Shopping – Cool Clothes at Dandelion :)

So we’re heading to Perth soon, and it is the middle of winter there. The surfer girl in me has gotten so used to the sun and waves in Bali that I really don’t know how I will adapt to the ‘cool’ climate of West Australia…Brrrrr! Just the thought gives me shivers.

In preparation for the trip, mom brought me on a shopping spree to get equipped with some long sleeves and pants at Dandelion. It’s a cool kids clothing store with great designs and quaity fabrics. A girl’s still gotta look good while staying warm…

Unfortunately, in terms of footwear I’m quite limited so my look will not exactly be complete. Normally, I’m not the type who goes for the sock with sandals look (for me it’s a fashion faux-pas!). But, I’ve been told that it’s dipping down close to 0 degree celsius in Perth recently, so I’ll have no choice to sacrifice my style for function – gotta keep my tiny feet warm! Especially if I want to feel the sand between my toes when I get back to Bali…

Perhaps, mom will bring me shoe shopping before the trip!! If that happens, then I’m definitely going to try on a pair of high-heel booties so I can get more height. But also, it’ll probably be more comfortable than walking on my tippy-toes, as I have been doing for the last few weeks…

http://dandelionkid.com/

Jl. Raya Basangkasa no.28, Seminyak Bali
Tel: +62 361 730 375

Mosquitoes go into stealth mode?

Did you know that mosquitoes go into stealth mode? How do they do that? One minute you see them, the next minute they’ve disappeared. A few seconds later, you see them lurking about again, or you hear them annoyingly buzzing in your ear, but your hands are just not fast enough to Smack them!

Unfortunately, you know you were not just imagining them cuz a few hours later, you see those little red itchy bumps on your skin that tag you as the Victim!! And trust me, since living in Bali, I’ve been a victim many, many times…

Resto Review: Rumours

June 12, 2011: Went for a simple friday night family dinner. We were originally going to another BBQ spot to have some ribs…mmmm, yummy! EvenΒ  for someone who doesn’t have all her teeth. Unfortunately, they did not have a high-chair for me, so we decided to try ‘Rumours’, a popular restaurant on the busy strip on Jalan Oberoi.

They have security guards directing traffic on both sides of the street, since the parking lot is across from the restaurant. It may seem like overkill to have people directing traffic for a restaurant, but when you see the traffic on Oberoi, you will understand why this is handy, and almost essential if you’re a resto owner on this strip.

While still riding on the motorbike, we were able to quickly confirm that they had a high-chair for me, before turning into the parking lot. Ah, this is one practical side of having open-concept restaurants in Bali – you can just shut out to the staff from the street! Maybe next time, I can order my drink and appetizers from the street before getting into the resto! Boy, I’m starting to get lazy now that we’ve been living in Bali.

As usual, it was already passed my dinner time, so dad quickly skimmed through the menu to order my meal first, while mom was putting me into the high-chair. I don’t know what they’re so afraid of, it’s not like I’m a two-year who’s going to throw a temper tantrum in public!! This has only happened a few times, and only at home (They may beg to differ though!). Luckily, they brought us some bread with garlic butter to keep me busy!

Apparently, the price for a beer here is so much cheaper compared to other places. So my parents felt they had no choice but to order 2 Heineken’s – it’s too bad I still can’t taste beer –Β  it looks quite refreshing. At least, I get to do a chin-chin with them with my glass of water!

My baked Eggplant Parmigiana arrived quite quickly and was very tasty. The portion was generous, but could’ve been a little warmer for mom & dad’s liking. However, for me it was just warm enough so I could eat quickly πŸ™‚

Dad ordered the grilled chicken steak with veggies, which I had to taste of course. The chicken was tender, but unfortunately the veggies were not cooked enough for my 7-teeth chewing structure 😦 Boy, I can’t wait to have my molars out! Mom ordered the Special Rumours Sirloin steak, which is quite rare for her. Again, the meat was a little tough for me, but she seemed to enjoy it. But please bring on the creamy-buttery mashed potatoes from her plate πŸ™‚

The mashed potatoes ended up being my dessert!! I liked them so much that the next morning, when I woke up, I was already salivating. Then, when I went down for breakfast, the first word that came out of my mouth was : PA-TA-TE! (French for Potato)

Food: ****
Deco/setting: ****
Service: ****
(out of 5 stars)

Rumours
Jl.Laksmana No. 100 Oberoi-Seminyak, Kuta, Bali 80361
Phone: 0361-738720-21 Fax: 0361-733269

Resto Review: Cafe Zucchini/Zuttion

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 πŸ™‚

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

No Really! I’m not drunk!

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 πŸ™‚

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 πŸ™‚

– 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 πŸ™‚

Sunset in Bali

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

Jawbreaker Sidewalks!

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.

Β 


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 πŸ™‚

Resto Review : Deus Ex Machina (Canggu)

March 12, 2011: We have just recently moved to Canggu, which is a beautiful quiet area still lined with many rice fields. Mom and dad have been exhausted and are not really in the mood to cook these days. Besides the kitchen is not yet ‘setup’, so they say,Β  therefore we had no choice but to go out to grab a bite to eat. Joined by our friend, we headed out to Deus Ex Machina, which is not too far from our new home.

