Heart Openers in Bali

April 25, 2016

I recently traveled to Bali in between jobs to help reset and zen the F out. What I wasn't prepared for was what I left with. Bali is one of the most magical places I have traveled to and it was my first "big trip" alone. I was there for 2 weeks and could have stayed for 2 months...easily.

There are multiple reasons to why people travel to Bali; Honeymoon, Yoga, Diving, Surfing, Partying, etc. What you need to consider and must experience is the Culture. Bali is an island within Indonesia and is primarily Hinduism. There are temples EVERYWHERE. The Balinese have family temples, so each family has it's own temple within their home. Could you imagine that? Having to pass through a church EVERY day on your way to work. The guilt of not praying?? "NAH...not today god...I'm good." I mean. NO THANK YOU. I have enough Catholic guilt.

I happen to be there during one of their high holidays Galungan, which is the celebration between good and evil. There are processions, decorations that line the streets (which is part of their offerings to the gods), dances and feasts. Women and Men wear traditional clothes, which quite frankly I wanted to buy at the end of my trip. The offerings are a daily occurrence even when outside of the high holidays. Typically they are outside of every store or home as you are walking around. I found them to be the most interesting because its a daily ritual and a constant reminder to give thanks/gratitude for what you have. Namaste.

I could honestly talk about Bali and my experience for days, but below is my itinerary and my suggested areas to visit, places to stay and things to do.

Canggu: A sleepy yoga and surfing community in the southwest that is just starting to become a destination within Bali. It was a great starting point for me. A short cab ride away from the bustling town of Seminyak, where you will trip over a drunk Aussie at every corner. (how are they everywhere?) Where to Stay: Desa Seni http://www.desaseni.com/ This is a MUST. As soon as you walk onto the grounds you are instantly zen. Daily yoga classes are offered to guests free of charge and the public for a fee. You instantly feel like you are part of a community. Each night they leave a note on your bed that holds a quote. My favorite was from Ralph Waldo Emerson; "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be". Hippie/Yogi Sh*t. Love it. What to Do: Massage at Desa Seni Spa. Shopping in Seminyak (only a short cab ride away). Eat at Sardine, Mamasan, Motel Mexicola, and Bazaar. Drinks at Potato Head Beach Club. If you want to see Lady Boys...Bali Joes is your place. Quite interesting.

Ubud: Bali's heart center. I spent the majority of my trip here. Eat, Pray, Love. I found it incredible how this movie has impacted a community and country. Every local that I spoke to brought it up. Now, whether they were doing that because I was American or that the movie has that much of an impact that it needs to be talked about....I will never know. I'd like to think it's the former. Julia Roberts can't have that much of a pull... Although, I must admit...I own the movie. The majority of the "Love" portion was filmed in Ubud (as well as Uluwatu). After watching the movie and being there; I think they left out the most important part of Bali, which is their culture. (Gotta love Hollywood) Where to Stay: Uma by Como; http://www.comohotels.com/umaubud/ Enough said. You will never want to leave. I basically didn't. What to Do: Walk thru a rice field. Go to a Balinese healer (you can legit go to Ketut). Visit the Monkey Forest. (do not wear anything shiny or carry around food, unless you want to risk your life...kidding...kind of) Be a tourist and see the famous temples. Drink the coffee made from poop. (Google it. It's real) Yoga Barn for some daily OMs.

Monkey Forest (Iphone photo...not zoomed...that close)

