Look of the day – Hip-Hop Cool

04 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Beach, Fashion, Travel Tags: , , , , ,

I’m not so much into the girly-girl look, but on occasion I like to dress up and make myself feel ‘Nice’…

Today was NOT one of those days…I felt like being comfy to run around, and not worry about dirtying my clothes. Well I don’t really worry about that cuz I don’t do my own laundry! Besides, I normally change my look about 3 times a day, not just cuz I feel like it but mainly out of necessity! With all my activities, my clothes just get dirty, and since I still haven’t perfected eating with utensils, well meal time is pretty rough on my outfits. Besides, with the crazy heat, it doesn’t take long before my B.O. becomes absorbed in the clothes…Ok, sorry for the ‘nasty’ info, but that’s just a fact a life when you live in a VERY Hot spot such as Bali…

My everyday look is more tom-boyish, sorta like Ami who helps me pick out my outfits. Today, I added a little hip-hop feel with my accessories, the tie-Cami and the Furr-y sandals! You must be asking why would I wear long-sleeves in this heat, but when you’re riding the motorbike under sun, you do need long sleeves to protect your skin. When we first arrived in Bali, we found it absurd to see all the locals with jackets, long pants, gloves and socks but after 20 mins on the bike, we GOT IT…well, my parents got it, and ever since I’ve been riding with long sleeves. It’s a bit hot, but hey when you have a cute Red Cami with a little bling on the side, it just ups the Glam-factor to your look.

I must admit that the furry sandals were a bit hot today, but somtimes you gotta pay to look good and they’re just so fun and cozy!

Please observe the Camouflage shorts – These are a MUST-HAVE in Bali, well if you want to look like a local. They ALL have a pair, young, old, boy or girl – you gotta have a pair. Mine stand out a bit cuz they’re pink.

My Beep-beep Tank top is just nice and comfy, and great for muggy days cuz it’s so light.

Finally, to bring a little feminine touch to this look, my hair was tied in two little side buns…and it helps keep me fresh so that my hair doesn’t stick to my sticky neck. Now, as I practice my dance moves, I’m just about ready to perform to a NappyTab’s choreography on “So You Think You Can Dance”….If only were taller so I could dance with Twitch, I wish!

Hip Hop Look!

Please don't stop the music!

On Location: Dancing to Lady Ga Ga Tunes at home – Rah Rah Ah Ah Ah

How to get the Look:
Beep-Beep Tank Top: Local Brand (Hypermart – Galleria Mall)
Camo Shorts: Zacasha (Jl. Kunti, Seminyak)
Tie-Camisole: Guess (Batik Boutique in Denpasar)
Sandals: Unknown brand bought at Local market (Negara)
Hair: Two side buns à la princess Leia

I can’t hear you

03 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Cool Stuff, Super Power

You know when your parents just keep talking and telling you NO, it can get really tiresome and rather annoying to hear them say the same thing over and over again.

Here’s a really cool trick that I discovered accidentally. I find it quite handy so I will share this special tip with you!

Earlier this week as I was having dinner, mom & dad had started to sing their same ol’ song of ‘No-No-No’ again. And I accidentally put my two index fingers in my ears. I noticed that their annoying voices had lowered quite significantly and I could not hear them as much. You must put both index fingers in each ear simultaneously for maximum effect! Of course you still hear a muffled sound, but no annoying “No-No-No don’t touch that”, and “Finish your meal otherwise no dessert!”…

One really cool thing about this technique is that you can have a bit of peace and quiet, and they have no clue that you’re no longer listening to what they’re saying. I confirmed this on several occasions, where I discreetly applied this technique and they just keep on talking and talking. This worked on mom and dad, so trust me this Totally Works…and They are absolutely clueless!

Try it out and let me know if it works for you!

Spesial Price for You!

01 Dec 2011 1 Comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Cool Stuff, Fun Facts, Restos & Food, Travel Tags: , ,

What is a nice refreshing drink that you must try when coming to Bali? Es Kalapa, of course!

