Dylan's Candy Bar

The first time I heard of Dylan's Candy Bar was during an episode of Project Runway (Season 10, Episode 2).  When I made a weekend trip to Los Angeles, my sister asked me if I wanted to visit Dylan's Candy Bar at The Grove.  My mouth dropped because I was under the assumption that the establishment was a long plane ride away in New York.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Dylan's was a much shorter 15-minute drive away!  Once I was there, there were oodles of candy everywhere.  The bright colors and cheery displays made everything that much more enticing.  It was a sugar lover's dream; it felt like how I imagined the kids felt when they first walked into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  Nevertheless, whoever designed the space and style of Dylan's, props to you.  I beelined for the sour tape options and gummy frogs, my childhood favorites.    

Thanks for stopping by!

Burma Superstar

Food-wise, I often enjoy going outside of my comfort zone and trying new things.  I have not tried much Burmese food, and was pleasantly surprised to try the wonders from Burma Superstar.

 Ginger Lemonade

 Rainbow Salad

 Lamb Kebat

Coconut Rice

What foods have you thought about trying that are outside of your comfort zone?  Feel free to share in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by!

Last Night in Bali

For my last night in Bali, I spent time at the rooftop lounge of my hotel, the Akmani Legian.  I took some pictures of the city, as shown above, and simply reveled in the peace that resulted from this trip.  I ate lots of new-to-me foods, relaxed by the beach, spent some time at a spa, saw multiple monkeys, watched a Kecak dance, swam, visited some temples, and basically enjoyed my time away from home.  Thank you to the locals who helped me navigate Bali, who showed me much kindness, and welcomed me as though I were family.

To my lovely readers, thanks for following me through my journey!  And as always, thanks for stopping by!  

Ayam Betutu

For my last lunch in Bali, I ordered ayam betutu (smoked duck or chicken).  I ordered the chicken option here.  Multiple seasonings and spices were incorporated into the meat, and I also tasted coconut flavors.  Ayam betutu takes all day to cook, and the complexity of flavors melded into one dish certainly shows.  Sometimes you order something you have never tried before, find that you love the dish, and crave it when it is not easily available at home.

Thanks for stopping by!

Avenue Spa

Avenue Spa on Jln Sunset Road was recommended by a local.  I loved the idea of spending part of an afternoon at a spa, and made two visits during my Bali trip.  Avenue Spa had many spa packages, so I chose a massage with a scrub for my first visit, and just a massage for my second visit.  Each of my visits lasted two hours, and before tips, each of my massages cost about $20!  As shown in the picture above, the massage oil choices included Bali Fruity, Light Up, Healing Bali, and an unlabeled choice that included gold specs.  The scrub choices included lavender, jasmine, rose, and lulur.  I chose the Bali Fruity oil and the popular lulur scrub for my first visit, and the Healing Bali oil for my second visit.  After I made my oil and scrub choices, I was whisked away to be blissed out.  And blissed out I was!  My feet were scrubbed first, and the massage followed.  I already miss being in Bali and being surrounded by endless massage options.  

 If you visit Bali, I highly recommended getting at least one massage.  You have to do some research to determine which spa meets your needs and budget, but the search is worthwhile.  I chose Avenue Spa based on recommendations by a local, package options, and affordability.  I recommend Avenue Spa, but feel free to explore other spas too, and let me know of your choices in the comments section.  Your body, mind, and soul will have no problem being pampered.  And hey, life's too short to not treat yourself to some much needed relaxation!

Thanks for stopping by!

At The Kuta Night Market

One night for dinner, I went to Kuta's Night Market.  It was not necessarily easy to find, but finding food off the beaten path had its rewards.  Lots of locals were at the Night Market, so I knew that I would be eating where the locals ate.  I stumbled upon Strawberry Restaurant, or Warung Strawberry, and ordered a boiled vegetable salad and nasi goreng (fried rice) with pork.   

I must have been really hungry because both these items disappeared rather quickly.

Thanks for stopping by!

Relaxing at Legian Beach

Remember this picture?  It was the first picture I posted about my trip to Bali.  I visited Legian Beach three times.  When you are in Bali, a trip to the beach is a must.  You can swim, take surfing lessons, get a massage, eat, drink, or just relax there.  I chose to just relax there.  On two occasions, I sipped on soda, ate some peanuts, listened to the surf, and just watched the waves.  On another occasion, I rented an umbrella and chair, brought a book, read for hours, and waited for the sunset.

