The Yak #23

The lighter and darker sides of Bali, Asia’s fashionable playground

Volume 23 June/July/August 2009

HALCYON DAYS SEATS OF POWER MELISSA, DARLING NEO COLONIAL SERVICE IN THE SWIM IDR 68.000 : S$11 : HK$50 : €5

VILLA RESALES 3, 4 AND 5 BEDROOMS LUXURY VILLAS AVAILABLE NOW UNLIMITED OWNER USAGE SEE WHAT MAKES SENTOSA BALI’S LEADING LUXURY RESORT PRICE START: $ US495 OOO Villa sales +6281236021444/ +623618554854

Volume Twenty Three

June/July/August 2009 The Yak Sophie Digby, Agustina Ardie, Michelle Lamb Editor Nigel Simmonds Senior Photographer Yaeko Masuda www.yaekomasuda.com Publisher’s PA Katarina Taslim Sales & Marketing Robin Pasaribu Production Manager Evi Sri Rezeki Accounts Manager Arthur Chosani Graphic Designers Irawan Zuhri, Novan Satria Distribution Made Marjana, Kadek Arthana, Putu Widi Susanto, Made Sutajaya Publisher PT Saka Wahana Cipta Licence 1.265/09-04/PB/V/99 Advertising enquiries Tel/Fax: (+62 361) 737 413, 743 1804, 743 1805 www.theyakmag.com Email: info@theyakmag.com theyak@indosat.net.id Jl. Kayu Jati 9Y (Loloan Restaurant) Petitenget 80361 Bali, Indonesia © PT Saka Wahana Cipta No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced electronically or otherwise without prior permission from the Publisher. Opinions expressed within this publication are those of the authors not the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not comply with the magazine's design criteria. The Yak will not be held responsible for copyright infringements on images supplied directly by advertisers and/or contributors.

Inquiries: info@theyakmag.com

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The Yak’s monthly e-newsletter is distributed to 20,000 mailboxes every month.

Cover Credits Model: Yanti; Agency: ICONIC (www.iconmanagementbali.com); Photographer: Tonny Trisnawan Art Photography

con tents 22 24 34 38 44 50 58 62 68

Yakety yak Letter Box New in the Hood Newbies Unite CULTURE VULTURE In Praise of Small People this much i know Super Bowls artsake Biasa, Not feature Rimbaud's Java DUOVIEW Sitting Pretty DWELLING ON A DWELLING Home Body Interiors Sink or Swim

38 22

70 76 82 86 94 106 112 124 128

INTERWHO Neo Colonial Service.

130 132 136 138 152 160 162 168 172

FEATURE Be Seated incoming Charles To The Rescue FEATURE Bali By Design fashion SwimwearShine Members of the cloth Farah Khan fashion freestyle Dress Up interwho Dandelion Chains Constant Wining Any Port In A Storm

152

138

big six Deli Do's & Dont's oral pleasures Shore Thing oral pleasures Hats Off To Bonita Over The Edge Loving Lombok just doin' it A Tennis Classic sounds around Music Mayhem Raver's review Music To Our Ears astro yak Horoscope Highs ad index Making Cents

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38, 152,138 photos: Y.M.

Hyperopia may be a visual defect but it is one that I wished governments and the global finance community at large had suffered from two decades ago. Farsightedness...or hyperopia...It is the lack of this that has brought the blue planet to its knees. Where once we heard 'millions', the word 'billions' now trips lightly off the tongues of bankers and politicians. Big business has been singularly myopic in the ways of globalisation, leverage and the like, causing everything within reach to become blurred and downright turbulent.

Here at The Yak we can't claim to be able to solve the world's woes, or even pretend that we understand the depth of the problem, however we can claim to have that wonderful thing called 20/20 vision when it comes to everything Bali.

Our job – one that we enjoy immensely – is to bring you the clearest of visions of what to do, what to see and where to go if you crave that upper-deckish feel in your life.

First up we take you to the untroubled waters of Halcyon Days with our version of Culture Vulture, before we get up close to Winnie Rode with This Much I Know – a Buddhist bodyguard to the Dalai Lama, no less.

Later we chat with the clear-sighted, Child At Heart Gabrielle from Dandelion. Art + Soul by Biasa clears the sky for The Lost Stanza before Seats of Power take us over to a Body & Soul Dwelling on a Dwelling. We then get That Sinking Feeling before meeting the woman behind Bali's Neo Colonial Service. That done it is time to park our proverbial backsides with our feature Be Seated before we get a vibrant image of which bits of Bali are exported to the globe in Bali by Design. We pick up the clarity pace and head into the jungles for Swimwear Shine before meeting Malaysia's fabulous visionary of luxe, Farah Khan. Freestyle is the way we see it with Bali's clairvoyant fashion houses before we sip on Port and head out to the Big Six to pick up some Deli-lust. Over the Edge we go with a Lombok Layover before we hit the courts, the balls and the beer at The Yak Canggu Open Tennis Classic – what an eyeful that was! With that said it is time to wrap it up with what is aural with our Sounds Around and so give the visuals a rest...

Through fog and through mist the best thing to do is...luxuriate.

May The Yak be with you...

Dear Yak, I went to Home House in London armed with a pile of your magazines for a client lunch on Saturday – so they have been delivered for you – much to the amusement of the staff, to whom I offered a free glass of Champagne for stories of celebrities caught nicking copies of The Yak from the club. I am hoping to have some juicy tales for you shortly! Love the copy, it's looking very sharp. Also loved the interview with Sasha – I met him in Miami last month.

Really nice guy.

Rupert Musker, London.

Rupert, you are a true Musker-teer. But we already mailed a copy to Madonna...

Dear Yak, I have received The Yak magazine and would like to congratulate you on some very nice work. Many thanks for sending me a few complimentary copies!

Caroline Filtzinger Carcosa Seri Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

on the beach in Lombok. I was wondering if there was a chance of getting a little write-up. Accommodation can be arranged if you wanted to stay overnight. I have a website if you want a look...www.vervevilla.com. I would REALLY appreciate any plug you could give it. I love your mag and always have it on hand for guests in Lombok.

Heidi Retford.

I think that's enough of a plug Heidi. Best of luck!

Dear Yak, It was great to meet up with you at the St Regis. I just wanted to thank you for sending me your latest issue, which is...fabulous! Congrats indeed.

Chris Hanrahan, Prestige Magazine.

Music to our ears.

Dear Yak, Just read the new issue. Thanks so much for the great words you wrote about us in New In The Hood. And we really appreciate that you put our picture in the fabulous Yak Directory...so useful.

Sarah Haettich, Holili Outdoor Emotions.

Dear Yak, Congratulations on your great magazine! It's very fashionable; you have reached the same level as the best magazines in the world. I simply love it and look forward to have some of your past editions and all the upcoming editions. I can also give it to my expatriate friends living in Mauritius (mainly high-end Europeans citizens, and looking regularly for vacation breaks, so why not Bali?) Thank you and keep me posted.

Christine Dorchies, Tamarina Golf Estate & Beach Club, Mauritius.

Dear Yak, I am an Aussie girl who has just finished building a villa

Our reach is far and wide...and of course we shall have to hand deliver a few copies...

JAMIROQUAI Using the revered services of Elite Havens, we hear Jamiroquai front man Jay Kay lately fondled our printwork while enjoying a carrot juice around the pool on his recent visit to Bali. He then went for a swim, had lunch and promptly fell asleep. Ho hum.

New

in the hood

Iwannagohome!

Bali Deli introduces a new range of exclusive homeware and kitchenware accessories 'iwannagohome!' The range of products iwannagohome! includes SIA and Guy Degrenne from Paris, Phillips Collection, Art Dreams as well as Lam Lee from The United States, Christopher Vine Design from Australia, Kare, Bretz and Eurographics from Germany, LSA from UK and Incanto from Italy. Located on the first floor of Bali Deli's coffee shop, beautiful dining sets such as Guy Degrenne luxury brands and Eurographics pictures are now adorning Bali's homes and villas.

Tel. 738686 Yak MapY.10 www.balideli.net Ary’s Warung Not so New In The Hood is Ary’s Warung, which is about to celebrate 25 years young in July. We just wanted to congratulate this legendary venue, the must-stop watering hole for Bloody Mary’s and a light lunch (or dinner), bang in the centre if Ubud.

Tel. 978305

Bud Map G.7 Paul’s Place Three pleasure angles come together under one roof – shopping, drinking and massage. A boutique for both men and women of all sizes (fuller figured ladies and gents take note) shares space with Asian Accents, decorative items for the house; M Spa with its male therapists is located on the second floor, and topping it off is Cloud Lounge – The Yak’s new rooftop dining and drinking spot. Sunsets, volcanoes, sipping on a couture cocktail or two...very therapeutic.

Tel. 733886 Yak Map P.8/Q.4

Siam Sally Turning the Ubudian tide on style and interiors, Siam Sally is also turning heads.

This Thai-influenced eatery has mouthwatered its way into the Dining Set. Nibbles include Roasted green chili salsa, Vegan summer rolls and Prawn wraps.

The soups of course include the tangy and heated Tom Yam and salads include both the refreshing Siam Sally Pomelo and Green Papaya. Jatujak hawker-style chicken, noodles, fish and curries are flavoured, tossed and served with pungent basil, cilantro, chilies, galangal and tamarind. Desserts? How about Lime and lemongrass tart, Chili fruit or half a dozen Kafir truffles?

Tel. 980777 www.baligoodfood.com

Bloomz in Seminyak Petitenget is the new location for one of Bali’s top floral designers. Moving away from the traditional, blooms by Bloomz give light to conversations round any dining table. Events, weddings and birthdays are lavishly executed; the posies and corsage are divine, as is the shop itself – a horticultural pleasure that is worth the visit.

Tel. 735761 Yak Map R.3

Laguna Spa Products Pevonia Botanica Ecofriendly Pevonia brings anti-aging products to the Laguna Spa and Villa at the Laguna Resort in Nusa Dua. Caviar Luxe Facial and Youthful Lip – with Retinol – for her and Vitality SkinFit for Him...for him, obviously! Other luscious hands-on treatments are the Aromatic Moor Mud Wrap, which renews, and the Moroccan Cocoon Rassoul, which purifies.

Tel. 771327 ext. 751

New

in the hood

Hikari Gently moving from one end of the colour spectrum to the other – blacks through greys to mauves to camouflage green and aquamarine blues – clothes

by Hikari are soft, feminine and highly flattering. Different styles of dresses are made from soft jersey rayon or cotton, and fabrics either follow a stylish patchwork theme, solid colour or stamp print. Also available is the Hikari-styled jean and the Imaginary Foundation men's line.

Tel. 730188 Yak Map T.8 www.hikari.com Intimate Lingerie High heels, pink fluffy handcuffs, daring stockings and an array of extremely sexy inner garments. Intimate Lingerie brings us what the girls love to wear and what the guys love the best. Quality and design, the Intimate range covers all choices from structured and practical bras and pants to Moulin rouge lace tops and undies. Very voulez vous!

Tel. 736765 Yak Map P.7

The Art of Personal Wellness Ubud just got a whole lot more luscious when Kupu Kupu Barong Villas and Spa brought global natural beauty brand L’Occitane on board for their Mango Tree Spa. By Tree Spa they really do mean ‘tree spa’, perched amongst the canopies of mango trees with the Ayung River rushing below...so time to relax and rejuvenate with L’Occitane’s signature treatments in a totally unique location.

Tel.: 975478 www.kupubarong.com/spabyloccitane The Bud A stand-alone publication sistering the luxury lifestyle glossy The Yak is set to entice and guide you through Bali’s creative, holistic and spiritual nature. Launching in July, this mad little guidezine will focus on the softer, ethereal side of life with a penchant for Balinese culture. Soon to be available at all Periplus and Gramedia shops, Bali’s 24-hour supermarkets and in other sought-after locations. www.thebudmag.com

Nafsu So, so stylish it almost makes you eyes water.

Nafsu Boutique is couture all the way with unique designs in silks, chiffons, lamé's and sequins. Viktoria Paras - owner and designer of Nafsu - mixes, matches and juxtaposes a myriad of fabrics to come up with her unique, elegant look, be that blouse, shirt, skirt, dress or jacket. Add to that her range in leather with handbags, hot pants, waistcoats and shoes and you'll never run out of fabulous things to wear or clutch, be that dance floor or sunset.

Tel. 736634 Yak Map O.8 www.studioparas.com Body Line Ever wondered what Madonna’s (Claudia Schiffer, Elle MacPherson, Kylie Minogue take your pick) secret was to having such a youthful body?

Well, it could be due to the fact that part of their workouts are done on a Power Plate. This revolutionary vibration exercise machine not only cuts down on the time you need to spend exercising weekly, but also lessens stress on the muscles, enhances your mood and can even help in getting rid of cellulite. So it's time to tune in and tone up and get that body you always longed for...in half the time.

Tel. 8476092 Yak Map Y.2 www.power-plate-bali.com Hussy From Sydney to Melbourne and now in Bali, Hussey has been dressing the A-list for quite a few years now – think Julia Roberts and Kelly Rowland. Sold around the world in top boutiques in the UK, USA, Japan and Greece – the list goes on – Hussey opens its first international flagship store here in Seminyak, Bali (other Hussey flagships are located in Sydney and Melbourne). Stylish designs with great accessories are now dressing the adventuresome female that either lives or visits the shores of Bali.

Tel. 8054009 Yak Map W.10

New

in the hood

Isola Set on the beachfront overlooking Sanur’s tranquil waters, Isola is the latest addition to Sanur’s re-emergence as a place to go.

Having recently taken over the reins of the legendary Hotel La Taverna from her father (Mick and Bianca Jagger, Francis Ford Coppola and the like all stayed here in the '70s when Seminyak was but a paddy field) Anouk Macchetti, and her set-designer husband Rupert, felt that Sanur was missing a beachfront restaurant of the caliber expected of Sanur, with its Old World charm. Isola is part beach club, part restaurant, serving excellent Italian, International and Indonesian cuisine.

Definitely a very good reason to head to Sanur for.

Tel. 289310

Saba Villas Nestled in the rice paddy fields of Berawa Beach near the Canggu Club, five luxury villas have risen to bring a little more elegance to the villa world of Bali. Designed by Ross Franklin and managed and marketed by Prestige Bali Villas, the villas also boast a Canggu Club membership that allows guests to use the club facilities free of charge. Uniquely, this property can either be rented out in its entirety, as a nine-bedroom villa complex, or individually as each villa has a private pool with interconnecting gardens. Add to that the location – a two-minute walk to the beach, a short distance to the Canggu Club and the Canggu Deli and only 10 minutes from Seminyak – one wonders...does it get any better than this?