When we arrived, we were nicely greeted and brought to our table. We had a few sections to choose from: by the bar, in the front where it seemed a little more crowded, or in the back, which was more quiet. Unfortunately, they did not have a high-chair for me, but no worries – my parents had already prepared for this likelihood and had brought along my portable chair. Anyhow, it didn’t bother me too much as I had plenty of free space all to myself to crawl around on the floor back there! Well, I didn’t actually have the space all to myself, but let’s just say I claimed my territory πŸ™‚ Besides, I had already eaten and was bursting with energy…

Mom and her friend ordered the Seabreeze cocktail (Cranberry, Grapejuice, Vodka). They both seemed really happy with their drinks. Refreshing with just a hint of sweetness, and the right amount of alcohol…

They were starving so they ordered some appetizers to start off:

  • Fried Calamari, which sounded like an amazing idea. Everyone was salivating at the thought, but when the plate arrived, the excitement died down. The portion was a bit skimpy, as were the calamari, and they were simply not crispy…Not the best start to the meal.
  • Deus Three Ways: A sample of three dishes nicely presented in Chinese soup spoons. There were tofu, chicken and beef tasters. They were all yummy and got the taste buds going. Dad liked the beef so much, that he ordered it as his main course.

Mom ordered a whole fish with lemongrass, which was served with a bowl of steamed rice. It was tasty and not too spicy. Mom’s friend ordered the Green Thai Curry which was also delicious, and was served with ‘roti’ (sorta like flour tortillas). Note that the prices here are slightly higher than the average restos we’ve been to thus far…

Dad’s beef plate still tasted great. There were no surprises for him, since it was just a continuation of the appetizer dish. However, the surprise, or should I say the ‘Kick’ came, when mom and dad traded plates as they usually do. Mom was already familiar with the taste of the dish, but suddenly she started crying and ‘fan-ing’ her mouth. She grabbed her friend’s beer glass without asking and downed it all in a matter of seconds. She then took the last ‘roti’ and ate more white rice in search of relief for the fire that was exploding in her mouth.

It turns out the culprit to the burn-o-rama was the tiniest piece of red chili, which looked like a piece of red pepper. Poor mom! She immediately spit out the chili, but it was already too late. The damage was done and she no longer had feeling on her tongue, or her entire mouth for that matter, for a good 10 minutes! Feeling sorry for mom’s pain, dad and her friend each tasted a minuscule piece of chili out of compassion. It was indeed extremely spicy and all three were now suffering. Another round of Bintang for everyone to help soothe the burning tongues…

Meanwhile, I was having a blast on the floor crawling on all fours. Later on, when the drama had died down, dad decided to see if I could take a few steps holding onto his hands…Wow, I realized that this is pretty fun! Woo hoo – I can walk!!Β  This will definitely be a night to remember! First, mom’s burning tongue and my first steps at Deus Ex Machina!

Food: *** (minus 1/2 point for the killer chili!)
Deco/setting: ****
Service: ***1/2
(out of 5 stars)

Deus Ex Machina
Jalan Batu Mejan No. 8
Canggu, Bali

Office – +62 361 368 3386
Restaurant – +62 361 368 3385
Bengkel (workshop) – +62 361 368 3395

Blog : http://www.deusbaliblog.co.id/

Resto Review: Zula

March 8th, 2011: For a late lunch, we were headed to a cool cafe spot in Legian and as we turned the corner onto Jalan Dhyana Pura, dad’s friend leaned over and asked if we’d ever gone to Zula, a vegetarian/organic food spot. Mom said let’s go! She was dying for some healthier food…

Zula has a nice organic cafe feel to it. There are comfy wooden benches and chairs for you to sit down and enjoy a tasty vegetarian meal, cool down or get an energy boost while sipping one of their many mixed juice drinks or stop by to pick up some organic products for your home (food, tea, soaps, vitamins, etc).

It was already quite late so the adults were starving. I, on the other hand, have a ‘regular’ schedule that I try to stick to. Having my daily routine where I eat/sleep/play at pretty much the same time every day helps me to keep my energy high (so much so, that mom and dad sometimes call me the Energizer Bunny who just keeps going and going and going…) It also helps keep my digestive track in check. If only my parents could apply the same ‘rules’ on themselves as they do to me, they may be less tired and have less ‘Bali-Belly’ symptoms as they’ve been experiencing…Ah well, maybe they’ll learn one day…They’re old enough to take care of themselves. Who am I to tell them what to do – they should know what’s best for them!

At least coming to have a healthy meal at Zula is a step in the right direction! Feeding the body some yummy healthy food is better than going to McDonald’s for a Big Mac (More on that in another post…)

Dad ordered the Nachos Lite plate (32 000 Rp) to start off. The plate came with a tomato salsa and guacamole. Less than one minute before the appetizer arrived, the waiter had just cleared the table beside us, where they’d left their Nachos Lite plate almost untouched. Dad was sure that we would get their ‘leftovers’… but it turns out he was wrong…Our nachos were nice, warm and crispy!

