As seen from down here
18 May 2011 Leave a comment
Watch out! Here I come…I can now walk, and nothing’s going to stop me! I’ll walk over those toys lying around (oops, those are mine!), I’ll walk over your arms and legs when you’re sitting on the ground, I’ll walk over that super-sized cushion too…
Big or Small, Hard or Soft, I’m not afraid…I can walk over you, and without any shoes on too!
You can call me the Little Sumo Bulldozer!
05 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Bali, Restos & Food, Travel
April 3rd, 2011: After spending a rainy day at the Galleria shopping mall, we decided to go for some ‘real’ shopping in Seminyak. It was nice to come back into ‘town’ now that we’ve moved to the quiet country side.
Since it was getting late, mom and dad decided to stop for dinner in town rather than eating at home. We went to Cafe Zucchini on Oberoi (or Jalan Laksamana)
Dad was worried that I was starving so he ordered me a half portion of potato salad – OMG the bowl was HUMONGOUS! I can’t believe it was a half portion. I know I have a big appetite, but really that’s quite impressive. The salad had carrots, green peas, onions or scallions and was lightly tossed in Mayonnaise. Unfortunately, there was aneth/dill in it and this is a new flavour for me – not my favourite thus far 😦 We took the rest home to accompany the steak sandwich that dad ordered. The sandwich ended up being take-away cuz dad noticed another special item on the menu after already having ordered the sandwich.
The staff was really friendly and even gave me a tour of the kitchen – I guess they thought that my parents needed a break from me … Also, they gave me a small banana to tie me over til the meal was ready 🙂
Mom ordered the veggie tacos, which I found quite yummy (the white beans were nice in texture and the sauce was not too spicy). It was accompanied by a green salad and sour cream, tomato salsa and corn chutney.
Dad finally ended up taking the Bolognese Spaghetti, which is one of his all-time favourite dishes. I think he could eat spaghetti everyday of his life and be VERY Happy. Especially if he had unlimited amounts of Kraft’s Parmesan Powdered cheese to ‘sprinkle’ or shall I say ‘Pile’ on top of it. As advertised in the menu, this spaghetti did indeed taste like a homemade sauce that your mom would make for you!
Mom was really happy with her Latte too!
Service was nice and friendly. For those who like shopping, they also have a little boutique inside, called Zuttion, which sells men’s and women’s clothes and accessories.
Since writing this post, we have gone back and have not been disappointed yet by the tasty food offered at Cafe Zucchini…
Food: ****1/2
Deco/setting: ****
Service: ****
(out of 5 stars)
Cafe Zucchini
Jl. Laksamana (Oberoi) No. 49, Seminyak
04 May 2011 Leave a comment
in Bali, Fun Spots, Travel Tags: Bedugul
Learning to walk is one of the coolest things around. It’s amazing how a little practice everyday can bring fruitful results! In less than 2 weeks, I’ve made significant ‘strides’ on my two-feet 🙂
This past weekend we went to Bedugul to see the temple by the water. It was quite lovely, one of the prettiest sites that mom has seen in Bali so far…(Just a note between you and me though, she hasn’t done much site-seeing since coming to Bali, so there may actually be many more beautiful sites to be discovered…)
The two things that I really LOVED at Bedugul were:
1) The funny animal sculptures laid out all about the garden. It almost seems like you are in Disneyland, but you just don’t recognize the characters. There were lions, a fish, a pig, a zebra, a tiger, and even Bambi…
2) The gardens had lush green grass that you could actually walk on…Trust me, boy did I take advantage of this space! The land was quite flat and I was able to cover quite a bit of distance (and there were no snakes – that we could see anyway). Unfortunately, since I haven’t yet perfected my technique, I was not too steady. Head bopping every which way, falling on my bum every few steps (but luckily I have quite a bit of padding to absorb the shock, and besides the grass is much softer than the ceramic tiles at home). So with my arms flailing everywhere, my head and hips swaying, I really looked like I was drunk! Who knows maybe mom put some Tia Maria in my milk at lunch…
I think I still have to develop some of my core and stabilizer muscles to be able to hold my head, neck, hips and waist steady. Maybe I’ll ask mom to give me some basic Pilates lessons…
So although I look like I just drank a pack of 24 beers when I walk, I must admit that I’m quite proud of my progress in the last week alone – and to top it all off, Grandma was here to witness all this 🙂
– Was able to stand-up by pulling on a chair or bench for support
– Started walking while holding on to two adult hands
– Was able to take a few steps without holding on to any hands (although it was pretty much free-falling forwards until someone caught me in their arms) – this is quite fun!
– Was able to stand-up doing a wide squat (imagine a mini-Sumo in the first position before doing a Clean & Jerk – ref. Olympic weightlifting)
– Was able to walk holding on to only one adult’s hand
Finally now, walking on two feet, no hands… and looking like a very happy-drunk 🙂
04 May 2011 Leave a comment
Don’t really have much to say, except wish you could be here with me to enjoy the beautiful sunsets in Bali…
Sunset at Potato Head in Bali
04 May 2011 Leave a comment
For those who have never been to Bali and are thinking the best way to travel with your kid around here is with your souped-up colourful stroller…well, you’re in for a nice surprise. The sidewalks here are ‘Jawbreakers’, when they actually exist!
Here are some examples of sidewalks that I’ve encountered thus far in Bali.
Word of caution to parents: Note that unless you are looking for a good workout in 35 degree Celsius weather in the hot sun, forget about trying to navigate your child in a stroller in Bali (unless it’s for short distances). Mom and dad tried to take me out for nice afternoon ‘strolls’, but ended up being exhausted and all sweaty instead. Also, if you think you can cool-off by entering some air-conditioned shops…Think again, that’s no easy feat either. There are normally uneven steps to get into a store around here – You’re in for some more sport!
Recommendation: Use the a sarong as the locals do, or any comfortable baby carrier. One advantage to this is that we get to turn either which way and observe all the action occurring on the street 🙂
 
Little Sumo Girl 