Tel. 738058 Yak Map. K.2 www.sababali.com

www.isolabali.com

The Black Pearl Got to get to the Gilis, Lombok’s three magical islands? Bluewater Cruises are the way to go and The Black Pearl is the vessel to go in. Daily transfers to and from Bali's Serangan Harbour to Gili Trawangan (leaving Bali at 9am and returning from Gili T at 1.30pm) will get you where you want to go in approximately two and a half hours. The English-speaking captain and his crew are well-versed in safety standards and the communication systems are the latest available on the market. So if it's time to go troppo, jump aboard!

Tel. 0817343168 www.bluewatercruises.com

vulture

days

Culture

halcyon

Childhood is the happiest time in our lives, and so say all of us. So who wouldn't be a kid in Bali?

Photography and text: Tony Stanton.

Culture vulture

vulture

Culture

IF you're squeamish, now's a good time to turn off. Not that I'm in it for the blood and guts – I hail from the non-child bearing half of the human race – but this is a piece about children, and what a wonder it is to have them. Not to mention be one. No, no, it's not what you're thinking: some slick treatise about good parenting. This is, purely and simply, my story about what it's like to watch my daughter play on a Sunday afternoon (it was possibly a Friday, who's to say?). Above all, it's a piece about what it's like not to have them around.

Time was I didn't have a daughter. She happened to me only late in life. I had been happily married to a jet-setting playboy life (somehow tied in to a rather relaxed and alchoholic relationship) that didn't see space for kids. Kids weren't cool, simply.

I hung out in various far-flung lands with other people who didn't have kids; people older and (I thought) wiser than me who would say things like: "I don't know, people with children just don't seem to be happy." Then we'd find some trouble, drink vodka and party til dawn. How could we have kids and a hangover, we reasoned?

I now see that the real reason I was not a parent – aside from the mechanics of the thing – was that I was yet to become capable of being one. I developed late. My thirties were a blur of good times with people I now no longer remember, but who seemed like kin to me at the time. Kids were frankly annoying, to be taken care of by people with abilities above and beyond the normal God-given talents of witty dinner party repartee (far more important to me then than, say, responsibility).

And that's the first thing I noticed when she came along. Children teach you, not the other way around. How to play, how to think, how to enjoy and express yourself with abandon. Or perhaps, as occurred to me on this particular afternoon (glass of Champagne in hand, I admit)...what they really teach you is: how to remember. Sweet memories of sunny evenings lost to twilight and ice cream in the pool.

Culture vulture

know

I much

This

Singing bowl practioner Winnie Rode.

This much

I know

rd to ygua ie Ro ling Winn a hea d n a ama tan alai L D e h s Tibe t e s u who ioner t e the i t c a alanc pr b e r o ls t g bow cies. singin quen e r f l a ur 's nat him body with p u t ugh ali ak ca e in B The Y c n a er form nd gap n i r nce a u e l d o i v , tions vibra by k l a t to raphy g o t o ls. Ph vesse holy da.

Masu o k e Ya bod de is

much i know

This

Singing bowls are increasinly being used as therapeutic aids.

42

This much i know

Good morning, and you are?

My name is Winfried Rode, but people call me Winnie.

Where are you from, and where do you currently live?

I was born in a small town in Germany, and I currently live most of the time in Thailand on the island of Koh Samui.

Besides this, I travel in Asia and to Europe, according to demand.

You're principally involved in a unique form of healing with Tibetan singing bowls...what is it?

It's all to do with ibrations. Good vibrations. Fearless vibrations. Harmonic vibrations. Healing vibrations.

Singing bowls have a wonderful effect on people, and they are increasingly being used as therapeutic aids.

Singing bowls can give access to a field of unlimited possibilities. Firstly, the singing bowl is something you should enjoy, without any ulterior motive. Preconceived ideas of possible experiences or any expectations will only be an obstacle to what is actually happening.

How do Tibetan singing bowls heal?

The subject lies on his or her back and different bowls are played and moved around the body, as well as on the body if needed, to tune harmonic frequency and clear the aura. It is deeply relaxing. The powerful vibrations of the singing bowls spread quickly through our bodies, which consist of more than 70 percent water, and this results in a very delicate internal massage of every cell. Furthermore, the brainwaves created by the vibrations – like alpha, beta, gamma, theta and so on – discover and renew the neurons in our brain, creating serotonin. The result is a sensation of joyfulness and physical wellbeing. Let’s not forget that the human body is a living entity of vibrations and wavelengths. A healthy organ and muscle is well tuned, meaning that it vibrates only at its own frequency, while the frequency of a sick organ is disturbed. Singing bowls recreate the original harmonic frequency, and stimulate the body to rediscover its own harmonic frequency. And when it is synchronised, it can vibrate independently.

How old is this form of treatment?

Singing bowl treatments are a child of the New Age movement, started in the late ’60s and early ’70s of the last

century.

And how did you become a singing bowl master?

I was kissed by my muse.

Someone told us you were once a bodyguard for the Dalai Lama...

Yes. When H.H. the Dalai Lama first came to Germany in 1981, I was asked to act as his personal bodyguard, which I did. After this first visit I was asked to remain on this duty, and I was his bodyguard for many years during all visits to Germany. After 1989, when the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize, the safety standard was taken over by the government and the state police. I was again asked to organise and lead the security team. I did it for many visits to Germany and Austria until the last one in August 2007.

I will also be in the team for his next visit to Germany, in July 2009.

How do you consolidate your Buddhist beliefs with the duties sometimes required of a bodyguard?

With the highest possible awareness and alertness, which is taught in Buddhist philosophy and which is the required qualification for every bodyguard.

Did you ever need to use force to protect His Holiness?

Not really, but sometimes I used close supervision and wrathful and killing eyes.

What kinds of security threats did he face during your tenure?

State guests are distinguished into three levels of security.

H.H. the Dalai Lama was mostly at level two. During a visit in Munich in 2003 he was upgraded to level one.

There was some harassment against him. But normally all security arrangements were conducted under friendly and courteous guidelines during my direction.

By the way, what's he like?

To meet the Dalai Lama personally has more value than 100 teachings about compassion and empathy. He is the most known personality on this planet. Sometimes, he is like a child, sometimes a serious and wise master and sometimes just like an ordinary Buddhist monk. His impact on people cannot be described with words. Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet,

is like a lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. What does he like? Sometimes he eats Weisswurst, a German sausage, and sometimes Chupa Chups lollies to keep his humour, like anyone else.

Would you ever harm someone in order to protect His Holiness?

Let’s just say I would give my own life to protect His Holiness.

Let's talk a little more about sound...what does it mean to you?

Sound is the chime of the universe. Sound is harmony.

Sound is music. Sound is speech. Sound is the main guidance for human beings.

Is there too much noise in the world today?

Definitely! Yes, there is a lot of soundtrash. But people are blunted, they do not realise. Some people even like it, or think they need it.

When was the last time you helped someone with your treatments, and what did you do exactly?

Just the other day, there was a lady from England. After a spine surgery she could not move her left leg and foot anymore, and she had no sentience. I did a selective treatment on certain points on her spine and the connecting meridians to her leg. After the session she could feel her leg and the movements were much better.

Before I come to Bali, Oliver Stone was also in Koh Samui.

I detoxed and de-stressed him and some of his team members. Lots of celebrities come to Koh Samui and I hope they have a reason to come to Bali in the near future.

While here I have trained two people to provide singing bowl treatment.

What would it be like to be deaf, do you think?

To be deaf must be a burden and handicap. To be disconnected from sound in all amenities and euphonies cuts someone off from regular life. Just last year I had a talk with a therapist who was working with deaf people.

He told me that when compared to blind people, the deaf are much more aggressive, especially to each other, and difficult to medicate.

Who is the best 'listener' you have ever met?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama. And Soleya, one of my

much i know

This

Vibrations are said to stimulate cells and brainwaves.

This much i know

grandchildren, when I'm singing and reading fairy tales.

Why are there so many people who don't listen to others, would you say?

The ego disallows listening to others. Most people are connected only to themselves and do not have empathy with others.

Moreover, we do not learn to listen. We mainly learn to consume.

The next 25 words are yours...please say whatever you want to our readers.

The Yak is a beautiful animal living in the Himalayas above 3,000 meters, has a lot of self-confidence and is very devoted to his owner.

Indeed. Winnie Rode, thank you for your time.

For Winnie’s CDs in Bali, go to www. spalpha.net. More about Winnie at: www. singingbowlasia.com.

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Artsake

Biasa Art Space has been showcasing contemporary art in Bali for the last three years with a series of exhibitions that have both soothed and shocked. The Yak spoke to founder Susanna Perini about her love of art, her feelings about the local scene and the reasons why she decided to create a space dedicated to an "introspective journey into the folds of emotions".

Anita #04 and Anita #03 by Federico Tomasi, from the exhibition "Yellow Line District", 2005.

Artsake

Artwork (in detail) from Indieguerillas exhibition "Fools'lore: folklore reload" , 2008, by Srikandi and the Happy Paranoid Boys Club.

Artsake Left: "Art Soju #6", right: "Art Soju #5", from the Neon box series by Angki Purbandono,"Happy Scan", 2008.

t r a

Artsake

Susanna, how long has Biasa Art Space been open, and how was it born?

Biasa Art Space started to showcase regularly about three years ago. It started from a desire...maybe a bit whimsical...and it happened that it became possible right after I met an active group of Indonesian visual artists in Java in 2005. That encounter opened a fundamental window into my (at that time stale) perspective of this country.

Why do we love it so much?

I don’t know...but I can guess: because I like it so much.

What does art mean to you, essentially?

A powerful art piece mirrors the cultural and social environment of the artist who – like a witness – questions and observes, but doesn’t look for answers...instead uses universal signs to portray the perception of his/her contemporary universe. This way, true art can represent a pure insight into the human spirit, the introspective journey into the folds of emotions. A great art piece is honest, is thought-provoking, is alchemic. A great art expression can be a simple sign...so magical to induce the viewer to a change of perspective...a change of thinking...then even a change of being. A great art work is perceived differently every day, never ceasing to surprise. Art is an immortal insight.

What are the principles behind the gallery?

The main principle of the gallery is to show Indonesian contemporary art to everybody who walks in the gallery...and to inspire collaborations between artists who live in this territory and foreign artists. The format we use is not exactly commercial, as we strive to focus on the cultural meaning of such exchanges.

How did you decide on the design of the space?

The space was designed nine years ago after I met Giovanni d’Ambrosio, an Italian architect who really inspired me. We are

still working together on new projects.

What's important in that regard? Were their special factors to be considered in designing the space?

The main factor was to create a stimulating environment, maybe a universal container, that stood strong yet in synergy with the stories we tell here.

Who decides which art and exhibitions will be shown at Biasa Art Space?

I work with a great team assisting me in the follow-up of the work I start with each artist. A few months ago a young Italian art historian, Dominique Lora, joined me as art consultant and curator.

How big is the following for contemporary art in Bali? And who are they?

It seems that the local community, foreigners who live here as well as Indonesian art lovers, is more and more sincerely interested in contemporary developments. We see them attending our openings in big numbers.

Do you ever get tourists wandering in, or is it more about the local population?

We get a selected number of tourists walking in, always surprised to discover this unexpected environment nestled in the melting pot of bars, shops and restaurants that is Seminyak.

You're well known for your fashion label, Biasa. What moved you from fashion into the art world? How did that happen?

I have worked in fashion most of my life and I have always been interested in art without being able to continue to study it after university. Ultimately fashion can be conceptualised and represented in relation to art and vice versa. We are now working on a new project about this.

Can you paint?

I paint my life every day.

If you could dine with any artist alive or dead, who would it be?

Artsake

= + a Anita #04 and Anita #03 by Federico Tomasi, from the exhibition "Yellow Line District", 2005.

Artsake

"The dog rolls the tissue" – Neon box series (in detail) from Angki Purbandono's exhibition "Happy Scan", 2008.

A small dinner party, a funny but intimate debate...I would invite Orlan, Max Ernst, Andy Warhol, Ugo Untoro, Zhang Huan.

Matteo Basile, Ashley Bickerton and Salvador Dali.

Who or what most influenced your taste in art?

Visual art is about eye and soul. I trained the eye through years of adapting forms and mixing colours in fashion, yet so many more influences shape my taste. It is definitely influenced by classic Western art history, although today the most influential propeller comes from the artists' studios that I visit.

What message does Indonesian art

convey, would you say?

Indonesian contemporary art is the reflection of a country made by many deeply diverse ethnic groups caught in the process of redefining themselves while opening up to the rest of the world.

What are the main factors that have changed art in Indonesia over the last 20 years?

Ten years ago freedom of expression became an accessible dream...while global networking has made it possible for Indonesian artists to move from traditional concepts and heroic representations to individual explorations of universal issues.

Can we ask you which, if any, of your

exhibitions caused outrage or strong emotion?

We had a pretty strong exhibition called “Fetish”, but I guess that whenever I present Ugo Untoro’s work, many of the viewers will vexperience a strong reaction.

Especially Poem of Blood, a body of work presented at the National Gallery in Jakarta, in Shanghai and last month in Rome, with its inclusion of stuffed horse skins... that stirred up a good array of reactions... definitely it didn’t go unnoticed!

Susanna, many thanks for your time.

You're welcome. www.biasaart.com

Feature Rimbaud as a young poet. Illustrations by Stu.

Feature

Nobody knows what happened when the 21-year-old poet Arthur Rimbaud went AWOL in Java. Novelist and fan Jamie James goes looking for clues.

IN 1871, when Arthur Rimbaud was a 16-year-old schoolboy in the Ardennes, he announced his intention to become a voyant, a seer, “to arrive at the unknown by a disordering of all the senses”. He succeeded: before he turned 20, he had written visionary poetry that would revolutionise world literature. A recent biographer of Rimbaud credits him and his lover, the older poet Paul Verlaine, with creating what came to be known as the gay identity with their public carryingson. Unquestionably, Rimbaud’s scandalous lifestyle during his teens in Paris, Brussels and London, soaked in absinthe and perfumed by hashish, was the prototype of the artist as bohemian rebel that dominated the 20th century. The writers, painters, and musicians who have claimed him as their patron saint – or tutelary demon – range from Picasso, Breton and Cocteau to Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, and Kurt Cobain.

