We have left the islands of the long white cloud. Had a great few days in Wellington. Hired E-bikes for about 4 hours and rode around the foreshore of Wellington. The homes that are built right up to the edge or just hanging off the hillside are magnificent. The architecture we have seen all through NZ has been very inspiring. Inspiring enough to want to build one day. You can only dream as can’t imagine that ever happening.
bali
Flying is part of the whole adventure but do we enjoy it ? Only part I really enjoy is landing at the new destination. So I better get use to it as we have 40 flights this year and 3 down already. Flying a silver capsule up at 32,000ft with all the other punters given food that you think, oh that should be good, then are disappointed. Having a glass or two of bubbles helps the situation a little but I am kidding myself. I just hope no-one saw my dribble or bobbing head as trying to catch a little nap.
Still love coming to Bali, we have since the early 1980s’ because it’s familiar or the beautiful people with their genuine smiles. I am not sure. Or the places you find on airbnb. All those things just give me a great big smile.
This is the first time we have ever come in February it’s wet season so humidity is certainly up when is rains it pours and the odd crack of thunder which oddly I quite like.
Seminyak
We found this beautiful house In Seminyak, Africa House .www.islandhomes.com #islandhomes it has 3 bedrooms all just beautiful. The garden is lush, the pool is refreshing. It has a huge outdoor living spaces and a fantastic kitchen not that I am going to use that. I do like looking at it though. We have it all to ourselves. Very lush and loving it.
We went to many restaurants. So let start with Sarong http://www.sarongbali.com last night, have been many times. The food was sensational as always. Those betel leaves with a tuna mixture on top so delicious. We had a beetroot curry, tandoori broccoli with a pumpkin makhani and garlic Dahl it was all delicious . I must say Bali have some amazing restaurants the staff are just beautiful so eager for you to have the best experience. So this might turn into a restaurant review. We also tried La lucciola right on the beach. We went there for lunch first and had small plates of salad that was so good. The staff weren’t to busy and just hanging around you and wiping your table for slightest bit of condensation on the table from your Bintang beer talk about amazing service. The restaurant has the best position with lawn, palm trees swaying in the wind and that cool sea breeze whipping through your arm pits, so no sweating at the table. We went there for dinner as well and snagged the best seat in house up-stairs right in the corner at the front. Great for snaps of the ever beautiful sunset. That night we ate a beautiful seafood stew each but it was actually a soup but still so tasty. Had a wonderful walk back to villa along the beach in the moonlight. So romantic you are probably thinking. But by the time you get back you are all sweaty and just need a dip in the pool to cool down and refresh. Very romantic, wink wink!!
Next on the list was Kilo, http://www.kilokitchen.com. Well, google took us an adventure that evening I think we did a loop and nearly came back to where we started at our villa. At any other time we would just have a laugh and go, wtf google. But we had a booking at 7.30pm. They were calling us and saying where art thou Sharon & Tony. Great design again of the building. Tonight a cocktail, big seller in Bali I am never sure if its actually rum in my mojito. I reckon its Arak, mmmm……… But wait the food was sensational we just decided to have some of the small plates. OMG, I was having one of my hungry nights. Wasabi Tuna, Grilled corn furnikake (btw they are mini corn) so good, Black & white prawn ravioli wait there’s more crab yuzu roll and soft shell crab. Ok, done now. Management gave us free cocktail at the end. Now that tipped us over edge of fullness and arak-ness (not sure that is a word) Thank goodness its a 20 mins walk back for a dip in pool all sweaty-humidity.
The best is yet to come. We came across a restaurant called Sister-fields http://www.sisterfields.com we just had a light dinner of fish and polenta chips and Tony had a poke bowl it was great. The restaurant design was really cool. But the hi-light of a restaurants in Seminyak is when we found that sister fields had a really sexy big sister called Bikini http://www.ulookhotinbikini.com. now doesn’t that just make you laugh their web address. From the moment we walked in the door the experience had started. The restaurant fit out with its pink painted dripping walls and super-lush leather banquet seating and vertical garden at one end.