Mom ordered a falafel sandwich (39 000 Rp) which was huge. It consisted of 3 homemade falafel balls, which were just the right texture – not too hard and not too soft, caressed by tasty hummus and tahina spreads and a cabbage and greeen salad to add some crunch – all this wrapped in a very fresh pita bread…yummy…she looked really happy. Luckily she got some help from dad and his friend…

Daddy was a little less impressed by his Tofu Cheese Sandwich at 32 000 Rp. It was similar to mom’s in that it was also served in a fresh pita with the pickled cabbage salad, but the Tofu and ricotta cheese combination seemed to be lacking some ‘umph’ for his liking, despite the herb seasoning. As they usually do, mom and dad exchanged plates and mom ate most of dad’s sandwich, but again the portion was quite generous so she was not able to finish.

Dad’s friend took a large Planet Platter (65 000 Rp) which looked really yummy, almost like a colourful sunshine in his plate. There was brown rice, tofu/tempe , grated carrot & red cabbage salad, seaweeds, greens and stir-fried mushrooms (which according to mom was the tastiest of the ‘sun rays’ on the plate).

Overall, the food was very tasty and they seemed to be happy to be putting some healthy food into their bodies (for a change…), especially mom! The ambiance was cozy and relaxed, despite the leaky roof πŸ™‚ There was a bucket in the middle of the resto, which was catching the little drips from the ceiling. It did not seem to bother anyone and was quite understandable given all the rain we’ve been getting.

I have a feeling we’ll be coming back here in a not too distant future!

Food: ****
Deco/setting: ***
Service: ***
(out of 5 stars)

Zula
Jl. Dyana Pura (Abimanyu) No. 5
Seminyak – Kuta, Bali 80233
Phone: (0361) 732723/731080
Open daily 8 a.m.-midnight

Website : http://www.downtoearthbali.com/

Resto Review: Tekor Bali

March 6th, 2011 – The day after Nyepi (day of rest & silence on Bali), I was invited out for lunch with 2 other girlfriends and their parents, who are also here in Bali for a visit.

We head out about 12:30pm and it’s already steaming hot. We couldn’t figure out where to go so we headed out towards the beach, where the breeze should be good.

Dad had heard of a place called Tekor Bali which was a fave spot of a girl who wrote in the Bali Gazette. We were able to get a seat in the back of the resto, given we were a large group. Luckily there were fans, cuz it was hot day! It was nice to be in the back cuz we almost had the entire back way to ourselves, which was particularly nice for my girlfriend who is actually walking (and is in her exploring phase…) Occasionally, she had to watch out for the waitresses who were coming out back, trays in-hand, and weren’t expecting to see tiny people like us down there!

After ordering, they served us complementary bread with Aioli while we waited. Unfortunately, the service was EXTREMELY slow on this day. The adults’ drinks arrived at 10-15 minute intervals and finally the food arrived approximately 1-hour later. Luckily, mom had brought my lunch with her, otherwise I would’ve been starving to death! Thank god there were sufficient fans blowing to keep us cool. Waiting so long in this scorching heat would have been unbearable!!

Eventually, the guacamole appetizer with tortilla chips arrived! The guacamole was quite tasty, but I think they could’ve been a bit more generous on the chips…

Mom and one friend ordered Gado Gado – a traditional indonesian dish with lots of veggies, fried tempe and fried tofu. It came with a bowl of steamed rice and a peanut-dressing sauce. Mom’s friend had ordered it here previously and was quite disappointed with today’s servings. The presentation and the food were simply not to the same standards as the last time he came. In addition, the peanut sauce was much too watery so he asked them to change it. They did so without hesitation and the non-diluted version of the sauce was quite yummy.

Dad shared the Indonesian Rijstaffel with two other friends (60 000 Rp/person – minimum 2 person order) – A sample of 20 different Indonesians dishes, including:

  • Sate (Tuna & shrimp) – Best of the lot
  • Tempe Manis
  • Corn Patties
  • Fried Tofu
  • Vegetables
  • Beef Rendang
  • Pulled Chicken
  • Chicken curry
  • Quail eggs

The platter looks quite impressive and overall was quite good. This is a good way to get a sample of all the traditional Indo dishes. One day, when I’ll be able to eat more spicy foods and when my hand coordination will be better, I’ll be able to pick at the different plates on this buffet platter.

Mom’s other friend seemed to have enjoyed her shrimp salad dish, but it didn’t look out-of-this-world…

It was the day after Nyepi, so that would probably explain the slow service and the below-average taste/presentation of the food. People were still in the ‘No-Work’, ‘relaxing’ mood…

We were in good company and still had an enjoyable time, but Tekor wasn’t all it was decked out to be…this time around!

Food: **1/2
Deco/setting: ***
Service: **
(out of 5 stars)

Jalan Double Six (Arjuna) St.
Legian Village, Kuta

+62 361 735 268

Daily 7:30am – 12pm

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