Rimbaud was never more prophetic than when he wrote about his own life in the extended prose poem A Season in Hell: “My day is done; I’m leaving Europe. The sea air will burn my lungs; lost climes will tan my skin. To swim, to trample the grass, to hunt, above all to smoke; to drink liquors strong as boiling metal – as my cherished ancestors did around their bonfires.” He was 19 when he wrote A Season in Hell. Soon afterward he stopped writing poetry altogether and never took it up again.

In 1876, after rambles in Germany, Switzerland and Lombardy, Rimbaud joined the Dutch Colonial Army and took his leave of Europe. For the sum of 300 gold florins (nearly US$3,000 today), he enlisted for a tour of six years in the Dutch East Indies. On June 10, 1876, he shipped out for Java – as lost a clime, as far from Europe as he could go.

It’s hard to imagine anyone less suited to the soldiering life than Rimbaud at 21, a decadent misfit to the point of sociopathy. Anyway, it didn’t last long. After a sea voyage of 40 days, skin tanned and lungs scorched, Rimbaud entered the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java, cruised under smoking Krakatoa (seven years before its cataclysmic eruption), and arrived with his battalion at Batavia, modern Jakarta, the capital of the Dutch East Indies. A brief cruise in the Java Sea brought them to the port city of Semarang; from there they took the train to a place called Tuntang and marched through the jungle to their post, in the town of Salatiga. Twelve days later, Rimbaud went AWOL. From that point until he resurfaced at his mother’s house four months later, the record of Rimbaud’s life is an enigmatic lacuna.

Usually boastful about his exploits, he said nothing to anyone that has survived about his tropical sojourn.

He had good reason to keep quiet: desertion was a capital crime. After his return from Java, the ex-poet on

the lam tried to enlist in the American Navy but was rejected. In Hamburg he joined a French circus; after a tour of Scandinavia he deserted the circus just as he had done the army. In 1878 Rimbaud sailed to Alexandria and made his way to Abyssinia, where he led mercantile caravans deep into the interior of Africa and dabbled in photography until shortly before his death in 1891, at 37.

* * * Like many another seriously pretentious adolescent, I started reading Rimbaud’s poetry when I was the age at which he wrote it. In the late 1960s, when sensory disordering was all the rage, Rimbaud occupied a high place in the hip literary pantheon with the likes of Hermann Hesse and Jack Kerouac. Hesse and Kerouac didn’t remain on my reading list for long, but there’s something addictive about Rimbaud – especially for writers, to whom the notion of actually renouncing the vocation seems a gesture of incomparable grandeur.

Ever since I moved to Indonesia to trample the grass, I cherished the ambition of making the pilgrimage, to track Rimbaud’s steps in Java. Last year, the time had finally come.

The only fixed points on my itinerary were the ports of Jakarta and Semarang, the train station at Tuntang, and the garrison at Salatiga. Beyond that, the Rimbaud pilgrim must take the same approach to the poet’s life

Feature that he himself did, and make it up as you go.

In Jakarta, most people who buy old buildings do so with the intention of razing them and putting up new, grander ones in their place; yet a few vestiges of old Batavia cling. Sunda Kelapa, the port where Rimbaud landed, has been eclipsed by the modern port at Tanjung Priok, which can accommodate today’s monster container ships, but the old harbour still serves the regional fleet. Phinisi, wooden schooners built by Bugis shipwrights, convey merchandise throughout the archipelago, their jaunty profile essentially unchanged for centuries.

The broad plaza in the heart of old Batavia (where Rimbaud witnessed an execution of deserters by firing squad) is now a pedestrian mall called Fatahillah Square.

Facing the old City Hall, an imposing pile based on the royal palace in Amsterdam, is a long, bronze, Portuguese cannon known as Si Jagur, which was brought to Batavia as a trophy of war in 1641. Ornamenting its butt is a sculpture of a man’s fist, the thumb protruding between the index and middle fingers – an unambiguous invitation to sex. In Rimbaud’s day, Si Jagur was worshipped; today, women who want to get pregnant still sit astride the big gun to enhance their fertility. (For men, a kiosk in nearby Chinatown purveys the blood of cobras – slaughtered in front of the customer – to be drunk as an aphrodisiac.)

Semarang preserves more of its colonial-era architecture than most Indonesian cities, even if in

a decrepit, mildewy state. It’s no candidate for the World Heritage List, but a wander through the old town on a misty night offers the melancholy pleasures of a decaying Baltic port. The city’s most venerable relic is Sam Poo Kong, a vermilion pagoda built to commemorate a visit in 1416 by the great admiral Zheng He. Pilgrims from throughout Asia come here to pay their respects to the Muslim eunuch from Yunnan who established Chinese hegemony throughout the tropical archipelago and across the Indian Ocean.

At the train station in Tuntang, I first sensed the sulphurous spectre of Rimbaud at my side. The Semarang-Magelang line, Java’s first, had opened just a few years before his arrival. The station is still in operation as a part of a railway museum in the pleasant little town of Ambarawa. There, I rode a diminutive train on the same narrow-gauge tracks that Rimbaud’s battalion traversed, which edged a swampy lake where bugs with papery golden wings fluttered among the reeds. Paddy fields glowed emerald-green on one side; on the other, little boys cast nets for fish no bigger than your thumb, which are fried and eaten whole. The ride terminated at Tuntang station, a charming Dutch cottage with a Beatrix Potter air. It’s completely empty now, with nothing in it that wasn’t there when Rimbaud passed through – except the silence.

The Dutch garrison at Salatiga, where Rimbaud’s trail evaporates into the tropical steam, survives as a part of the modern City Hall. In 1997 the French ambassador

to Indonesia dedicated a handsome granite plaque there, which commemorates the poet’s visit. Salatiga, a mainly Muslim town with the Hindu god Ganesha as its municipal mascot, is now the home of a Christian university – making it a typical conspectus of Indonesian religion.

* * * Beyond Salatiga, a Rimbaud tour becomes a speculative journey into the thorny thicket of the poet’s mind. For his contemporaries, Java was a threatening, alien place. Eugène Sue, the Stephen King of his day, captured the general view in his bestselling potboiler of 1844, The Wandering Jew: “Java! Magnificent and fatal country, where the most admirable flowers conceal hideous reptiles, where the brightest fruits contain subtle poisons, where grow splendid trees, whose very shadow is death” – exactly the way bourgeois critics and readers would later characterize Rimbaud’s poetry.

Yet the poet would have found himself feeling right at home in Java, with easy access to his signature vices.

Opium was a major government-controlled business in Java until the early 20th century. When Rimbaud arrived in Batavia, the port was as well-supplied with opium dens as grog shops. When I was living in Jakarta, 10 years ago, I heard rumors that there were still opium dens hidden away in the city’s old quarter that catered to elderly Chinese addicts, but the stories had the unmistakable whiff of urban legend.

Opportunities for buggery would have been equally

Feature

Rimbaud, as seen by Paul Verlaine and Stu.

Feature abundant. In the vicinity of Ponorogo, a town 50 miles southeast of Salatiga, powerful wizards called warok practiced an exceptionally soft form of asceticism, shunning the temptation of sex with women by keeping powdered, petted boys. The boys’ parents gave their sons, ranging in age from eight to 16, to the warok under an arrangement that travestied a wedding contract, receiving a cow in payment. The warok were like samurai, continuously waging vendettas in the countryside – sometimes over a pretty, beardless face.

Such bizarrerie would have appealed to Rimbaud more as drama than sexual titillation; the only love of his life was a man 10 years his elder, Paul Verlaine, whom he seduced into abandoning his wife and newborn first child to run away with him.

Rimbaud’s affair with Verlaine was spectacularly public, ending only when Verlaine went to prison for shooting his teen lover in the wrist when he threatened to leave him. Yet after Rimbaud’s death, his biographers, beginning with a posthumous brother-in-law, diligently tried to heterosexualize him. His housekeeper in Africa is always made to stand in as his mistress, while Djami, a young manservant to whom Rimbaud willed a bequest of 3,000 francs, is never proposed as a possible lover, presumably because Djami was married and had a family (which he was prepared to abandon to follow Rimbaud to France). I’m agnostic about whether Rimbaud had a sexual relationship with either the woman or the young man, or both; such suppositions always tell us more about the supposer than the subject of speculation.

Nineteenth-century Java’s most powerful affinity with the Rimbaldian mind was its intense, allencompassing mysticism. As a boy, Rimbaud read widely

in the literature of European magic and cast himself in the role of a literary magus. In A Season in Hell, describing his growth as a poet, he wrote: Poetic antiques played a large part in my alchemy of the word.

I became accustomed to pure hallucination: I saw a mosque in place of a factory, a school of drummers led by angels, carriages on the highways of the sky, a drawingroom at the bottom of a lake; monsters, mysteries; the title of a vaudeville show raised up horrors before me.

Then I would explain my magic sophisms with the hallucination of words.

In 1876, there was no place on Earth where magic played a more conspicuous part in everyday life than in Central Java. The warok culture of Ponorogo was only the weirdest expression of Malay magic; every aspect of life was controlled by mystic powers. Curses and love potions – goona-goona – were commonplace (as they are today), harmonising effortlessly with Islam, a miracle of religious alchemy that visitors to Java never understand. In Solo, I came across a private shrine created by a yogi that sheltered devotional images of a Hindu deity, the Buddha, the Virgin Mary and Sukarno.

Incense burned before them all: paths are many, truth is one.

Ancient temples spring up everywhere you go in Central Java, sometimes in the middle of rice fields. To recapture the romance of Rimbaud’s underground flight across Java, I visited Candi Sukuh, a bizarre, mysterious temple on the slopes of Lawu, a volcano 20 miles east of Solo. Sukuh was Java’s last major Hindu temple, built as a remote mountain refuge for a Sivaite cult in the mid-15th century, after most of the island had converted to Islam. The main structure is a stepped stone pyramid

that bears an uncanny resemblance to a Mayan pyramid.

On its summit stood a six-foot-tall phallus, now in the National Museum in Jakarta – an extravagant example of the inexplicable obsession with fertility in a country where life of every kind burgeons year-round.

Sukuh really is bizarre and mysterious, radiating the over-rich, faintly toxic atmosphere of libidinal irruption that soaks Rimbaud’s hallucinatory poems.

One remarkable relief shows Ganesha, the elephantheaded god usually depicted in a contemplative seated pose, dancing with abandon, his sex organs flapping, as he swings a dog by the tail: no one knows why. A relationship between Sukuh and the tantric cult of Tibet has been proposed, but it’s just a guess, for no records of the rituals enacted there have survived.

Rimbaud never announced that he was abandoning literature: he simply stopped producing it. A Malay word turned up in a late poem, Dévotion where he wrote: “Baou – l’herbe d’été bourdonnante et puante,” which could be rendered “Stink: the grass of summer buzzing and reeking.” This passage has fuelled speculation that Rimbaud may have written it after his visit to Java; more likely it’s just an anomaly, like the Roman coins that turn up in weird places they’re not supposed to be.

It’s maddening to think that the most original poet of his time lost the itch just as he experienced the lavish sensory disordering of a season in Java – or perhaps a visit to a land ruled by magic disenchanted him as to the efficacy of the hallucination of words.

In A Season in Hell, Rimbaud prophesied the dominant trend in western culture for a century to come with his oft-quoted dictum, “It is necessary to be absolutely modern.” Yet in Java he saw that, in fact, it isn’t.

Feature

Rimbaud the opium lover, as seen by Paul Verlaine and Stu.

the ultimate luxury balinese experience Saba is enveloped by lush emerald-green rice terraces near the peaceful village of Berawa on Bali’s southwest coast, just minutes from the beaches of Canggu and the popular shopping and dining district of Seminyak. Five self-contained villas, each with private pool and garden, offer complete five-star facilities. Guests have full, complimentary access to the nearby Canggu Club.

Jl. Canggu Club No. 30 Berawa - Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia Tel.: +62 361 738 058/59 Fax.: +62 361 738 054 Email: info@sababali.com Web.: www.sababali.com

Duoview

seats power of

Sarah and Harry are the boy-girl team behind all weather furniture brand Holili, so we put them in the hot seat.

Duoview

Duoview

Name, rank and serial numbers please...

Sarah: Hi, I'm Sarah Haettich, from Holili Outdoor Emotions.

Harry: And I'm Harry Bold.

How long have you been together?

S: Since 2003.

H: Six years, two months, 14 days and three hours.

Where and how did you meet?

S: We met at university in Germany and were really good friends for a long time until Harry taught me how to snowboard. On this weekend everything started...maybe we were already close from a few semester break parties but it started to get serious in the snow.

H: I met Sarah in university. We did the same major in marketing. After a wild party she was suddenly my girlfriend.

How did furniture enter your lives?

H: During a study semester in Bali four years ago I became close friends with a talented Indonesian designer. After spending a lot of time with him and learning about his way of life I knew I couldn´t go back to Germany and work a nine-to-five job. Since he was also looking for a change in his life, we decided to start something new together.

Furniture seemed to be the best product for us and Sarah loved the idea of building an upmarket furniture brand.

S: It's the best doing marketing for a product I'd like to buy myself. We wanted to have a brand which was emotionally linked to us, which we could create by ourselves. I wouldn´t agree to building up a company just for standard trades, like electronics, say, (Harry's first idea). When I visited Harry here while he was studying, we had such a great time sitting outside relaxing in the sunset...and we started to think how we could bring this feeling to people in Germany.

Who does what in your company?

S: I'm the brains in the back room and the problem solver.

Generally I do all the financial stuff and the organisation of the production, as well as handling the advertising. But all big decisions we make together. This is what makes us strong.

H: I'm the one with new ideas. Sarah does the rest.

Who's the boss?

H: It's me, definitely! But first I always ask Sarah her opinion.

S: There's no boss. This is why we prefer to work in Indonesia. Everything is teamwork! But if you have to name one...it's me.

Why 'All Weather Furniture'?

S: It all started in 2006, when All Weather Furniture was still new for the German market. Normally you don't have so much free time in Germany. What could be easier than All Weather Furniture in a country where you have all different types of weather?

H: There are almost no limitations in design since you can create almost anything out of aluminium pipes. I also love to have a product that can be used for both indoors and

outdoors. That makes the furniture perfect.

