taken in dimly lit restaurants. You can see the photos are more grainy and just not as appealing. The photo on the left was taken using a torch shining down directly from above (also note how I've arranged the background), the right photo was taken relying only on the lights in the restaurant and the photo quality is very poor. This does of course depend on the camera you have as well. I was using my iPhone, which doesn't take great night time photos, but if you were to be using a big DSLR for example, you'd be able to adjust the settings to let in more light and get a better photo. My number 1 rule for taking food photos is DO NOT USE THE FLASH! It tends to really wash out the colours in the shot, leaving it look dull and unappealing.

• Angle

As you can see, I very rarely, if ever, take photos from directly above the dish. When you're seated at a table, that isn't how you see the food, so why take the photo from that angle? I like to take the photo right from the angle I am seeing it from as that is usually how it looks best and the food is presented with that in mind.

• Editing

I prefer to edit my photos as little as possible but in my opinion, photos never quite capture the colours and the appeal of the dish perfectly. When I edit my food photos, I generally stick to 3 things: brightness, saturation and focus. Brightness, I use as little as possible because using it too much can ruin the photo completely, but there are times that the light is causing an uneven shadow over the food that needs to be adjusted. Saturation, I also use only a little bit. Saturating the colour too much makes the photo look fake and simply over-edited. Focus is my favourite. In many photo editing apps, you can simply move, enlarge or decrease the size of the focus. As you can see in all of the above photos, I always place the focus directly on the food. It blurs the background and everything in it, making the food the hero and centre of attention. I never use filters when editing. A lot of editing apps are free and generally all do the same thing, but my favourite is Photo Editor by Axiem Systems. It comes in both a free version and a paid ($0.99) version.

 

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Photo of the Week: The Art Cafe's Chocolate Melted Cake

The Art Cafe, previously located in South Sanur across the road from the Mercure, has recently opened up their new premises in North Sanur, across the road from the Besakih. I had never been to the Art Cafe before, having never stayed in South Sanur before. When they opened up the new restaurant, Mum and I were both keen to give it a go. I had heard wonderful things about their chocolate cake and being a bit of a chocolate addict myself, there was no way I wasn't going to try it. The chocolate cake takes 15 minutes to prepare which was the perfect amount of time for my stomach to settle from dinner. The cake is definitely worth the little wait. Steaming hot, with a scoop of ice cream, caramelised banana and a strawberry; the presentation was beautiful. When I cut into the cake with my spoon, the chocolate sauce oozed out deliciously. It was an absolutely delectable dessert in a great restaurant with fantastic food and service. Oh my goodness, I can't wait to go back and get another chocolate cake.

 

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The November Plan, Part 1: Raven's Nest Villa, Sanur

In November, my friends and I will be spending our first 3 nights in Sanur. Our original plan was to stay at Kejora Villa's in a 3 bedroom pool villa. Our deposit was paid and I was very excited to be staying here until our flight was changed from 7:00am to a 6:00pm meaning we wouldn't be arriving until about 10:00pm. I wasn't happy as it meant we were missing out on a whole day of our holiday. I decided to seek accommodation elsewhere in Sanur because I didn't want myself or my friends paying $300 per night between us when we would barely be able to enjoy it. The manager at Kejora Villa's understood our predicament but unfortunately was only able to offer us a refund or we would have to keep the booking as is.

I got in touch with a well known Austalian Expat and Balinese business owner, Bloody Ron, who owns the Raven's Nest Villa and was very happy when he informed me that the villa was available for our required dates. I ran the idea past my friends and they responded with the typical "Whatever you think is best." So I got the refund from Kejora and paid for the Raven's Nest instead.

The Raven's Nest is a 3 bedroom (2 x double rooms, 1 x twin) villa with a private pool located in central Sanur at the street entrance of the Griya Santrian and Villa Shanti. This is the area of Sanur that I know best and feel most comfortable with as well as being the location of some of my favourite restaurants. I chose it for our accommodation because of its location, it's very reasonable price ($180 AUS per night) and what it offers for the price. Being a group of 4 girls, I wanted a place where we could have our privacy and not risk having rooms far apart from each as we might have in a hotel. We are not a rowdy group of girls at all but we certainly can get a bit silly together which could easily disturb others. For what we needed, a villa was the way to go. I'm definitely looking forward to staying at the Raven's Nest and having my first villa experience.

Images from www.sanurbeachvillasgroup.com

 

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Meet My Friends!

From left to right: Mikhala, Sami, me and Courtney

These are my beautiful, fantastic friends that will be coming to Bali with me in November. We all met about a year and a half ago at uni and have been very close since. I am very lucky to be able to count them as some of my best friends. Where ever we are and whatever we're doing, we always have a great time together and I have no doubt in my mind that we're going to have an amazing time in Bali.

Much to my pleasure, when we first discussed going to Bali together they were more than happy to let me do all of the planning seeing as I had the most Bali experience. I threw around numerous ideas of where we should stay and for how long, which hotel or villa we should go for, where we should eat and what touristy activities we should participate in. I would always consult with them, send them links and give them an idea of how much it would all cost and a lot of the time they would respond with "Whatever you think is best" and would just transfer me the money.

Saying that, we are all SUPER excited for the trip, even though my friends only have a very vague idea of what the plan is (their fault, not mine). For all they know, we're not even going to Bali!! Haha, just kidding. We really are going.

 

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Photo of the Week: White Sand Beach

White Sand Beach was somewhere that Mum and I had wanted to go for a while, but something we never got around to. During our recent trip, we participated in a bike tour that finished here which was a perfect way to get a feel for the place. After our bike tour, we were tired, hot, hungry and as we got closer to the beach we could see the beautiful blue water peeking out from behind the trees. It was quite a sight. Absolutely picturesque on such a perfect day. The water was incredibly blue, as was the sky. The water was rough when we were there and we were told that it is usually quite calm. We were not put off and enjoyed a walk along the sand, with our feet in the water. It was an amazing temperature and we were disappointed that it was too rough to go swimming. Now that I've been there, I know that I want to go back. I'm planning on taking my girlfriends there in November to enjoy lunch and laze by the ocean. It's a beautiful place to just relax for a few hours and I can't wait to return.

 

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