They are sold in fancy restaurants, little warungs as well as at little stands that only sell this popular drink. It consists of Young Coconut Juice on ice, served with a little Honey syrup…They scrape the inside and put some of the fleshy white edible parts in your drink….Hmmm Yummy!

The other day, mom & dad when to pick up some Es Kalapa Bungkus (takeaway) at one of the little stands close to our house. It’s the same man who’s there everyday with his pile of coconuts waiting to be cut open and served.

In the scorching heat, they waited as the Bapak finished the order of 3 Es Kalapas for the client in front of them. The standard price is around Rp 3000 (less than $0.40) for one Es Kalapa, and this is what the previous client had paid.

Mom and dad patiently waited for their 3 drinks to be prepared, and packed into small plastic bags**.

**It is quite popular to have your takeaway food or drink served into many little plastic bags. Dad gets pretty frustrated with this, particularly for dishes with lots of sauce. We don’t know how they do it, but the Balinese tie the tightest knots which makes it sometimes impossible to open your takeaway without making a total mess. Ok, back to the coconut drinks…

When the Pak handed over the drinks to mom and asked for Rp 12,000 for the 3 drinks, she was a bit surprised cuz the previous client had clearly paid the lokal price of Rp 9,000 for 3 exact same drinks.

The Pak saw the hesitation in her eyes, and he proceeded to explain in Bahasa Indonesia that he had more juice in his drinks (Banyak!) compared to the standard places and that’s when he said: “Spesial Price… for you!”

Mom kindly paid the Pak, hopped onto the motorbike with dad, and they went on their way, still looking forward to sipping their cool drinks…

Although many people say that mom and dad look like Lokal Indonesian people, they definitely got the Spesial price for “Bule“ today (Bule = white person/foreigner)…Ah well, that’s what you get for not learning to speak the language after almost a year in Bali….

Word of the week: “Nice”

30 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Travel

As in the artistic designs that my dad is making…

As in the yummy dishes that my nanny makes me…

As in the lovely Jepun flowers growing in our neighbour’s tree…

As in the Vespa that dad’s friend left in our driveway, except for the excessive vibrations and noise it makes…

As in the jewelry that my mom wears, and that I get to pull on…

As in the sand castles I attempt to build when I’m at the beach…

As in the “Per-Ty” dresses that I get to wear on occasion – I get a little shy looking at myself in the mirror though…

Hope you find something “Nice” to make you smile this week!

It’s getting hot in here…

29 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Fun Facts, Travel Tags:

So the muggy hot season has started again in Bali…What it’s not 30 degrees Celsius all-year round you ask? From what I’ve experienced, although it is warm the entire year, it’s not always so muggy and sticky…

During the rainy season (Dec-April) which apparently was longer than usual this year, it can get quite humid. Defintely put on the AC for bedtime, if you have it! Then, from May to Sept, it’s just nice and sunny during the day with nice cool winds in the evening that help freshen up the air – makes for a good night’s sleep…aaah! In Oct-Nov, the humidity kicks back in and this is what we’ve been experiencing for the past 2 weeks….Yuck!

**Warning: Parental Advisory – inappropriate song lyrics**
So, as Nelly says in his song: “It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes…” Sometimes I wish I could just chill out in my Mamy Poko Pants all day long just cuz it’s so hot
(Note: Mamy Poko is a local brand of diapers equivalent to Pampers or Huggies)

On days when we go out and I actually do have to get dressed, I just do what the Balinese guys do when they want to cool off – Lift your t-shirt over your belly… I figured it was just to stay cool, but who knows, maybe it’s a fashion statement here….hmmmm…

Beat the heat by exposing belly 🙂

Gives new meaning to the term “Bali-Belly”…

24hrs, 1 gecko & 1000000 ants

27 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Bugs and creatures, Fun Facts, Travel Tags: ,

During our stay here, I’ve had to learn to adapt to the ‘EcoSystem’ in Bali and to embrace the many bugs & creatures that live on this beautiful island with us. Trust me, this is not so easy for some people – just ask my mom…She used to Freak Out at the site of an ant or a spider at home. Since coming to Bali, she’s learned to accept having ‘roommates’, not really by choice mind you…

I, on the other hand, have had no problem (in general) getting used to these little creatures – aside for the recent attack of the red ants at the beautiful villa in Ubud (see Word of the week: “Ubud”….and “Salad”). Word of advice: If you see red ants, beware cuz they tend to sting (compared to the black or brown ones) so I would keep my distance.