Your slogan is 'Exclusive Designs, German Engineering'.

How do you 'engineer' All Weather Furniture?

S: By making furniture functional. Since Germany is a small country with limited outdoor space, we try to make our furniture multi-functional by combining design, comfort and functionality in an optimum way. Our Quadro set, for example, can be converted from a daybed into a dining

Sarah and Harry by Y.M. lounge within seconds. And our Trinity sunbed comes with an in-built ice cooler.

H: With some products it's way more complex than you might think. It's not just the frame construction that needs to be engineered. The canopy hinges for our Quadro Loungebed, for example, gave us a really hard time. It took us more than a year before we could find a solution allowing us to achieve what we wanted: seven different resting positions reached at the touch of a button.

It's plastic. Is it better for the environment, or worse?

S: Better. We don't need wood or any other natural ressources. And our fibre is recyclable. Even for the maintainance it's not neccessary to use chemical cleaning stuff or anything like that.

H: It's plastic, but it's 100 percent recycable. But the main reason why it's better for the environment is that it stops illegal wood-logging and clearing of vast forest areas.

Lounge beds with an in-built ice cooler. Why wasn't outdoor furniture always made this way?

H: I don't know. We always made it that way and have plans

to make it even better in the future.

S: It needs crazy ideas paired with economic thinking.

Maybe this is not such a common combination.

Who is your favourite chair designer of all time?

S: Holili, our designer and one of our best friends!

H: I agree with Sarah. He's a designer with all his heart.

Who is your most famous client?

S: I would say Michael (owner and founder of the world famous brands Rusty and Stussy). A really nice guy!

H: Hmm...so far it's probably Porsche, the sportscar brand.

They bought our furniture for some of their showrooms in Germany. Needless to say we are extremely proud of that.

Where is your furniture manufactured?

S: In our own production site in Mojosari, East Java. It's close to Surabaya harbour and close to Bali, which makes it easy for us to go there every weekend.

H: The most talented weavers come from this area and the best work with us. Furthermore the location is a big benefit for our export customers, since they don't have to pay the extra cost for shipping from Bali.

How 'all weather' is All Weather Furniture? Surely it has some limitations? Is there some kind of test you do to see how long it would actually last?

S: When we started, we put two chairs in our garden in Germany for two years. We had rain, snow, frost and sun.

Nothing changed.

H: The fibre that we use is tested for five years in laboratories and guaranteed for three. The loss of colour due to UV exposure within this period will be less than five percent.

The colour of our sunbrella cushions will also stay for a minimum of three years. Our frame construction will probably last forever.

What's the worst thing about this kind of furniture?

S: Nobody thinks that you can also put it inside.

What's the best?

S: It's so easy to handle. I can carry a sunbed on my own. It's easy to clean, to move, everything. You really don't have to take care of it.

H: Your patio area looks even better than your living room.

What sets you apart from all the other manufacturers in Bali?

S: German quality, unique designs and a passion for being a brand.

H: Originality, quality and – unfortunately – the price.

Will we ever go back to teak?

S: There are always different types of taste. We are also planning to extend our collection with new materials but still 'all weather'. In Germany, teak furniture is not that famous any more, based on the effort you need to keep it looking nice.

H: I think it's leading more to a mix of materials. Teak has lost a lot of its reputation, mainly because of a drop in quality due to over-logging. www.holili.de

Dwelling on a

Dwelling Melissa Lynton-Lobato – the power behind the international clothing company Body & Soul – opens the doors to her home to shed some light on what makes it the perfect dwelling.

Dwelling on a

Melissa Lynton-Lobato.

melissa

Dwelling

d

rling

Tell us the basics of the house if you would be so kind...

"Lilibel" has five bedrooms with ensuites, a study, gallery, kids' playroom, outdoor dining bale, pool bale and huge open-plan living.

What is the history of the house?

I believe the house was designed by the Kenny family around 1995, and was later extended and the grounds divided and another house built in the back. It was named after their sons Liam and Mika – “Liamika”. When I bought the house in 2005 I changed

Dwelling on a

Dwelling

Dwelling on a

Dwelling

the name to “Lilibel” after my daughters Lily and Bella. The house in the back was bought last year by Mamadou and Fabian Ciss, who named it after their daughter “Evaliza”.

Ok, enough already!

The location is quite unique. Tell us more.

The house is located in the grounds of The Club at The Legian. It’s quite grand driving through the security check, fire pits and main entrance every night when I return from work. The Legian contracted the land on either side of the access road to build The Club, so the only way to get to the house is to drive right through the middle of the prestigious Club.

What is the nicest thing anyone has said about your dwelling?

I think most people are pleasantly surprised when they arrive as they are prepared for some kind of replica of a Body & Soul concept store...ultra-modern furniture, kartel chairs, duco surfaces and display items. One comment I remember was from an interior decorator...it’s like a great issue of Elle Interiors – every page is full of interest, innovation and inspiration. It looks and feels like a truly loved villa.

And any offensive comments?

It screams over-indulged and cluttered.

What were the big changes you made since moving in?

My friend Philly kept telling me how beautiful the pool

was before the previous owner divided the land and moved the pool from the centre to the wall, so I moved it back again. So this house has had three pools in 10 years!

Recently I added a pool bale and covered the outdoor dining bale. I’m constantly renovating, upgrading and repainting. I can’t control myself.

Which is your favourite room and why?

My ensuite. It’s very generous, the bathroom has the big Kohler free-standing bath with a chandelier suspended above it and it’s possible that I have the biggest walkin-robe on the island. It took six months to design and it’s fabulous. It is home to every label you can imagine...

Topshop to Gucci, it is divine evidence of a fashion junky, not to mention hundreds of Body & Soul samples!

The Asian element is quite strong throughout the interior. Which is your most treasured piece?

I’m very attached to many pieces. They were all impulse buys, mostly purchased on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong after a big night out in Lan Kwai Fong and four hours sleep.

I do love my five Alabaster monks from Burma and my “BINH” ballerina painting, but my favourite piece would have to be a pair of Elmwood 18th century scholars chairs from the early Qing Dynasty, they look very regal where ever I place them.

Your pool...sports or fun?

I don’t have time to swim anymore. I walk every other morning and I ride my two beautiful horses every other

evening. My two daughters dominate pool activities. Ross Peat designed the pool for me last year. It’s very tranquil and functional.

Do you ever cook in your kitchen?

Cook, what’s that? Sad but true. I still can’t work out how to turn the Bosch oven on. My mother is a fabulous cook.

I grew up on a farm and she cooked three meals a day every day. Somehow I learnt nothing from her. I’m just not a foodie. I can mix a great muesli though!

Do you have anything that resembles a broom cupboard?

A broom cupboard...let me ask Iluh! I keep buying those fancy brooms from Ace, but they prefer those prehistoric ones from Bintang for Rp22,000. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. I think the vacuum is still in the box too.

What’s the most number of people you've had over for a party?

Probably Bella Luiza’s third birthday party. We had a jumping castle, Sponge Bob, 12 Balinese children dancing, a few Disney characters, Mums, Dads, gate-crashers...it got pretty wild by 4pm! The banjar shut us down at 6pm.

Is it true that you are building another house further north?

Finally, after three long years, the “Brawa Beach Shack” is underway. Beachfront Brawa will be my final place of rest.

Ross Peat and his team designed it. I think Ross actually

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Dwelling

thinks he’s moving in as he refers to everything as ”ours”.

You know architects...it's all about them. Thank God he’s got impeccable taste. I’m also moving my two horses there and the kids' three ponies. The stables will be under the children's bedroom windows – how cool is that? A ride on the beach before school every morning, that was how I grew up back in the '70s in Katanning. It was far from any beach though.

If you were to put this one up for sale, how much would you ask for it?

Well, "Lilibel" is for sale for an undisclosed amount. I’m not in a rush to sell. I can wait for someone who just can’t live without it.

What was the last piece of furniture you bought?

Last Sunday I bought a majong table (as you do) from Mien. They have some special pieces...I think the buyer has a great eye! I’ve bought so much from there and now given him a Yak plug too...I wonder if he’ll send me something special.

Where do you get your design inspiration from?

I refer to a lot of magazines, then try to interperate the looks in my house. I tend to get a bit carried away, like I’ll get onto something and won't be able to stop. I started collecting abacuses, and now I have over 20. Then it was Chinese chairs, animal hides, chandeliers and antique suitcases. Kind of obsessive behaviour!

Melissa, could you tell us who has contributed to the

interior of your house?

Many people. Marthin Smyth...David Teopilus, who designs my shops, Ross Peat, Zapp, Richard North Lewis and Anmarie.

What’s the biggest 'wow' factor at "Lilibel"?

When you walk in and turn the corner, I would say! The front gate is so biasa (ordinary) but everything around the corner is just so not.

What’s your house missing?

Some would say a man. A man about the house. My black lab Kasper died in January, he was the last male here. Oh... and I would have to say a covered garage would come in a close second.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of decorating?

Achieving continuity and creating seamless transition between living spaces.

Who are your favourite interior designers?

Kelly Wearstler is amazing and she is as elegant and stylish as her interiors. Totally Hollywood glam! Christian Liaigre just gets it right every time. He would have to be one of the most influential designers of our time, he is an interior designer in the complete sense.

Melissa – thanks for letting us in!

You are most welcome. Please come back some time for a cocktail and muesli. body&soul@indosat.net.id "Lilibel" spaces.

Old world charm, new world ingenuity. Be surprised, be inspired. Unusual hand‑picked Chinese antiques fused with well-built modern sofas. Clean, handsome contemporary furniture accented with old artifacts. Native art and ornaments alongside the comforts of modern day living essentials. , Bali Jl Benda No. 98 Unit E-F, Kemang Jakarta Selatan, Tel: 021-7802483 Fax: 021-7801541

Interwho

Interwho

NEO COLONIA L ser v ice Sally Clarke-Richardson came to Bali on a whim and ended up staying...and establishing a flourishing interior design business. She spoke to Salvador Bali about working on the island and her love of the Colonial style.

Photography: Yaeko Masuda.

Interwho

Interwho

"You better come with your guns loaded, there’s stiff competition with some very talented people here."

Sally, do you have a formal education in the field of interior design?

I went to Western Design Academy in Somerset England, and did a short stay at The Royal College of London. I then went to Africa for “three months” and ended up staying in Zimbabwe and South Africa for three years. I did some modeling there and then came back to London, joined an agency and eventually went on to start my own modeling agency.

How did that come about?

I had missed a casting by getting lockedin – in my own house, would you believe it – by a guest that double-locked the door. We had one of those houses with bars on the windows.

Sounds like prison?

Yes, a beautiful prison. I finally got to the casting, frustrated with the whole business. I said screw it and threw my portfolio into the nearest rubbish bin and went to see an old friend of mine who was a top photographer at the time. I boo-hooed and he said 'why don’t you do what you’re really good at, you can spot a girl at 100 yards. Start your own agency'. So I did, with a girlfriend of mine who came on board, and in a few years we became really successful with 150 girls from all over the world. Then a merger with I.M.G...

What was the name of the company?

It was called Look Model management.

O.K, still in London?

I'd had enough with mergers and such and I just picked up from what I learned in school, bits and pieces. I did interiors for apartments and houses, and then my other half came home one day and asked

me if I'd like to go to live in Indonesia?

We came to do a job in Jakarta for an international go-cart racing track, which fell through, then I came to Bali and fell in love with it.

When was that?

In the summer of ’96. I looked around for a week and half, went back to London, and three months later moved here permanently.

Just like that?

Yep, just like that.

So your interior design company, S.C.R. Designs, was created...some of the list of clients, if you will?

My list? Ibah Hotel, Ku De Ta, The Living Room, Sukhavati Retreat, loads of villas, too many to mention. We are currently doing a renovation for a hotel in Ubud.

Do you have a certain style or do you go with the whim of the client?

I have my favourite style, I do love Colonial architecture, antiques, fabrics and furnishings. There is a wealth of original and reproduced colonial furniture in Indonesia, the legacy left behind by the Dutch colonists who were here for hundreds of years. It's classic and never really goes out of style. I'm a Colonial girl at heart, but I can do whatever the client requires. I've just finished the interiors in Pablo's contemporary renovation... stunning, you’ll read about it!

Problems along the way?

Are we in Indonesia?...(Laughter).

Do you think it's getting better?

Yes, after a while you learn who to work with and where to find things of the quality I demand. It's taken years of trial and error to assemble the talented team

of artists and craftsmen that I work with.

Would you agree that you have to acquire patience on this island, or do you become one?

Ha ha...good expression, yes, definitely.

I think I was sent to Indonesia to learn patience.

Would you also say a lot of business people come here with stars in their eyes?

A lot of people come here and think it's going to be really easy. It's not going to be easy, I don't think I've ever worked so hard.

I didn't work half as hard in England and I made much more money. Which explains why my export clients keep returning. It's still a huge saving compared to what one charges in the West. You order something in England and 98 percent of the time you get what you order. Here it can be a roll of the dice. You can work with someone here for years and feel confident...and then, surprise! Chalk up another one, doesn't matter how professional you are. In short, you have to be on top of things.

The ironic thing is, it all works out in time, but what about being a woman boss?

Having my own work makes it a lot easier for me, as they have been with me a long time and know what's expected and what's not.

I guess you have to wear gun powder for make-up?

(Laughter) Yes, oh yes.

Are you restricted to what you do?

I'll take on whatever work interests me...a challenge...and a lot of places that you go into you can say so-and-so did that, basically their stuff is quite similar. What I

do is completely different from others, but I do certain things in every project that projects my signature.

Do you work abroad as well?

Yes, most of my work is abroad. I have just completed a brownstone in New York. I do sourcing and I do a lot of lamps; I did a lot for the club China White in London when it opened, over 900 pillows. A great place for a pillow fight when you are in the UK! Would you subscribe to the thinking that the classroom only takes you so far in this world?

You do have a certain amount of what you learn in school but you also have to have an eye to make things flow. I'm very big on fabrics, I specialise in fabrics, I collect fabrics from all over the world, it's my fetish.

What would you advise a newcomer here with a business venture or wanting to build a home?

First off, Bali is a very odd place, although it has improved a lot over the years. A lot of things are still unavailable here and you have the luxury of designing and making things yourself. You have to have someone who knows their way around. For myself, after 13 years, I'm still learning. You also have to have good infrastructure behind you, a good staff. In short, you better come with your guns loaded, there's stiff competition with some very talented people here.