We had a cocktail each mine was a bloodless Bloody Mary so the tomato juice had been clarified with drip each of chilli oil and basil oil floating on the surface . Tony had a Bloody Mary he said its was the best he had ever had. Even the head cocktail maker come over and explained the process of how our drinks are made. Love the detail of that. Lets get down to the serious business of eating. We chose the feed me option of vegetable dishes and fish. So not long after our waiter Wayan introduced himself that snacks had arrived at the table. Kimchi crisp. chargrilled baby corn, potato croquette. beautifully presented. That got the taste buds alive. Next crisp eggplant with a yellow curry the dish was all black. But the taste was unbelievable, ceviche of snapper, stracciatella cheese with smoked tomatoes,roasted carrots with smoked yogurt and quinoa, Barramundi, clams and and an oyster cracker. Desert was strawberry compote with liquorice ice cream. OMG I am not that big on deserts but that was amazeballs. The whole night was wonderful to talking to front of house a french lady to talking to all the staff, so beautiful. A lasting memory.
Canggu
Time to leave Africa house it has been wonderful. To move north to Canggu about 60min drive to The Slow http://www.theslow.id have been following them on instagram for while, very super cool. For the super cool. Trying to fit in but do I have to ?? How they, the super cool keep seeking these cool places. Looking like not much effort went into being who they are. What makes a place cool to ones in the know ? Is it their feed on social media or the style we all want to live in 24/7 and can only wish. I do love the simpleness of everything the colours the plates our breakfast is served on, I want it all. Can I get that to go ???? Pretty please……
Back to restaurant reviews in Canggu
We ate at the The Slow a few times mainly breakfast it was so delicious. The coffee was perfect, their juices just amazing and the choices was just perfect for breakfast. From a bowl of tropical fruit to seeded breaded with avo and corn fritters. One night we had dinner it was so yummy the hi-light was KFB which is Korean fried broccoli, prawns ,mini corn and bbq squid with a cheeky creme brûlée which was chocolate. So good
We have dined at Ji Japanese restaurant it was good nice to have some Japanese http://www.jirestaurantbali.com. We have also had lunch at The Lawn thelawncanggu.com a couple times. The service and food have been so yummy but I am not sure if I really get into the voyeurism of watching guys prance around like puffed out prancing stallions. Girls with amazing bodies am I wishing I was 20 again its bum getting older. Keep sunnies on and try not stare is the motto. Not sure Tony is nailing that yet he needs more practice. Tattoos I might just have to say a little something about that. When will it be cool to have a clean bodies of no tattoos ?? Guys a get that in some instances not when do your neck and look like you belong to another tribe with elongated necks. Beautiful woman and girls with tattoos across their chests and necks. Out there sunning there bodies and all that money your spent on doing this art will turn into a green splat. So I am done having my say on this. But I have thought about joining the tribe but only tiny, tiny. Watch this space it took me all this time to pierce my nose so I still have time to do so.The book isn’t closed yet.
We had dinner at fish bone local http://www.fishbonelocal.com food was ok nothing really to rave about it did the job but we got totally ripped off. Seriously we should known this but sometimes you want GnT. We ordered two Hendricks GnT double shot. It smelt like Hendricks so I am thinking they haven’t watered it down or put arak in place of. So ordered two more doubles big night for the Blunts something is fishy at fish bone it tastes of tonic water and that’s about it. Here comes the punch in the guts moment it cost us $100 Aus for 4 drinks totally ripped off to max. So Fish bone you have left a bone stuck in my throat, so never again. We should known better and have learnt again. Like sticking your hand in the fire over, over again just to see if you really will get burnt and of course you do, but you still do it. Doh…
One afternoon we spent a La Brisa, labrisabali.com sat on low chairs and a couple of beers watching the guys out front surfing Tony wasn’t going out not good enough for the old man, ha. Great vibe very ship wreck on a deserted island with all the mod cons feels. Or Robinson Crusoe feel. Staff were great no prancing stallions and hot bay watch kinda girls. Great vibe. so fitted in not that I need to have that feeling. It seems like I need that doesn’t it.