When we first arrived here, they told us that the Geckos were harmless and they were handy to have around cuz they eat the pesty bugs (ie. mosquitoes, flies, dragonflies 😦 …). Unfortunately, from what I could observe, they don’t eat ants!! This is really too bad for them, cuz there are a Gazillion ants (and more) running around freely, ready to be feasted on. Perhaps, it’s a good thing otherwise the Geckos would become Humungous and scary! A Balinese friend told me that the reason why geckos don’t eat ants it’s cuz they’re bitter – but I really don’t know how reliable this source is…Did he taste the ants for himself or perhaps he interviewed a gecko to confirm this? I have no idea, but this is what I’ve been told. I haven’t had the urge to taste for myself either, but I’m sure that unknowingly, we’ve all eaten our fair share of ants so far here in Bali…

It turns out that having ants around can be sometimes pretty handy. They demonstrate some good qualities such as: perseverance, patience, being hard working and methodical, they promote team work and they help clean up….I’m sure that some Employers would be glad to hire them… I’ve recently noticed these characteristics during the event of the “24-Hour Feast”!

One morning, there was a baby Gecko, measuring about 5cm, who was looking extremely weak, probably due to the humidity and heat like the rest of us!

Baby Gecko

Given its dire condition, my friend Ami decided to move him from the middle of the kitchen floor to the edge of our counter top, to protect him from being accidentally squished I presume. Although we did not notice, that is when the 24-hour Feast began for the happy ants in our neighbourhood…

The next day, at exactly the same spot where we left the gecko, there remained only the skeleton of our poor gecko. The ants had patiently taken their time, shared the ‘joy’ and cleaned out that gecko leaving only it’s little bones…What can I say…Poor Gecko!

And I thought geckos were supposed to eat insects, not the other way around!

Poor Gecko 24 hours later...

 

And the countdown begins…

26 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Cool Stuff, Travel Tags: , , , ,

Our stay in Bali is now winding down to it’s last month 😦
I have to take advantage of the hot, sunny weather while it lasts cuz apparently we’re going to be welcomed by some Wintery Snow and its accompanying Wind-Chill factor, whatever that is? But we’ll be quickly warmed up by the hugs & kisses of friends and family – THAT, I can’t wait for, especially since it’ll be Xmas! Ho Ho Ho!

If it’s colder than Perth in July, then Mom and Dad will have a tough time surviving! (see OMG – It’s freezing in Perth and Trip to Perth: Best & Worst List blogs for more details) I personally don’t mind the cold that much, but perhaps I’m just naive since I haven’t been victim to the treacherous conditions of a true Canadian Winter yet! Dad says it’s not sooo bad and that I’ll have fun playing in the snow…no doubt!

Also, to make it easier to swallow the news of leaving Bali, I’ve been told that a new ‘throne’ awaits me back home? Hmmm, I’m really curious to see how cozy this new chair is going to be. Here’s a pic of my new Britax Marathon. Looks comfy, eh? Unfortunately I won’t have the CowMooflage fabric 😦  It would’ve help remind of all the cows I’ve seen here in Bali…

New Throne - Britax Marathon

Although I’m excited to try out my new seat, I really can’t complain cuz my ‘throne’ for this past year has been the Healthy Care™ Deluxe Booster Seat by Fisher-Price, which has served me REALLY well during my entire stay in Bali and throughout my travels, or simply dining out at restaurants that don’t have high-chairs. (Thanks to Auntie Jo for this one! This was a MUST HAVE item for me this year…). It’s surprising how much time I’ve spent in this chair… I really don’t know if I spend more time in the chair or in my bed…hmmm? Did I say that I LOVE to eat!