I would say that's some very sound advice, thanks Sally.

S.C.R Designs Tel: 0361 735 016 scr@eksadata.com

Interwho "You also have to have good infrastructure behind you, a good staff" – Sally ClarkeRichardson.

Interwho

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The Yak takes to the armchair for a spot of feet-up in some of the island's

Seated

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most exclusive hotels and resorts. Yes, we have finally found our park bench...

Previous page: Holiday Inn Resort Baruna Bali.This page, clockwise from left: Uma Ubud, The BalĂŠ, The Ayana Resort & Spa.

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Seated This Page: Club InterContinental Bali Resort, Right: Clockwise from top: Villa Kemah Tinggi, Komaneka Tanggayuda, Bali Hyatt.

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I nc o m i n g

eyesontheayana Goodbye Ritz-Carlton, hello Ayana. We spoke to new GM De Foucault about what's going to change at one of Bali's most successful resorts...and what's not.

So, Ayana. It's the former Ritz-Carlton Resort & Spa, right?

That's correct.

When did the change happen?

The resort was officially re-branded and launched on April 1 following legal action in the US over a breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. The resort's owner won the right to terminate the management contract with The RitzCarlton Hotel Company, with a court order from the Federal District Court in Maryland.

Is it a change in name only?

No, this re-branding is an opportunity for Ayana to present a fresh image and guest experience. We intend to build on all the reasons why this resort has been one of the best luxury destinations in Bali, if not the world, to take it to a whole new level.

So the management has changed but the owner stays the same?

That's right, and this is the most important thing. If it was the reverse, it would be a concern. If I can use the analogy of a

racing car, which is one of my big passions outside of hotels, the driver of the car has changed, but the owner remains the same.

It is the owner's responsibility to make sure the car is in good working order, but it's the driver's responsibility not to crash it.

Does the owner of the property also own the new management company?

No. West Paces Hotel Group is a completely separate entity to the owner of Ayana Resort and Spa. There is no crossownership.

You say hotels and racing cars are your passion. Anything else?

Wine and Harleys, and I had to sell both to come to Bali! I had a cellar stocked with 240 of my favourite wines that I sold in India, and both my wife and I had to sell our Harleys. We are still grieving.

But nothing could have stopped me from taking this role, you don’t get many opportunities to team up with the world's top hoteliers at a resort like Ayana.

What were you doing in India?

I was General Manager of the Leela Palace Kempinski in Bangalore. Before that, I was a Ritz-Carlton hotelier for 17 years.

Is it true that you named your new baby after the hotel?

It is true – we named her Josephine Ayani.

I could say it was part of my contract, but it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing!

Our daughter – our fifth child, all girls – was born just over a month after my wife and I came to Bali to accept the position at Ayana, and we thought this would be a nice way for her to remember that she was born in Bali.

How is Ayana different from The RitzCarlton Resort & Spa? The biggest change is in the management company. We are now managed by West Paces Hotel Group, which is based in

Atlanta, Georgia, and was founded by a large number of former Ritz-Carlton executives, including Horst Schulze, who was founder and president of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He actually opened The Ritz-Carlton Bali 13 years ago, so it was quite nostalgic for him to come back to re-open the property as an independent brand, but still under his management. Along with the new management company, there are several new procedures and policies being introduced to strengthen Ayana's position as a destination resort.

Does the management company have a different philosophy?

Very much so. Horst Schulze and his team represent the top professionals in the hotel industry, driven purely by service and quality standards that they have redefined for modern travelers. Apart from managing independent properties such as Ayana, West Paces also has its own hotel brands, Capella and Solis.

The Ritz-Carlton was one of the most successful resorts in Bali. What would you say to those people who believe that ‘standards will drop’ now that they are no longer involved?

We would invite them to come out to the resort before they make a judgment. The resort's owners have got no intention of letting standards drop, and I know I speak for all of our staff when I say that we are all committed to not only upholding standards, but improving them. Which is not an easy task – The Ritz-Carlton Bali was an amazing resort and we don't wish to take anything away from that, but I don't think it's fair to imply that the Lion logo was solely responsible for this property's success. The owning company and the staff have invested in this hotel over the

last 13 years, continually renovating and upgrading villas, rooms and facilities, and that is not going to change.

Will the facilities change at the resort?

Yes, they will keep improving as they have throughout the property's history. Our F&B facilities will drive the facelift this year.

A spectacular new Rock Bar is scheduled for completion by the second-half of 2009, right at the base of the cliff over the breaking waves near Ocean Beach Pool and Kisik seafood restaurant. It is accessed via an inclinator installed last year that traverses the cliff-face, and is being designed by Yasuhiro Koichi of Japan's Design Studio Spin, whose works include Nobu Tokyo and Nobu Hong Kong. It will offer guests an unobstructed vantage point for cocktails on the beach. The very talented Koichi is also re-designing the Sami Sami Italian restaurant into a grand two-storey structure, and Damar Terrace.

Padi restaurant is also being renovated and its Thai menu expanded to include Indonesian and Indian cuisine, as we have a great Indian chef here. Not to mention our Indonesian chefs, one of whom – Made Sutisna – just recently won the Asian Pastry Cup National Selections with another chef. Their team, representing Bali Culinary Professionals, will now compete at the regional championships in Singapore next year for the opportunity to take on the world in Lyon, France. Quite an achievement.

Why should we come and stay at Ayana?

To see for yourself what the re-branding means for our guests. To experience the seclusion of this amazing cliff-top property and, quite simply, to escape. www.ayanaresort.com

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Sakura House, Putu Edy Semara.

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bali by

Bali has emerged as an international force in design, despite a reputation as the rip-off copycat centre of Asia, writes Hannah James.

design

ON an island where the rip-off rules – DVDs, CDs, Dolce & Gabbana, Polo, Gucci, ‘antique recycled’ teak, furniture and fashion, traditional art...nothing is sacred – you could be forgiven for thinking that no bona fide, original talent exists here. Why, then, does Bali still have the reputation for being a hotbed of creative talent and inspiration? A bed that artists – both actual and aspirant – from all over the world are readily climbing into, intent on inspiration and unlocking their next big vision?

Of course, much of this could be, and more often than not is, explained away with that tired old maxim: “Everybody in Bali is an artist”, with art being a ‘daily bread’ kind of pursuit. And while this may very well be at the root of Bali's emergence as a design centre of international importance, such a simplistic explanation speaks more to your average corner store woodcarver or rice paddy farmer chipping away at stone in his spare time for spare cash.

Bali in fact offers far more than the pavement art so prevalent – albeit remarkably skilled and clearly produced by a nation of naturally talented artists. Instead, it is an island turned multi-national, multi-cultural centre for creativity.

We spoke to a number of international artists,

designers and businessmen to find out what keeps them on the island as they pursue creative careers.

Strangely enough, one of the main considerations for many creatives who make the permanent move to Bali is a decidedly uncreative, pragmatic one: straightforward economics. Martina Urbas of Maru Gallery, who got her degree in fine arts while living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, explains that in Bali “the financial aspect is major. As artists here, we have access to numerous people who want to help you realise an idea and have the skill to do it. Labour costs here are still relatively low and the skill level very high. There is also an abundance of materials and techniques and the chance to experiment without worrying too much about the cost of having to start over.”

Interior designer Gill Wilson, of Gill Wilson Interiors, also cites practical reasons as a key factor in nurturing artistic vision: “The cost of production is still manageable here in Bali. What’s more, it is set up in a way that allows me to design one off pieces – in many other parts of the world minimum numbers are required.” These practicalities “enable me to be creative and give my clients a unique design. There is also so much here in the way of creative artisans who can make my designs come

to life...”

That said, artists wouldn’t be artists if practicalities were their only concern. Creative types are not, after all, exactly renowned for being sensible.

On an entirely more imaginative level, the fact that Bali is a tropical paradise may just have some impact on creativity too. French jewellery designer Jean Francois Fichot, who was lured to Bali by “music and dance 30 years ago,” admits that he was first inspired by “the beauty of the landscape” and then “fell under the spell of Balinese culture.” Add to this “the charm and the kindness of the people, and the low cost of craftsmanship,” and you’ve got an ideally nurturing creative environment. Or do you?

“Of course you have to learn to be patient, and blend with the culture,” Fichot laughs. Which, roughly translated, means: Be ready for all the holidays and ceremonies.

Yes, there is creative inspiration to be found everywhere here in Bali, “from the smiling Balinese faces to natural products such as bamboo and the incredible weaves you can coax from it,” agree Laurie Sanders and Raphael Soeroyo of SandS Bali. With their work – “We design retail resort spaces, resort fashions, interiors, furniture, corporate gifts, homewares, jewellery and original-designed, limited edition pieces of furniture” –

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being snapped up and showcased all around the world – Ireland, Australia, USA, China, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur – SandS should know.

Martina Urbas, who also multi-designs for body (jewellery), space (interior furnishings) and self (art), goes even further: “I feel like the whole island is like a giant studio and every day a creative adventure. Just getting out the door and going somewhere requires creativity.

Plus we are blessed to be living in a place where artisans are myriad, willing and skilled enough to try and understand what I want to make and find the way to do it...the generous spirit of Indonesian artisans must be credited: we are not much without them.”

So, we’re back to that whole ‘art as daily bread’ theory.

Rami Kadri, international architect and the brains and design talent behind international bag brand Moochi, produced here in Bali, puts it this way: “Within Bali there is a lot of culture, and art is a natural form of day-today living. It surrounds you and not only do you see it, but you also feel and live it. The cultural, religious and social traditions all make it easy for any designer to find inspiration and be part of the artistic life in Bali,” and then taking that inspiration to the rest of the world.

Something that Jean Francois Fichot firmly believes is happening on a massive scale. “The international market is increasingly recognising that some of the best craftsmanship, ideas and combinations of materials,” are coming out of Bali, with clothing designers like Milo, Paul Ropp and Oka di Putra making an exotic splash on worldwide fashions, and artists like Pak Koesbandy from Kus Kus Studios, with his massive, highly unique wooden sculptures, getting rave reviews and recommendations from interior designers and architects as far flung as San Francisco.

SandS also hold up floral artist Michael Pritchard of Heliconia as a designer who is showing the rest of the world the wonders to come out of Bali: “He bought an art form and made it his own, in so doing undoubtedly influencing floral art across Asia/India.” Unique glassworks creator Seiki is another artist “who has raised creativity to a new height here,” says SandS. Gill Wilson adds Ida Bagus Indra as “a great artist who has made a mark on the international art scene; Alan from Duo Lighting is doing great things with new lighting forms; and Putu Edy Semara is one of the most talented young architects anywhere.”

These are also people who are marketing themselves well and showing the international scene how to “make great product but also evolve their image as design,” believes Martina Urbas. “There has been a huge evolution in marketing and image, concept and branding, by the designers living in Bali. This seems to be where design is strongest at the moment on the island.”

Not that international recognition is the be-alland-end-all of a life of design in Bali. John Marciano,

owner of Republic of Soap, creators of covetable bath products dressed up in designer packaging, positively embraces all things Bali. “Moving here, I was attracted to the more relaxed way that the Balinese treat the many facets of daily life. Working here has an element of the village mentality, which really works – everybody knows everybody and everything about everybody, and everybody is accountable. What this means is that if you are willing to put some effort into it, you can actually get things done here. So, while I do have international clients in quite a few countries, I actually really appreciate dealing with local businesses.”

Moochi Aside from that, and on a more creative note, “Bali is a melting pot that attracts and feeds the creative thinker,” Marciano reiterates. “There are so many diverse cultures living on this island that it’s easy for people to gain inspiration just by immersing themselves into the flow of daily life. It’s amazing what can happen if you surrender to that flow and just go with it; you can meet so many creative artisans – artists/musicians/philosophers etc – bringing with them ideas from all over the world and eager to bounce off of each other.”

And then there’s that “unique Bali style,” as Marciano calls it. “There are, and will continue to be, plenty of companies supporting Balinese-made products as well as artists flying into Bali seeking inspiration. The reason being that Bali has it’s own special feeling to it, and that comes across to some degree in products that are manufactured here.”

Of course, it’s not all easy or inspirational. There’s that problem of replicas rearing its copycat head again.

And again. And again. “The most difficult thing faced by any designer, regardless of which market sector they design for, is the lack of respect for intellectual rights and designs,” explains Rami Kadri. “Your product or ideas are copied so fast that it could at some point kill any ambition or creativity that designers have. There are no copyright laws that will protect these rights and accordingly designers may at some point resort to exporting their ideas without exhibiting them or showing them in Bali. This will give the impression that the creativity in Bali is limited or diminishing – which is vastly untrue. It’s a serious issue that has to be addressed.”

The obvious copying and copyright issues aside, Rami Kadri does however believe that “in general, the creative crowd has a very high regard for and interest in all the arts and designs coming out of Bali. It’s evident that the mixing of the local culture with the influx of international culture is introducing amazing talent and ideas.” Laurie Sanders too points to the fact that in spite of much of the famed “Balinese creativity rapidly disappearing behind bill boards, pressed cement temples and imitation resin statues, there are young Indonesian artists and designers who are attaining huge international success”.

Young designers like Kei Kitamura. Part Indonesian, part Japanese, Kei may just be about to graduate from high school, but if anyone can be said to be living a life by design it’s this young artist. She has designs on studying graphic and textile design in the future, and has already designed company logos and a number of brochures, posters and banners. Currently obsessed with digital mediums and 3D (an obsession she attributes to a lifelong passion for high heels (“When I was still in kindergarten, I always wished to wear high heels so I made myself a pair with paper and chopsticks!”), Kei and her willingness to explore new and mixed mediums is the future of design in Bali and, indeed, worldwide.

That’s not to say she is completely ignoring her roots and the traditions of Indonesian art. Instead, it’s those very roots that have inspired her to explore new ways of thinking and creating. “I have been inspired by the Balinese gold plate patterns you see on many traditional dance costumes. This, in turn, inspired me to realise the beauty of the patterns of my other home country, Japan.”

The result being a body of work embracing a ‘Two in One’ theme, exploring a combination of patterns from two nations, two cultures.

“The message that I want to put out is that no one culture is better or more inspirational than any other,” explains Kitamura. “Many nations and many cultures can be beautiful together in one space.” Effectively summing up, in two simple sentences, the artistic message Bali is gifting the world.

Feature Jean Francois Fichot.