Tampak Siring; Cleansing Ritual — Tampak Siring; Cleansing Ritual

Uluwatu: My favorite. The southern most tip of Bali. I highly recommend. If you are into hot surfer men, then you have come to your Mecca. After spending the majority of my trip on my own, this was a welcomed portion of my adventure. Yes, please. The word that comes to mind when trying to describe this magical place is BREATHTAKING. It's stretched out over cliffs that seem like you could just fall into the crystal clear blue ocean. There are hidden beaches everywhere. At times it feels like your own private beach. Explore all of them. Where to Stay: Hidden Hills Villas; http://www.hiddenhillsvillas.com/ Great for couples, for it's a little secluded. I felt like a queen having my own villa and they treat you like one as well. I would also check out Uluwatu Surf Villas; http://uluwatusurfvillas.com/. What to Do: So we have already established hot surfers. (pun intended) Multiple beaches to check out; Uluwatu Beach, Padang Padang and Finn's beach club. Make sure to have some beverages at Single Finn after your day at Uluwatu Beach. See the sunset and have a drink at Rock Bar (little touristy). Watch a Balinese Dance at the Uluwatu Temple. Eat at the Four Seasons. If you are looking for some extremely fresh fish, eat on Padang Padang beach at dusk where the local fisherman sell and cook.

My little Villa at Hidden Hills Villas: Santorini

I would like to think that this is the first of many trips to Bali. The only way you can truly understand the impact it can have is to go and experience it. You will not be disappointed.

Namaste

It Happened

March 6, 2016

The day has finally come where I have left the magical city of New York for a better life out west. I basically had to throw myself in my Uber and had several mental breakdowns as I made my way to the airport on February 21st. Was I making the right decision? Did it make sense to leave my support and the comforts of New York that I had grown accustomed to? A mani/pedi on every corner, food at all times of the day, a beautifully merchandised boutique in every section of the city?? My Uber driver spoke zero english, which was extremely awkward trying to explain the tears but then comforting because I could just cry and not have to speak. It's like that first cry on the subway when no one asks what's wrong and it's just you and 40 people pretending not to look at you while not caring enough to ask.... (Ahh New York) As I approached the gate with swollen eyes, I instantly felt like Dorothy as I looked around at the people getting on the plane. Momma wasn't in Kansas anymore. BUCKLE UP.

I have now been in Portland for an official two weeks. HOLY S. In this very short time, I have managed to come up with my initial thoughts on Portland and Oregonians (who are the nicest people on earth). **Please note; I'm new and have lived in manhattan for 12 years.

Environmentalists. Let's go back to the airplane....I should have received the memo that (A) you wear backpacks in Portland and (B) you carry a canteen or some sort of "green" water bottle. I had never seen anything like it...they were asking the flight attendants (is that the politically correct name these days??) to fill their water bottles instead of accepting the mini size glass of water we get on planes. I'm the idiot that buys a huge water bottle every flight because I feel like I got out of the sahara desert every time I land. They definitely looked more refreshed when we landed and weren't struggling with all their carry-ons like myself. Point for the Oregonians.

Friendliness. You know you are a New Yorker when you find it shocking that someone asks how your day is. AND is genuine. Everywhere. It's actually uncomfortable. Is that bad? I've managed to have multiple awkward conversations every day with absolute strangers. It's going on 10 days. I always thought I was a nice person, but sometimes I just don't want to speak to people. Was I like that before New York? Or did New York make me that way? I mean. I would hide from people on the streets of New York or walk to another car on the subway if I saw someone I knew. Does everyone else do this? Sometimes you just want to zone out and listen to music during your commute....no small talk before 8am or coffee. That universal sign of; I have ear plugs in please leave me alone. It's so easy to get lost and be left alone in New York. Unsure how I feel about this one. I'm going to have to give a point to New Yorkers because sometimes I just want to be left alone.

Weather. Let's make this one CRYSTAL CLEAR. It rains here. A lot. Don't let them fool you by saying New York get's more rainfall in inches/year. (What does that even mean?) It has rained everyday since I have been here. Albeit, when the sun comes out it's pretty magical and everyone starts talking about how great the summers are here. Um...we'll see. New York summers are pretty incredible. Point for New Yorkers.

Homeless. There are a ton of homeless people in Portland. This surprised me. You actually have to ask apartment buildings if they hire people to police the area because you don't want to walk outside your door into someone's home (i.e. tent). I have also seen multiple "homeless" charging their iphone. (??) I'll leave you with that. Neither Portland or New York gets a point here.

