Girls Trip in Bali – Part II
- Make a detour to Warung Wardani on the way from Seminyak to Bali and grab a bite of their nasi campur.
- Splurge on silver jewelry at John Hardy’s gallery and workshop. The place is worth visiting even if you’re not keen on jewelry.
- Watch the staff pull crispy skin off a roast pig at Bu Oka and try their delicious babi guling.
- Admire Don Antonio Blanco’s work at the Blanco Museum. The artist’s pet parrots are almost as beautiful as his paintings.
- Fine-dine under the stars at Mozaic. You can even take a cooking class there if you have the time!
- Taste (or/and buy) the world’s most expensive coffee – Kopi Luwak at a local coffee plantation. If monkey-poo isn’t your thing, they’ve got other kinds of coffee and teas for tasting as well. (Unfortunately I didn’t manage to write down the name and address of the one we went to)
- And of course, don’t forget to enjoy the serenity of the rice paddy fields. Because that, is what Bali is all about.
Bu Oka
Babi guling @ Bu Oka
John Hardy workshop
Nasi campur @ Warung Wardani
Angry birds at the Blanco Museum
Mozaic
Girls Trip in Bali – Part I
Long overdue pictures from my trip to Bali with my favorite girls and ex-college roommates C & A! So what’s there to do there?
- Stay at the W Retreat & Spa Bali for your typical W experience. This hotel’s pretty new so expect a lot of glitches. Oh, and make sure you know your roommate well ’cause the bathrooms are way open.
- Feast on ribs at Naughty Nuri’s Warung. I know, not very Balinese but all the locals go there…
- Lounge by the beach and space out from watching the waves. By the way, the waves are huge on this part of the island and swimming is not recommended at all.
- Eat so much babi guling that you get sick of it. P.S. this dish is not for those who can’t take spicy food or the health freaks.
- Sip a few cocktails at Ku de Ta. Cocktails are so-so but the view is fantastic. Try to grab one of the lounge chairs facing the beach.
- Shop til you drop around Seminyak Square.
- Brunch at Potato Head Beach Club. You won’t feel like you’re in Bali but the place is still pretty cool. Go for the view and decor, not for the food.
- Indulge in a massage at Bodyworks Spa. Certainly a lot cheaper than getting one at the hotel!
- Spend a day (or more) at Ubud and experience a whole different side of Bali. Pictures to come on my next post.
Below pictures were mostly taken around South Bali, around Seminyak and Kuta:
Brunch @ Locanda Verde
These pictures are from my second visit to Locanda Verde and the restaurant is just as good as I remembered. The only thing I was less than happy about was the process of getting a table for brunch. Fine, so we didn’t have a reservation but come on, I’m sure one can bend the rules for a very pregnant lady (my sister) who can barely walk. Making a quick phone call to let us know our table’s ready isn’t too much to ask for is it?
Best ricotta I've ever had. I could eat this all day.
Anyway, all hard feelings were forgotten once we sat down, especially after I found their ricotta cheese on the brunch menu (I had it for dinner the last time I was at LV). If you think about it, it’s really just honey, cheese and toast but it is SO delicious. I highly recommend ordering it.
8 hour tripe
Uovo Raviolo
Most of the mains on the brunch menu are egg dishes. I particularly liked the ravioli and the al forno, but all of the food we ordered were tasty and well-executed. The slow-cooked lamb sandwich that went to the table next to us also looked extremely attractive. It’s too bad we were too full after the eggs to eat any more.
Scampi and Grits
Uovo Modenese
Uova Al Forno
Locanda Verde is one of those restaurants I reckon I’d return to whenever I’m in NYC. The place is hip, relatively casual and the food is good, so what more can you ask for? It might take a while to get a table but hey, down a couple of bloody marys at the bar and time will fly.
Locanda Verde 377 Greenwich StNew York, NY 10013
T: +1 (212) 925 3797 W: www.locandaverdenyc.com Reservations recommended.
Koh Lanta for Easter – Part II
A month ago I was snorkeling and diving at some of the most beautiful islands in Thailand. A month later I am writing a post about the trip, stuck at home for the long weekend, face swollen and in pain from getting two wisdom teeth pulled out. Something is very wrong about this picture and I don’t like it at all. Groan. Anyway, enough moaning and check out my pictures!
Taking the Scubafish longboat out to the dive boat. Pimalai divers get to use the floating jetty instead.
We originally planned for D to get his Open Water Diver license at Pimalai’s own PADI dive center. Unfortunately, they told us the center would be closed for the season in a few days and he wouldn’t be able to complete the course there. In the end, they recommended another dive center, Scubafish, which was located just down the beach from Pimalai.
Aside from the pool sessions, where we had to use a suspiciously unhygienic pool with cloudy green water at another resort, Scubafish was great. The boats might not have been as fast and nice as the ones from Pimalai, but we had a wonderful time with them anyway. They provided plenty of food and drinks (breakfast and lunch are included) and the equipment they provided were in top condition. Most importantly, our instructor Paul K. made the course as easy as possible for D and we highly recommend him as a dive instructor.
Day 1 – Koh Phi Phi
For D’s first two open water dives, we did it at the Phi Phi Islands. We didn’t have time to check out Maya Bay where “The Beach” was filmed, but it was fine as that place is usually packed with tourists and boats anyway. Instead, we went to three other islands – Koh Bida Nok, Koh Bida Nai and Hin Bida. They’re all wonderful dive sites with loads to see. Bring an underwater camera with you if possible.
Leopard shark at Hin Bida!
Day 2 – Koh Haa
Now this place beats Koh Phi Phi any day in my opinion. The lagoon is AMAZING and my pictures don’t do it justice. Unfortunately, my underwater camera case also started leaking on the first dive so I couldn’t get a picture of Porky, the resident porcupine pufferfish that’s surprisingly human-friendly. Oh yes, congratulations to D as well for successfully completing his diving course (Sure beats my course, which I took in Hong Kong in zero-visibility waters)!
Getting ready to dive
Goodbye Koh Haa!
Day 3 – Koh Rok
On the last day of our trip, we took an excursion with Pimalai to go snorkeling at Koh Rok. Think gorgeous white sandy beach and crystal clear waters. The pictures say it all. By the way, Pimalai charges a very reasonably price for their (non-private) excursions so I’d do it if I were you.
BBQ on a boat, what more can one ask for?
And that sums up our 6-day bliss in Thailand. It was tons of fun, though exhausting at times. D finally got his license and now we can go to even more places for diving. So…where to next?
P.S. For more information on the islands mentioned, check out Scubafish’s website! Scubafish Dive Center (PADI 5 Star) IDC Dive Resort, Koh Lanta, Thailand W: www.scuba-fish.com