Fashion

hy by photograp hrey/ReelSessionsŠ p dustinhum steele bil ries stylist: sy ke up: jeannie jeffe a hair and m

Fashion Michelle in Billabong cover-up, Lenny bottoms, Reef straw bag, Vestal watch, Partner in Crime sandals, Mogil bangles, Nikita belt and stylist’s own rings.

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Fa in Letarte bikini, Kustom sandals, local sarong and head scarf, Libido and Joy bracelets.

Gerard Yosca necklace and Kerry Wilder and local rings.

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Fashion Michelle in Rusty bandeau top, Topshop skirt, Mogil heels and bag, Perlu bangles and stylist’s own earrings.

Fashion Sanoe in Shay Todd bikini, Urban Outfitters sweater, Moda Viajando bag, Mogil heels, and stylist’s own and Topshop rings.

Fashion Kelsey in Salinas bottoms.

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Fashion Sanoe in Tigerlily one-piece and Tigerlily vest, stylist’s own bangles and Ocean Minded sandals.

Fashion Fa in Syla one-piece, Mogil sandals, Anna Beck pendant and bangle, H&M scarf and Brixton fedora.

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Fa in Nikster bottom, Spicy top, Von Zipper sunglasses and Kustom sandals. Michelle (far left) in Syla bikini, stylist’s own scarf and earrings Cia Martima dress, Cobian sandals and Mogil clutch.

Produced by: Mira Humphrey/ Mango Productions Sandrine Lima/ Reel Sessions

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Members

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of

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Malaysian fashion maven Dato’ Farah Khan talks to Sophie Digby on a recent visit to Bali, her second home for more than 10 years.

Can you tell us your name?

My name is Farah Khan. Dato’ is an honorary title conferred by the royal family of Malaysia in recognition of the charity work I have been doing.

Where are you from?

Well, originally I am from Singapore but I moved to Malaysia in my 20s. I have spent all of my grown-up life in Malaysia and love every moment of it.

Bali is my second home, a place where I feel that I'm really at peace with myself.

What industry are you in?

I'm in the luxury fashion and lifestyle industry. Our company, The Melium Group, of which I am the founder and

the president, operates international mono-brand and mixed-brand boutiques that include Aigner, Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna, Emilio Pucci, Just Cavalli, D&G, TOD’S, Stuart Weitzman, Yves Saint Laurent, Y-3, Jasmine Di Milo, Herve Leger and more; as well as lifestyle F&B outlets DÔME Café and YO! Sushi. I started the business in 1989 and this year we are celebrating our 20th anniversary.

Who is Farah Khan?

Who is Farah Khan, the person? Farah is a very lively person, full of energy, having a wonderful time in my life. I have had my own adversities, I have

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had cancer, and it was a terrible time in my life but I moved on, as we do with lots of other things. I have had my fair share of the good and the bad, just like everybody else. I always look positively at everything that I do, and I always go by my instincts. Farah Khan, the fashion label? The idea was born in Bali, where I feel very creative.

I wanted a collection that was simply effortless for the woman on the go.

Simple, sophisticated styles adorned with handcrafted embellishments for instant glamour. Today we are sold in 39 countries, Dubai, Russia, Italy, etc.

We show the collection twice a year during Paris Fashion Week.

How big is The Melium group and to what do you owe your vision?

The Melium Group owns more than 40 boutiques and F&B outlets that carry over 50 brands. I call myself the accidental businesswoman. People might look at me and think I have been plotting and planning my whole life but not really. I think because I was married to two accountants, and I was very young then, I established a keen sense of business. You start looking at everything in a business way; it is not just about creativity but about making an idea work. I am also an extremely hard-working person. I am very focused and I execute things thoroughly. In our business, what is wonderful is the development of a vision into reality; an idea from embryo to completion takes around six months – and this process is what I love, the speed and excitement of seeing things materialise. I am also a terribly impatient person; after 20 years, one would think they could be bored in this business, but it is so creative that it always keeps me motivated.

You are labelled as a fashion mogul by the media. How do you label yourself?

I don’t see myself as a mogul, I see myself as someone who is creative and very dedicated to our industry. I feel I have a lot of knowledge within me that can be expanded into consultancies of sorts, which is where I see myself.

How easy or difficult is it to put a

price on creativity, do you think?

I never put a price on creativity because it is totally priceless. You can buy some form of creativity, but the form of creativity that you buy needs to have juxtaposition with the other person who owns the so-called idea, brand, business or project. It is the juxtaposition between people or things that makes up something totally fabulous. If you look at the idea of Ku De Ta or The Yak, it is made up of two or three people who basically put all their heads together and play against each other’s ideas. This is what really brings things together. Creativity comes from a pool, when you mix with different people they bring out the creativity in you. So creativity has a definite value, but not a price.

Who or what did you first dress?

I first dressed a top model in Singapore, I was 17 then and I won the first prize in the Singapore Young Designer of the Year Award. I made a dress that was called East Meets West. The first prize was a trip to Paris, it was absolutely wonderful.

Famous names that you have dressed?

Oh, we dress everybody really, because amongst our 50 labels we basically have everyone from among the royal families and socialites to celebrities, fashion icons and top corporate leaders of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Europe, everywhere. And recently, I’m very proud to see in www.instyle.com that the Farah Khan label has made its international debut in the Hollywood scene when Maria Bello was last seen in a Farah Khan dress at the premiere of The Mummy. I’ve also been told that other Hollywood stars are sporting the Farah Khan collection.

How long have you been coming to Bali?

Wow...I have had this house for 10 years, but I have been coming for over 20. I fell in love with Bali when I first came here, such a natural place. It has changed over the years, there are many sophisticated things, which is wonderful, but you still can find many

lovely natural things right at the source.

Mother and entrepreneur. What has each taught you?

Well, being a mother of three, I have been and still am learning patience.

My youngest son is a special needs child and from him I have really learnt patience. From being an entrepreneur I am never patient [laughs], I am very much a risk taker, nothing is for sure, everything is a gamble, life as we know is a gamble, but when you start off on a certain idea you never really know where it is going to take you.

You go with the flow and seize the opportunities when it is the right time, as I have in various times of my life.

This has given me the huge growth that I have had both in my private and business life.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

I think it was ‘understand awareness’.

I was first brought into the idea of awareness about 10 years ago and ever since then it has been a huge development. I kind of grew up very late in my life really, and once I understood what awareness really meant for me, my life has changed, it really blossomed in quite a different way. So the best piece of advice is to search and find the true meaning of self-actualization. Once I’ve grasped that myself, I have never looked back and my life has been positive ever since.

Your success – luck or hard work?

Both. I have been very lucky because through my work I have connected with a lot of people. It has also been a huge amount of hard work, I can’t tell you. I am a bit of a workaholic. I like seeing things materialise within the time frame. I am always very organised within my time frames and I like to look at things and focus on them until they happen and I really don’t rest until they do. Having said that, I do have my vacation, that’s when I am able to bring myself back to where I need to be and care for myself and my health. Without that, nothing will happen.

Style, are you born with it or can it

be bought?

I think a lot of people are born with innate style, but I think style also happens due to environment. It has a lot to do with exposure. If you mix around with stylish people, if you read fashion books and magazines, you’ll be inspired. I also think some form of it can be bought, because today everyone wants a bit of style in life. The key is to have a signature style of your own.

Style can come from so many things, it does not have to be just clothes or jewellery, it can be the way you wear your mascara and nothing else. So yes, some style can be bought, and it certainly can be taught. That is our job, to encourage and inspire style, within our customers and the community.

What do you most enjoy doing?

I love movies; I am totally mesmerised in the movie world, movies of all genres, especially old movies. Within minutes they transport me to another world.

What do you find burdensome, if anything?

Probably operational things. Things that need to function but don’t function necessarily in the right way, I find that burdensome. It is also burdensome to take on work that belongs to other people. We have a thousand people working within The Melium Group now and when people do not fulfill their job it becomes a burden on us all. If everybody did everything they should be doing, we would all be very happy.

If you weren’t in fashion what would you be doing?

I always thought I would like to be a journalist. I like reading autobiographies. I am a very curious individual. So yes, I would want to be a writer of sorts. I also love psychology. I love studying the minds of people, and since I’ve cultivated a strong sense of awareness, I really have a completely different understanding of things and how the mind operates. This has inspired me in many ways and allowed me to connect with people individually.

Farah Khan, thank you very much…

Always a pleasure...

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www.milos-bali.com

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www.dandelionkid.com

Interwho

Interwho

childatheart Gabrielle Morabia is the face behind kids clothing brand Dandelion... so we asked her some tricky little questons about kids' and fashion.

Photographs by Yaeko Masuda.

Gaby, we know you well of course, but your full name please for the good readers of The Yak? Hi, my name is Gabrielle Morabia...

Where do you come from?

Sydney, Australia.

And you have been in Bali for how long?

Just over nine years.

For the benefit of us all, can you tell us what you do?

I’m the designer and production manager for kids' brand Dandelion clothes and accessories.

What did you do before that?

I designed and produced ladies handbags and shoes.

I see. What's the best thing about being in kids' fashion then?

My new clientele – the kids of course!

I realised some time ago I got more pleasure in buying and making clothes for my daughter than I did for myself. So I put together a range of samples and asked my daughter and her friends to model them for me. Their comments and input were invaluable and I seek their opinion on each design we go ahead with.

Ok, here's one for you: should little girls wear make-up and short skirts?

How do you balance funky kids clothes with responsible parenting?

Little girls should be allowed to be little girls and not be pressured into dressing older than their years. They have so much time ahead of them so I feel it's up to us as parents to encourage them to dress sensibly. But playing dress-up in mummy's clothes and smearing on lipstick can be great fun. I invite children to express

Interwho

themselves freely and discover themselves through play.

My daughter has learnt that fashion is about what makes you look and feel good. Fashion has always played a major part in my life and I'm ok that kids experiment with their own style. I love to see little girls in dresses and watch them enjoy their femininity, but I also love to see them wearing funky urban trends similar to adult fashion. As long as it doesn't get tarty, it's ok with me.

You must be an expert on this...how do you prevent the 'wardrobe crisis' in your house...you know, you're just about to go out and your daughter refuses to get dressed, or wear what you think she should wear?

Simple, I give her two outfit choices – this way she feels as though she’s made the choice and we get out the door without hysteria!

Do you design all the Dandelion clothes, or work with others on that?

I design predominantly alone but enjoy bouncing ideas around with Pierre, a designer and freelance stylist. He's invaluable to me.

So you have a history in fashion, or is this an entirely new venture for you?

As I child I was always into arts and crafts and made clothes for all my toys. Later on I studied textiles with fascination since high school and worked in the ragtrade since I was 18. I’ve always enjoyed fabrics and learned to sew when I was 12. In my mid 20s I needed a break from creating clothes, so I started selling them wholesale, then retail. After overdosing in the garment trade I turned my passion to designing bags and purses – mixing my love of fabrics and trims into the mad baglady business. When my daughter came along I happily fell into the world of baby apparel and began designing for her.

Why did you choose kids clothes over, say, men's fashion (of which there seems to be a dearth in Bali)?

I was in fact approached two years ago to begin a line of menswear, but after a little thought and deliberation I felt more inspired to produce a children's range of clothing.

Sourcing interesting, fine quality fabrics locally has always been a challenge for me and my previous experience in printing made the decision even easier to start something fresh. Children's wear was the natural direction to dabble in one of my favourite aspects of design.

And while we're on the subject, have you noticed how most people insist on talking about kids in the third person, as if they were another race to the rest of us?

Why is that?

I'll have a guess and say that only some of us really

remember being children. Those who do remember are better connected to their inner child, have more patience and find children inspiring and fascinating. Because of these characteristics they are able to relate better to kids. Perhaps the rest of us have forgotten how we were many years ago and find these smaller beings a challenge to comprehend. But of course, there may be other explanations...

Maybe so, but we'll take that. What does Dandelion stand for, as a brand?

Dandelion has defined a special niche within the children’s fashion arena. Our aim is to evolve with integrity and remain loyal to our look. Dandelion stands for kid-friendly fashion. Made locally in Indonesia and teamed with European style for boys and girls, we believe in comfort and quality first, so that kids can be free and enjoy our clothes. Our designs let children express themselves and are ever conscious of their needs.

So who's queen in your house: Madonna or Britney?

We are huge Madonna fans. She's immensely talented.

Britney...oh dear...

Why do girls like pink and boys wear blue, do you think? Is it visceral?

Actually I believe it is. From a very early age children identify that pink is for girls only. It's almost ingrained.

More associations are found in children's books, toys and television, but mostly I believe it stems from the parents themselves. Personally I think pink and its various shades are flattering on boys of all ages. So I put it to the test in store a few months back – to one of our best-selling boys' t-shirts I added a deep watermelon pink into the existing colour range. So many people commented how lovely the colour was, but the following comment was repeated time and time again: “Oh it's lovely... but my son would never wear that colour!”

And they bought the blue instead. That said, I am still a “pink for boys” believer – so look out in our store for t-shirts and shorts in cherry and fuschia.

What did you love to wear when your were a kid?

I loved wearing my mother's clothes. She has always had a great sense of style, and she influenced my love for fashion. I remember in the early ’80s a favourite of hers was a huge blue and black checked wool coat with oversized shoulder pads from designer Stuart Membrey – I thought I looked so hot in it, I couldn’t borrow it enough!

What's the worst thing about kids' clothes in your home country?

Mmm...I guess I'd have to say the price. There are many great Australian designer brands, and the cut and quality is very good. I just wish it was a wee bit more affordable.

What's the best comment you've ever heard about Dandelion?

My favourite comes from a shy five-yearold French girl who insists her parents stop by the shop window on the way to school every day to see what the Dandelion mannequins are doing!

When was the last time you were happy to be doing what you're doing?

This morning actually! I’m so blessed to be surrounded by such a great team – on returning to work after a short break I happily discovered my desk full of the new samples that the guys had been working on in my absence. When I see my scratchy line drawings blossom into reality, I always get a buzz out of it. www.dandelionkid.com

Yak Map ref: V.8

C o n s t an t W i n i n g

Four bottles of vintage port, some pasta sauce and a whole lot of heritage brings Katrina Valkenburg to a natural conclusion: wine on.

MANY bottles have fallen under the table since this episode in my life, but when I decided to write a story about Port, memories came flooding back to me with a chuckle and I couldn’t not go back in time to my apartment-sharing days with a very old friend.