The weather is pretty hot even for the Balinese standards. Did have a spa moment just up the road from The Slow called Spring, springspa.com a franchise form New Zealand Tony and I massage together, well did have our own massage lady and man. I had a body scrub after he had reflexology moments on his feet after his massage. I went back next day and had facial of natural products . It was wonderful. The staff and setting is second to none. Could sneak in another something or other before we leave only have a few days left on beautiful Bali.
Today we caught up with some locals Sam & Ade. Sam and Ade have built a house in Canggu it is really nice but holiday rental now. He has the creative desire to build another one, we went and visited it today. Had a lovely lunch too at Coffee & Coconuts. Great looking building had a lot going for it, food maybe they need to work on that. But it did the trick. He took us to the new building site and its 3 months away from completion but you can see the amazing curves and vision he has got going on. The vibe he is creating. It will be amazing. So many good products in Bali and a reasonable price. We can’t wait to see the finished product. We wish them luck. Did have a beer at http://www.comohotels.com/en/umacanggu nice beach front hotel spot not sure about the vibe and finishes of this place it looks like they have run out of money in the finishes. Exposed everything, the industrial beach side look.
Next restaurant to choose on the street is Mason https://www.masonbali.com We had a beautiful dinner here sitting next to beautiful yummy mummies and the cutest blonde hair little girl and handsome dad from Canada. Next to them was the sweetest little baby and gorgeous parents. I am sure we looked like that too when our boys were young and the cutest little blonde hair babies. When we came with Tyron back when he was 3, blonde hair was quite the novelty in children so he received a lot of attention from the locals touching his hair. I am sure Tyron doesn’t remember that. Let’s keep to task at hand, food at Mason. We first had smoked tuna dip with flat bread yum, then broccoli chopped salad, tomato salad and spinach a ricotta filo pastry dish Tony had barramundi which he said was divine. A cheeky desert of lemon curd tart. Perfect dinner. Makes me hungry writing about this. Last night we tried going to the new kid on the block right next door to The Slow, Billy Ho. Wasn’t quite ready to have paying customers still perfecting the whole menu and staff training. It’s owned by Will Meyrick who owns Sarong and 5 other restaurants. They assured us Wednesday night, can’t wait Japanese influenced menu apparently.
Walked down the beach so disappointing to see so much plastic on the beach it really breaks your heart. The beach is covered in dead trees and anything that might wash up from the sea. Finns beach club, nice bamboo looking building a little tired. The food was very average. Not returning there any time soon. Compared to The Lawn. Well, there isn’t a comparison at all . The Lawn wins hands down.
Tonight we went to Billy Ho the new kid on the block right next door to The Slow. We have been watching Billy ho come alive with the beautiful blessing of the restaurant and the tempting staff telling us come back soon. We did have chat with the beautiful and engaging Sharon front of house. What a lovely human being she is, not because of her fabulous name. She was just so welcoming after our chat a few days before apologising that weren’t open and please come back in a few days and of course we did. We weren’t disappointed either. To the very tasty cocktail of coconut mojito and Tony had an amazing bourbon whiskey appretive kind of cocktail. Many thanks to Sharon as they were on the house cause we came back. See put my hand in the fire again did I burn it? The jury is out on that one. It was yum, the food, Japanese infusion we had a sashimi plate, tempura lobster, tempura oyster, octopus skewers like a yakitori and salt and pepper grouper with a salted egg. So full…… The staff were so eager to please especially our waiter Wayan and Sharon was so lovely had some funny stories to tell us from managing hotels and restaurants around Asia. We are going back tomorrow night for our last dinner in Bali as there is more to try on menu.
Selamat tinggal- Bali
tonyandsharon 