Umbrellas galore.  At Legian Beach, you can rent an umbrella and some beach chairs all day for an affordable price.   For my husband and I, it was the equivalent of $5-6.

Dipping my toes in the ocean.  Have you noticed how much I love the waters? 

The sun is about to set. 

Sunset at last.  So beautiful to witness.

Feel free to ask me any questions if you have any.  And as always, thanks for stopping by!  

Pura Tanah Lot

Pura Tanah Lot is one of the most popular temples in Bali.  It is located in the middle of the sea, and I heard that if you are brave enough to deal with the traffic to get there, the views at sunset are spectacular.  Going to the temple was a given, so to make the best use of my time, I planned my visit for the morning.  I know I missed the sunset views, but with or without a sunset, the temple stands beautiful no matter what time of the day. 

As you can see from this picture, people have to walk a little bit across the sea to reach the temple.  The little trek across was not easy for me because of the uneven surface and the rush of the waves.  I was worried about falling into the water, but luckily I did not!  For those who want to visit in the future, I recommend bringing a pair of water shoes.  Once across, I had the option to see the holy spring water or turn back.  At the time I visited, the temple's prayer areas were closed off.  There was a side staircase, which led to another view of the sea, but you had to be blessed by the locals who monitored the holy spring water, in order to use the staircase.  

I chose the option to see the holy spring water, and when I did, it was a little waterfall maybe three feet tall.  I let the little waterfall run through my fingers.  Afterwards, I made a donation, and the locals sprinkled me with water, put rice on my forehead, and put a flower next to my ear.  Since I was then blessed, I was able to use the side staircase to get another view of the sea.

Here, I met the holy spring water.  I washed my hands with it.  It was a personal metaphor to cleanse my soul, mind, chi, inner workings, what-have-you.  It was so soothing.

Here, I was sprinkled with holy water and rice was put on the center of my forehead.  This symbolized that I would be blessed with a fulfilling life.  I cannot explain why, but I felt so calm throughout this process.   It was a feeling I will always remember.

Here, the flower was placed by my ear and my blessing session was complete.

Thanks for stopping by!

Nasi Campur

Because I love variety, I knew I would love nasi campur.  Nasi campur is a dish with steamed rice in the center, surrounded by mixed goodies that may include various meats and vegetables.  What surrounds the steamed rice depends on various things including what ingredients are available that day, what the cooks or families prepared for the day, taste, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  As a result, what I got when I ordered nasi campur was always a nice surprise.  

Thanks for stopping by!

A Walk Through The Rice Fields

Rice Fields in Ubud.

After my visit to Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, also known as the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (here), I made sure to go visit the local rice fields.  Maybe it was the green of it all, or maybe it was the new knowledge of rice production before it becomes nasi goreng (fried rice), but somehow being in the rice fields washed away some life worries.  It was nice to know that the effect was felt by the countless other hikers I encountered.  Can a rice field really make you feel so at peace?  If you have the chance, go and let me know.  I would love to hear about your experience!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

A cute little monkey peeling a banana!

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is also known as Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana, and is located in the popular Ubud.  The monkeys that inhabit the forest are believed to be reincarnations of gods and goddesses.

Visiting Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana was such a treat!  On account of it being a forest, the shade provided by the multitude of trees provided a feeling of sacredness.  And since I was amongst gods and goddesses, I walked differently and kept my voice down to ensure that the monkeys were not disturbed.  I also appreciated the forest's cooler temperatures that helped offset some of the humidity.  It was exciting walking around the forest and discovering what kind of environment surrounded the monkeys.  They got to climb trees and statues, were fed consistently, and were basically free to do as they pleased.  It was hard to contain how cute I found them, especially when I saw them eat bananas.  Overall, I felt so at peace at Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana.  It was easy to absorb the sacredness and beauty.  Being in an enclosed environment, listening to the rustling of the trees, feeling the slight breeze, witnessing a monkey dash right past my feet, and admiring a monkey's freedom contributed to that.  Sometimes you find a piece of peace in a place across the globe from home.

Enjoy the rest of the pictures and thanks for stopping by!