The apartment belonged to my father who had vacated for warmer climes, leaving all the furniture and ornaments for safe-keeping with his daughter. As a result, my great friend and I paid peppercorn rent for a fabulous four-bedroom apartment with harbour glimpses – if you stretched your neck in a suami-sh way.

One Wednesday night in 1985, my favourite cousin and a friend visited for dinner. The night wore on and we found ourselves in a most angst-ridden situation – no more wine! The conversation was still flowing freely and, although it was 1am Thursday by now, we definitely needed more lubricants. My mind wandered into my father’s office where I knew lay four bottles of extremely rare and valuable Port – Seppelt Para Liqueur Port 1930.

I let drop to the gathering that I knew of its whereabouts and my cousin decided that it was not too late to ring my father to ask whether we could open one.

To my father’s annoyance at being woken, he told the story of how he came by these bottles – and the fact that he was saving two each for my brother and me. If I was so stupid as to open one of them at 1am and no doubt well lubricated already, then so be it.

He had been given 12 bottles as a gift for winning a legal battle and had stowed them in his kitchen (not ideal for numerous reasons). On his return from work one day he was mortified to discover his then wife pouring a considerable amount of this hallowed wine into a Bolognaise sauce. When he reprimanded her for her ignorance, he was told that she’d been

cooking with it for some time and that there were only four bottles left: boom boom – the marriage didn’t last!

So what’s the difference between Vintage and Tawny Port and how can it last for so long?

Port is a fortified red wine style produced in the Douro region of Portugal and elsewhere in the New World. Because the wines have been strengthened with alcohol, they are referred to as fortified, the word originating from the Latin ‘fortis’, meaning strong.

The spirit used is an alcoholic solution ranging from high strength (about 95 percent v/v) to lower strength (about 80 percent v/v, often called brandy spirit) that raises the alcohol level of the finished wine to between 17 and 20 percent v/v.

The practice of adding spirit to wine began as a means of preserving wine during its transportation from Portugal to England. Prior to the 1700s, only a small addition of spirit was made, but during the 1800s this changed and it became standard practice to fortify the wine to around 20 percent v/v alcohol.

There are over 80 grape varieties authorised to make port but the major varieties used are: Touriga, Mataro, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tawny style refers to a fortified wine which has been aged in wood for a period of time and which has lost its youthful colour and taken on an amber brown colour.

Tawny Ports are generally made using a Solera System, which is a way of storing casks of wines of different ages. The oldest wines are stored in the bottom barrels and the youngest at the top. At various times of the year, a quantity of wine is drawn off from the barrels on the bottom row of the Solera. This portion of wine is then replaced with a younger wine from the next highest layer of barrels, and so on.

This process of adding a portion of younger wine to older wine is called ‘refreshing the wine’.

After fortification, the wine is clarified, transferred to old oak barrels and left to age for many years. The colour gradually changes from red to tawny brown.

During this time the aromas and flavours also change and the wine takes on the characters that are derived from long ageing in barrels; they become more complex. The flavours and acids become concentrated as water slowly evaporates through the barrels and sweetness is balanced by long period of oak storage. At each bottling stage, wine is removed from the bottom casks of the Solera, blended, stabilised and bottled. Some of the components of the blend may be very old, especially in the more expensive wines.

Once a tawny port is bottled, it is ready to be consumed. It does not need further ageing in the bottle; all its ageing has been carried out previously in oak barrels. Once opened it should be consumed over a period of a few days, as after this time the wine in the partially filled bottle may lose its freshness.

Vintage Port is wine made from a single vintage that spends about two years in wood storage before being bottled.

They are then aged for many years in the bottle before reaching their peak. Because the wine is a vintage style, it is not blended with any aged wine.

Vintage ports are made to develop in the bottle for many years, 10 to 29 years or more, before being consumed. They are normally produced only in years when the grapes ripen with all the right characters for extended ageing in the bottle. The wine is not necessarily stable or finely filtered when bottled and will normally throw a crust in the bottle. Indeed some vintage ports receive no filtration once they are removed from wood storage. Vintage ports

require careful decanting before being served.

So what happened to those last bottles, you may ask? Having heard that they were indeed mine to keep (of course, on behalf of my brother as well, a fact disputed by my father who, to this day, does not recall the conversation), I nurtured them as one would anything of such intrinsic value. As I moved house on numerous occasions, I decided to store them in my stable-aunt’s bar. There they lay for the next 20 years until she too decided it was time to move.

Being the good niece that I am, I helped her pack up the house she’d lived in for 60 years. What I hadn’t bargained on was her good brother (my father) also being present. To squirrel the bottles out of the bar without him being reminded of the pledge he’d made 20 years prior was no easy feat and, to my dismay, I was busted.

A scuffle ensued but I was the victor and I quickly scurried them out to my car.

Then, three years ago, I moved to Bali.

What to do with these three beauties? The answer was obvious. Pack them in one of the boxes being shipped here and hope for the best.

And so, here they lie, in not such winefriendly comfort, in the pantry to await a special occasion. One of which came up in January this year when, for my brother’s birthday, we opened and decanted a bottle. Simply sublime. And the story continues with two more to enjoy in the not too distant future.

N.B. Seppelt Para Liqueur Port 1930 is listed as the 306th best wine ever made in Australia.

Wine on!

Katrina Valkenburg is a wine consultant & educator. All correspondence please to katrinavmac.com

C o n s t an t W i n i n g

HARDToPort

pleasures

delilustlist

Oral

We picked our top Bali's deli's...so you could get fresh.

Bali Catering Company IF you can drive past this deli without stopping you’ve probably got the discipline of a Tibetan monk. Who could resist taking a couple of minutes to savour the combination of flaky pastry and creamy custard in a bonafide millefeulle, courtesy of the Frenchmen behind Bali’s most acclaimed restaurant, Kafe Warisan (to be renamed when it moves location later this year)? Or snaring salmon terrine, frozen lasagna or ready-to-heat lamb stew for an easy yet impressive dinner party? It would almost be criminal not to indulge in such delights when they are so readily at hand. Set-up as a takeaway outlet, the Bali Catering Company Deli enables every die-hard Kafe Warisan fan to enjoy their favourite French fare at home...or even just on-the-go, if you can’t wait until you get home (which makes the dinner party awkward – I really have no idea what happened to dessert, honest!!) And now, the deli’s takeaway counter has been extended into a full-service eatery with the recent opening of Gourmet Café, 200 metres east along the same road. Serving made-to-order gourmet (of course) sandwiches, salads and juices, along with whole chickens marinated overnight in Doudou’s secret recipe and cooked on a rotisserie, the Gourmet Café is showing yet again why these Frenchman have the Midas touch when it comes to culinary gratification.

Tel: 731175 Yak Map: O.4 Bali Deli Not so much a deli in the traditional sense as a fully fledged supermarket serving both imported and local goods, Bali Deli is the gourmet food lovers’ one-stop-shop.

The extensive store contains a large pastry kitchen where cakes, chocolates and breads are baked fresh daily; a glass counter running almost the entire length of one wall stocked with imported meats, seafood, sushi

and cheeses; sizeable fresh produce and dairy sections; and a large wine cellar with everything from Moet to never-leave-homewithout-’em bottle openers. There’s a large range of home-made products, including house-smoked salmon, chicken and turkey, freshly pulped salsa and gluten-free foods.

Not to mention the all-day café with both indoor and outdoor seating, where you can enjoy a pre- or post-shopping meal or just recline with a coffee while one of the store’s PR staff ticks off your shopping list.

Grocery shopping just got fun! The store’s latest addition is the iwannagohome! outlet upstairs, featuring the Singaporebased home fashion retailer’s collection of chic kitchenware and homewares.

Grace your table with dining sets, utensils and accessories by Guy Degrenne and Christopher Vine, and stock your toilet with an interesting range of camouflage toilet paper, just for kicks.

Tel: 738686 Yak Map: W.10 The Gourmand Deli at St Regis Bali Resort Forget the mini bar. Take in-room dining to a whole new level and stock your own fridge and pantry with gourmet favourites from St Regis’ Gourmand Deli. This sleek, wellstocked store was conceived as a supplier of fresh-made, ready-to-go snacks, light meals and desserts for guests staying at the Suites, Villas and Residences – the latter two of which include a pantry and full-sized fridge just crying out to be jam-packed with mouth-watering treats. The deli also offers a tantalising selection of baked goods made fresh daily by the French Pastry Chef, Vincent Stopin, for a gorgeous picnic hamper.

There’s a wine cellar, coffee bar, bakery section, made-to-order sandwich counter, antipasto selection, sushi trays, Pacific oysters on ice, exquisite individual and full-sized cakes, and ice-cream bar with 16 home-made flavours such as a delightfully subtle Apple & Chilli and a

luscious Marscapone & Ripple Strawberry.

Simply sublime. And just in case you doubt the quality of the chocolate used in the Valrohna pralines and truffles, the deli invites you to ‘try before you buy’ with a chocolate fountain accompanied by a bowl of strawberries, ready for dipping.

Tel: 8480603 Gourmet Garage One of Bali’s most popular delis was never meant to be. Set up as a marketing window for Lotus Enterprises, Gourmet Garage in Jimbaran was conceived as a ‘try before you buy’ outlet for wholesale customers from hotels and restaurants around Bali. The whole idea was that chefs could try a scoop of J-Bay ice-cream, a Caswell’s coffee, a piece of Ruth’s Chocolate Cake, perhaps put the professional-quality utensils and equipment to use in the demonstration kitchen, and then place their orders for delivery to their own outlet. But word soon spread about the small yet notable imported retail section: everything from fresh seafood and meat and frozen pasta, to gourmet yoghurt, tacos, baby food and cereals. The J-Bay counter is a special drawcard, with 20 different flavours especially created for Bali’s highend restaurants. These include Tiramisu, Belgian Chocolate, Cheese Cake, Mixed Berry Yoghurt, and Snickers, and occasional appearances by new combinations such as Pineapple and Coconut, and Lemon Meringue Pie. Now, this ‘accidental destination’ has added a small lunch menu to enable their customers to sample a Kobe Beef Burger or Nachos before they order the ingredients from the retail outlet or wholesale warehouse. Clever and effective.

Keep the accidents coming.

Tel: 701650 Grocer n Grind This café may be a chic hang-out serving the meanest paninis and coffees in Bali, but its deli section is equally popular

for villa and hotel guests needing some gourmet essentials. Salads, sandwiches, home-made cakes and cookies, antipasto dishes, cheeses, house-smoked salamis and gourmet Fume sausages make a meal out of grazing. The house-brand granola, coffee and breads provide a scrumptious start to the day, while the signature pestos, chilli jams and chutneys that adorn the famous paninis are so good you will want your own supply for home. A small selection of fresh produce enables customers to whip up a storm in their own kitchens, if so motivated.

Or they could just order delivery from the café kitchen, which uses the produce from the deli to ensure it’s always fresh. The modern Mediterranean menu includes rustic, home-style pastas, salads, paninis (did we mention them already?), and even a gourmet version of the old favourite, Bangers ‘n’ Mash.

Tel: 730418 Yak Map: Q.7 The Pantry Seminyak offers no shortage of choice when it comes to gourmet delis, but Sanur is another story. Although it contains a sizeable population of expats and tourists, Sanur has been sorely lacking in a decent grocer stocking quality local and imported goods. Which is where The Pantry comes in. Located next to the trendy and timeless hang-out spot, Café Batujimbar, the shop has become a central meeting point, especially on Sundays, when it joins the café in holding Market Days. Staff training programmes are held at Gourmet Garage to ensure proper handling and storage of the selection of imported wine, meats, gourmet sausages, dairy products and organic vegetables. As its name suggests, this is really a specialty shop, a walk-in pantry for the local community. Take five great strides and you’d almost hit the back wall, but it’s jam-packed full of goodies that you don’t want to have to drive to the west coast for.

Tel: 281048

pleasures

Oral

SHORETHing

Lou Nietunz visits The Shore at Nikko Hotel to sample some of the world's best oysters and a wine list to rival any on the island.

After the long and winding trek to the southern hills of Nusa Dua, The Nikko Hotel welcomes through large gates, and a lobby that famously leads to the cliff-top elevator down to a pristine beach and pool garden.

Fresh from a renovation, The Nikko recently introduced their new restaurant concept The Shore to the public, so we thought it prudent to investigate.

Losing the way at the bottom floor, my dinner partner advised to follow the blue lights in the ground in a Pacman-like fashion to reach our target. Set above the massive swath of swimming pools, this new dining destination is modernly styled after the form of a boat on stilts, facing out to the ocean. The chef-de-cuisine here is Juergen Domani, and as we sit down to a special selection of fresh oysters, it becomes clear that we’re in for a treat. Domani is a veteran of island resort life and isolation, having

spent time in fine kitchens throughout the Caribbean before arriving to Bali.

The oysters and Champagne are top notch, and after some careful slurping, the Totten Virginia variety emerges as the unanimous favorite. As the oyster magic begins to take effect, the sky seems to open up before us. Because of the location at the bottom of the Nikko cliffs, all other sources of light are obscured; ultimately making the night sky twinkle that much brighter than normal. I had only ever really seen this before while hiking the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and so was delighted to share this experience with my date.

Before moving on to the main event, we sample a taste of divine peach-flavoured shisha tobacco that really set the scene.

At Juergen’s suggestion we opted for the degustation menu so as to try a full scope of flavours. Starting with Salmon Carpaccio,

cucumber and mint salad, the taste-tour was on like the Tour-de-France. Superb service buzzed around us as we moved on to a Cream of potato and leek soup with sliced quail breast. Perfect for a breezy evening, this hearty warm dish made for quicker work than porridge in a bear’s house. Ratatouille-filled tortellini came next, and if that sounds run-of-the-mill, it wasn’t... as it was served in truffle oil and scented with a creamy pesto sauce. We were starting to think we wouldn’t make it out alive from this culinary onslaught, when saved by a cleansing pineapple sherbet.

For the main course, my date selected the grilled King-fish fillet with Balsamic glaze, arugula, mushroom risotto and white wine sauce. I ventured on with the pan-fried veal fillet and Chanterelle mushroom sauce.

Although both rich in flavour, the portions were just right to satisfy and not over do it.