Fashion. I'm sure this will be a main topic in the future, but wanted to share first observations. There are two types of people in Portland; People who wear beanies and people who wear rain jackets. Hopefully that is a good point of reference on when I start talking about fashion. I have yet to see a Patagonia paired with a beanie, but I'm sure they exist. We do live in the outdoor capital of the United States. There is a beard on every corner, which just makes me so happy. Bearded Beanie or Rain Jacket...I'll take it. Point for the Oregonians.

There are so many more thoughts as I begin my west coast life, but wanted to get out a few and get this blog going!

Light Packing

February 14, 2016

There are two types of people in this world. People who pack light and people who bring their whole wardrobe for a weekend trip. My mother happens to be the latter. She has been my current challenge on how to create a light packer. I have not been successful, but I'm hopeful with the tips below I can help you.

Choose a bag with compartments

This is the first step in your process of overcoming heavy packing. Go out and buy a new travel bag. Treat YO self. I have found that it allows you to organize much easier when there are places for your things. Now if you are a duffle bag person, which I know I am, there are amazing organizers out there that you can still keep everything neat.

Choose a theme

I have the most fun with this step. It's an easy way to keep yourself in check when you find the need to want to bring everything. If it doesn't fit into your theme, leave it at home. For example; an easy theme to get the point across is "Summer Whites". If this were my theme I would focus on linen pants/shirts, lace tops, subtle stripe knit tops/tanks, gauze coverups, white jean shorts, open weave sweaters for an added layer, etc. When picking a color theme, you want to make sure you have texture in the assortment (now I sound like a merchandiser) for it's easy to get extremely flat and your outfits lack interest.

Choose 3 pairs of shoes

This could be the hardest step. There are always reasons to bring more footwear, but I have found that if you can narrow it down to 3 pairs you typically do not need anything more. Whether you are going to a beach or a city follow these simple rules when choosing footwear; #1 COMFORTABLE SHOE. Whether it be a sneaker or a leisure sneaker. #2 FLAT. Whether it be a sandal, flip flop, boot or ballet flat. #3 HEEL. Depending on who you are this could mean a hooker heel or a kitten heel. I would choose a heel or a shoe that you could wear day to night. More versatile. Obviously neutrals are important for all 3 pairs of footwear, so they can go with everything.

Choose 1 beauty device

Typically there are hair dryers wherever you go, but if your hair dryer is the most important thing in your beauty routine then by all means bring it. If your straightener is the most important, then bring that. You get the point.

Buy travel size

It has become easier and easier to find the products that you use at home in travel size. If by chance you can not find your product in said size, then buying the travel containers is a good move.

HAPPY PACKING!

Top Websites For Accomodations

February 12, 2016

When planning your trip it’s important to have a list of “go to” sites to help you along the way. My goal is to always experience a little bit of culture, but get pampered at the same time. I tend to have an expensive taste, but can’t always afford it. These sites help me have the best of both worlds because this girl is no hostel girl.

Tip: Find Areas of Interest.

I have found it the easiest when I land on areas (within the cities/countries) I want to visit during my holiday and then nail down places to stay. Once you know where you are going to stay, the trip seems to fall in place.

https://www.i-escape.com/ : ABSOLUTELY DIE OVER THIS SITE. It has never led me the wrong way. I book the majority of my trips here. In fact, I typically find the areas I want to stay in based on where they have suggested.

https://www.airbnb.com/ : I’ve stayed all over the world and Airbnb has never disappointed. You are able to really dive into the culture and city wherever you are staying. Easiest way to pick neighborhoods to stay in is to pull up maps of cities and find areas that are closest to what you are interested in doing. Typically those areas tend to be the most expensive, but if you can research the transit there and find neighborhoods that are easily accessible by public transportation it often is the best and most affordable option. The host will typically have recommendations of restaurants and things to do in neighborhood, so use them as often as you can. I have found every host to be helpful and friendly. Highly recommend for the following cities; Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, NYC, and Barcelona.

https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/ : Similar to iEscape. Not as many places on this site, but always worth it to look.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ : Always, Always, Always use this site to cross reference if the place you are looking to stay at is legitimate. Websites tend to “oversell” a place and people's comments are typically spot on to the type of experience you will have.

Happy Traveling!