Best Booster Seat Ever (by Fisher Price)

Well gotta go and catch some waves and rays before the sun sets…As they say here in bali, “Da Da” for now…

Look of the day – Wrap dress

25 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Beach, Fashion, Travel Tags:

When packing for a nice beach vacation, be sure to include a simple Wrap Dress. Ideally, opt for wrinkle-free fabric and vibrant colors to celebrate the sunny days. For a more feminine hour glass silhouette, tie the belt ribbon a little tighter and for a more dressed-up look, add a nice glittery belt. I went for a looser look to keep my Sumo belly well hidden…

Wrap Dress for easy summer days

Hassle-free in the morning as you get ready to head to the beach, and easily removed to hit the waves. If you want to minimize the water marks from your wet bikini after playing in the waves, then choose a fast-drying material and darker fabric!

Getting ready to hit the waves

On Location: Legian Beach, Bali

How to get the Look:
Pink Wrap Dress: Mexx (Imported from Canada)
Sandals: Unknown brand bought at Local market (Pasar Taman Sari – Kerobokan)
Hair: Wind swept at the beach!

Word of the week: “Ubud”….and “Salad”

24 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Fun Spots, Restos & Food, Travel Tags: , ,

A few weeks ago, we were invited to stay a couple of nights at a friend’s place in Ubud. Wow! what a blast I had staying in a the huge villa.

The highlights for me were:
– The endless floor space for me to run around in this open-concept villa (Hardwood floors are also softer on the tushy compared to the popular white ceramic tiles they use everywhere here in Bali)
– The infinity pool with rice-field view, with two turtle fountains ‘spitting’ out water!
– Our friendly and talented chef, Wayan…Let’s just say he quickly became my VERY good friend
– The number of Huge animal statues all about (The Komodo dragon, elephants, frogs, mice, ducks and the enormous cow at the main entrance)
– Being able to sleep-in past 8am since the room was so dark – First ever for me (Mom & dad were extremely pleased!)
– Cooler weather and less humidity compared to Seminyak

When we came back, I just kept saying Ubud, Ubud, Ubud in the hopes that mom & dad would bring me back….well, my wish came true! We were able to spend another couple of days in ‘Paradise’ for me 🙂

Ubud is a Must-See destination when coming to visit Bali. Go there and enjoy the views of the lovely rice paddy terraces, visit the temples and see a traditional Balinese dance show, play with the monkeys at Monkey Forest (beware they have No Fear and will come after you if you have something yummy in hand, or not!), go shopping, meditate, practice yoga, enjoy a savoury Babi Guling (local delicatessen of roast suckling pig) or go for a more healthy/natural fare at the numerous Vegetarian/Vegan/Organic/Raw food spots…

This is when I discovered the joys of eating ‘Salad‘, my other word of the week. It was quite befitting that it would be the complementary word to ‘Ubud’ this week. There are so many great places to eat Veggies here. In general, travelling vegetarians sometimes find it a challenge to find good/healthy Veggy places to fuel up while they’re on the road. This should not be a problem for them here…I had tried salads in the past with boring dressings, but this week I had the pleasure of tasting some of the yummiest green food…who would’ve thought! (Oh! Grandma will be happy to learn that I got her genes for enjoying Olives!)

One cool spot to check out is Sari Organik! Nestled smack in the middle of the rice fields, this place offers delicious food using the freshest ingredients from their organic farm at very affordable prices! Also, enjoy the ~ 1km walk through the rice fields to/from the restaurant…And for all you Stiletto-healed girls out there, just remember to wear comfortable shoes cuz the pathway can be quite narrow and bumpy!

 

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

Restaurant Bodag Maliah
& Sari Organik Center:
0361 – 780 1839 or 972 087
Business hours: 8am to 8pm
http://www.sari-organik.com/

PEACE

23 Nov 2011 Leave a comment

by Little Sumo Girl in Bali, Cool Stuff, Super Power

For months now I’ve been trying to practice the peace sign – so I can pose in photos like all the Japanese Girls do…Afterall, I am a Sumo Girl…

Unfortunately, my fingers are stuck in this position, so I guess this is going to have to do for now. Anyhow, I think it still looks cool – my own signature Peace sign!

Besides, let me see you try to bend your index finger like that…Not so easy huh?

My version of the Peace Sign!

 

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