The Shore also prides itself with a globetrotting wine-list under the direction of F&B director, Stefan Mueller, that will challenge most connoisseurs. As an added menu feature for their guests, they also serve a premium wine-paring selection so as to try those wines that best compliment each other. The selected pair for this evening was a white 2005 Cuvee Michel Leon and the red 2003 Chianti Riserva Piazzano.

For dessert and coffee, we were led upstairs to the restaurant’s upper-deck that again is loosely fashioned after a boat deck looking down onto the waves and up the coastline. While we thought we were off the hook, and could now begin to digest, Chef Juergen pulled one final trick from his sleeve. A tray of Moorish delights hovered over to our table, and Juergen smiled. The in-house pastry chef... www.nikkobali.com

pleasures

Oral

waroeng bonita Diana Darling's staying up at night for the 'Bonita Dream Tower... with glamour!' And other excesses on offer at Waroeng Bonita.

Photograph: Yaeko Masuda.

WAROENG Bonita – “Home Cooking from the Islands”– is all about Madam Bonita, a sultry Bugis whose cuisine is as cosmopolitan and voluptuous as he is. “I cook with love,” Bonita says.

This very friendly place is in the heart of Seminyak, close to the epicentre of glamour (which is probably The Legian) and has a large and loyal following.

Devotees are there in force on Friday evenings for the show – a parade of burlesque and drag performance art.

You can get an idea of the fun at www. bonitabali.com/pages/wgallery-page2. html.

But you don’t need to be in an artistic mood to enjoy Waroeng Bonita, which Bonita describes as a family restaurant.

It’s a nice place for lunch or dinner, as my friend Lloyd and I discovered recently; and the drinks menu is extensive enough to be a good place to drop in at any time for anything from a Pocari Sweat to a belt of Chivas Regal.

Despite the rather bridal-boudoir touches to the décor (from an earlier period when this was to be a showcase of haute cuisine marocaine), the venue is casual and welcoming with an airy openpavilion dining room, a bar, and tables set as well in a romantic garden shaded by a canopy of frangipani trees.

On the evening we visited, we were lucky to be joined by Bonita’s partner, the writer Jamie James. “I don’t do anything here except check the spelling on the

menus,” he said. “And by the way, the menu is going to change soon to make room for more Indonesian dishes.” But he assured us that it would keep its eclectic character, and that everything that we ordered would remain on the new menu.

We began with a brilliant Salt chilli squid with orange infused rocket salad finished with rocket pesto vinaigrette, which was at once rich, fresh, and tangy; the popular Thai-style green mango salad with saffron marinated chicken fillet, cashew nuts and coriander; and a classic Shrimp avocado cocktail. For mains, Lloyd chose the Grilled ahituna steak with gratin dauphinois, tomato comfit, mitzuna and lime, which was perfectly prepared and full of interest. Jamie had a superb Tenderloin of imported beef with polenta, caramelised pear chutney and balsamic reduction. I had the ingeniously conceived Braised chicken with prunes and almonds in a caramelised ginger and onion sauce, which made me think that the distinguishing features of Bonita’s cuisine are generosity and an ability to balance a complex combination of flavours and textures. The desserts ranged from dainty sorbets to an interesting Green tea crème brulée, a Dark chocolate moeulleux, and the Indonesian favourite Pisang goreng, with lashings of ice cream everywhere.

The new menu was still in the works as of this writing, but among its additions are an array of dishes as varied in origin

as the population of a New York elevator: Minestrone; Javanese satay; Rack of Lamb; and Seafood laksa. New among the desserts is “Bonita Dream Tower … with glamour!” Trying to visualise what this might be keeps me awake at night.

Bonita-world also includes Waroeng Sulawesi (a bit further north on Jalan Petitenget and down a lane, specialising in dishes from Bonita’s homeland) and Bonita Bali Land Investigator and Villa Explorer, a property firm (next door to Waroeng Bonita). Bonita is a natural entrepreneur. Before coming to Bali, he designed and marketed a line of original fashions, wholesale and in his own boutiques in Jakarta and Ujung Pandang.

“What accounts for your success in business?” I asked Bonita (who had joined us and was now wearing his signature huge sun hat and princess-heeled sandals).

“Hard work and trust. I trust other people and they trust me,” Bonita said.

“But money isn’t the important thing. I want to create a relaxing, unpretentious place where people can feel very comfortable, as if they’re at home.”

Surely that is a business philosophy that deserves to succeed. Selamat sukses terus, darling.

Jalan Petitenget 2000x Seminyak Tel: +62 (0)361 731 918

Yak Map: P. 4

Over The Edge

LOM BOK LAY OVER Let's forgo the slick subhead-intro-type clichĂŠ here. You are all grown-ups. Get thee to Lombok and The Gilis. Text by Nigel Simmonds.

Photographs by Yaeko Masuda.

Over The Edge Pier at The Oberoi Lombok.

Over The Edge

Lombok has been touted as ‘the next Bali’ for so many years now I’m not even going to go there. It’s nothing like Bali, of course, unless you count the fact that it’s part of Indonesia and there are a few hundred thousand Balinese living on the island. More pertinently, there are over two million Muslims, mostly Sasak. It’s also a lot greener than Bali, and you’ll be surprised by the variety of its landscape (not to mention the number of newly established hotel properties). The truth is the island has been on the verge of a tourism boom now for at least a decade – and that’s just the way we like it. It may even happen soon, given the airport developments to the south and the somewhat cultish success of its outlying islands. But, as yet, Lombok revels in the charms of all ‘almost there’ destinations: it is naturally beautiful; it has a missed-the-boat charm you simply

can’t find in Bali and, of course, it has The Gilis.

You will be familiar with the various ways of getting to Lombok – we chose the air option. Quite apart from the fact that one of our party suffers with debilitating sea sickness (a sure-fire way of ruining your break before you’ve even started), the air route is fast and fun and a tad indulgent. It’s a short half-hour hop from here to there, taking in some spectacular views of Mount Agung and Nusa Penida. There are, however, a few tricks that might help make your journey more pleasant: check-in early, eat before you go, spend your waiting time in the upstairs ‘viewing lounge’ at Bali’s domestic terminal (a better option for smokers than non smokers, we should say), then make sure you get a porter at the other end: it’s a bun-fight otherwise. Sometimes the planes are rerouted Continued on page 144.

Baywatch Senggigi.

Over The Edge Beach games: Qunci Pool VIllas.

Over The Edge

Hermit hotel.

Over The Edge

Turtle release, The Oberoi Lombok.

Over The Edge

and cancelled, but mostly it’s plain sailing.

The other options are of course by sea, the latest of which is The Black Pearl from Bluewater Cruises, which has recently launched its new service to the Gilis from Serangan Harbour.

This is a stylish option that leaves daily for Gili Trawaganan at 9am (returning at 1.30pm) and is designed to start the holiday mood right from the off. The Black Pearl offers an Englishspeaking captain, a well-trained crew and calming ginger tea (should you not have packed the Pimm’s). The sense of fun continues as The Black Pearl makes connections to the rest of the Bluewater phinisi fleet for their elegant and adventurous live-aboard cruises to Lombok, Moyo Island, Komodo National Park and Flores.

We headed first for Qunci Villas, selected by Lonely Planet as Lombok’s hippest hotel. Combining minimalist design with Balinese influence, this is a popular retreat for different wellheeled groups who appreciate the modernity, cuisine and laid-back charm. There’s a great pool and views of Bali that will astound even the most hardened. Up the beach a bit is Qunci Pool Villas, even more modern and Japanese-y with a hipper vibe around the beige-tinged sunbeds. We got happily pissed here on gin and tonics one afternoon, watched the great and

the good arrive and do the same thing, and in the process got beautifully burnt under the tropical sun while ordering too much ice. It’s a place – dare we say it – that is suitable for our ilk: somewhat over-the-hill former ski bums who have found ourselves with an independent taste and affluence in middle age.

Bombay blissed out, we then took transport round the horn of good hope and beyond the bays and bumps to the island’s latest success story: Tugu Lombok, which has also lately been subject to some fairly gushing reviews by ligging journos (yes, we know all about you). Tugu Lombok is the brainchild of our good friend and luscious host Lucienne, who worked with her Pops to produce a resort that combines the best of Tugu's Bali property with the furthest corners of her rather active imagination. The first thing you notice is the Survivor-like drama to the place. It rocks you out with its gargoyle-on-acid opulence and eccentricity. Then you start to take note of a few other things: it sits on a massive and empty beach, has friendly and good service, but above all, it’s just…different. Too many hotels

Continued on page 148.

Left to right: Beach, Tugu Lombok; Nico; Lamp, Tugu Lombok; Beach at Qunci Pool Villas.

Over The Edge

Over The Edge

make the mistake of trying to recreate ‘the feeling of home’ at their resorts. Who wants that on holiday? Please. What we really, really want is to feel like we’ve been to the moon, and Lucienne takes you there. Dramatic rooms, big in every sense; a relaxed vibe and some fairly stunning cultural referencing.

Onwards to one of our favourite all-time properties in the world, The Oberoi Lombok, still going remarkably well since we attended the opening more than a decade ago. There’s blue blood pedigree here in the classic Peter Muller architecture, the dreamlike pier that juts out into the crystal water and the lush orange sunset. Even the obligatory cultural dance performance was a joyous experience (not always the case, in our picky equatorial experience). The service here is beyond the call of duty, much better than expected. I for one love this property – what a joy to see that the original thought and care that went into its design has been maintained to such a high degree. If you haven’t been, then go. Take a bicycle tandem to your room, go fishing off the pier, joke with the staff, sample the excellent food and above all…relax in the luxe vibe.

Tugu Lombok.

Over The Edge We were amongst friends of course – how else to travel well? – and the following morning we joined Guy and Nadine on their blood red boat for some downtime over several bottles of plonk. It’s all about the water out here, and we headed out into it with high-volume club classics pounding the wake, a raft of children in tow (not literally, you understand). It’s an uplifting sensation to be water-bound in the sun in a relatively unknown tropical corner of the world, and we made the most of it, stupid smiles on our faces and all. We found land opposite the drag of Gili T at a coral and wood shack where we had an Easter egg hunt, lost control of our flip-flops and attempted Led Zepellin tunes on the bar’s dilapidated four-string guitar. Luxury is not always five star; you have to mix it up to find true bliss.

More friends arrived on various boats; a party ensued and no-one could get a word in edge-ways…until the sun started to set and we clambered aboard once more for the short crossing to wonderland and the joys of Guy and Nadine’s Horizontal Bar and Restaurant, hip and calm at the same time. We ate chili crab and drank strawberry daiquiris, fell around in the one-bedroomed ‘lifestyle’ rooms at the back of the bar (perfect as a party escape destination, given their unique concept: inter-connecting doors slide back to enjoin five little palaces into the must-have party venue). At some point someone mentioned that perhaps we should think

about getting back (it was pitch black by this stage), so boat-ward we headed once more to motor through the night beneath a full-ish moon and more stars than any of us could navigate by. I remember looking over at one of our number as we glided slowly along…there was a glint in her eye and a smile on her face, and I could tell she hadn’t thought about Bali for a full five days. To hell with artful travel writing comparisons, I thought, Lombok breathes its own magic into the souls of travellers. It deserves nothing less than its independent and frontier reputation as a destination unto itself. Long live the Lombok layover.

Bluewater Cruises & The Black Pearl, Tel: +62 817 343 168, email: Info@bluewatercruises. com, www.bluewatercruises.com Horizontal Lounge, Restaurant and H Rooms, Gili Trawangan, Tel: +62 370 639248, +62 819 1744 6052, email: thegiliislands@yahoo.com www.thegiliislands.com Hotel Tugu Lombok, Tel: +62 370 620111, +62 81 937 995566, email: lombok@ tuguhotels.com, Web: www.tuguhotels.com Qunci Villas: Tel: +62 370 693 800, email:stay@quncivillas.com, www.quncivillas.com The Oberoi Lombok, Tel: +62 370 63 8444, email Gm.Toli@oberoihotels.com, www. oberoilombok.com

Over The Edge

Tugu Lombok.

Just Doin' It

One hundred and 20 players, $10,000 in prizes and a fabulous back-and-forth feast for spectactors... the first annual Yak Canggu Open Tennis Classic roared into life with a frenzy of first class sport.

Photographs by Yaeko Masuda.

Just Doin' It

Just Doin' It IT was a week to remember, as long as you weren’t among those first unfortunates who were trounced in the opening rounds, that is. The Yak Canggu Classic Open Tennis Tournament began as it is scheduled to continue next year: with great tennis, great fun and a great closing party. Over 120 registered players in nine categories took part in the event – a week-long club tennis competition held at The Canggu Club and title sponsored by this magazine.

Featuring players from both amateur and professional divisions, the tournament offered over $10,000 in luxury prizes and Rp6 million in cash for the Open division (sponsored, thank you very much, by Eikon Lounge in Kuta). Family, friends and supporters cheered and watched courtside, or at the Tennis Village, where they enjoyed snacks by Trattoria, the Canggu Club beer and wine tent, a Massage Tent by Como Shambala Estate and sponsor expo booths

by The Canggu Club, Indo Board, Xclusive Property and of course yours truly, The Yak Magazine (forgive us if we blow our own trumpet here, but we had a blast). Players racquet and restring service were provided courtesy of Istora Sport Denpasar.

Lucky Draws were randomly awarded to participating players – we figured it more egalitarian – with over 40 sponsored hotel, spa and restaurant gifts given away to the tennis fanatics. Players and partipipants enjoyed a VIP buffet at the After Party on Court 3 during the awards announcements, and soon after all guests were treated to a special set by visiting DJ Tony Montana, sponsored by Anantara Resort. The celebration continued with a special After-After Party at Eikon Lounge, Kuta.

The focus of course was ultimately on the tennis, a high standard dominated by local players whose speed and prowess on the court matched anything the expatriate community could muster. Sophie Digby, managing partner of The Yak, commented: “It was a fabulous event with which we were proud to be associated. It goes without saying thought that it would not have been such a success without the help and enthusiasm of the club, the many gracious sponsors and all the people who participated from the wider Bali community. We’re already planning for next year…watch this space.”

Just Doin' It

Just Doin' It

Just Doin' It

Official results for the inaugral event were: winners of the Mixed Amateur Doubles, Marcel and Alejandra, with runners-up Sari and Joshua; winners of the Women’s Amateur Doubles, Linda and Ida, and runners-up Anna and Liz; winner of the Women’s Amateur Singles, Istina, and runner-up Jane; winners of the Men’s Amateur Doubles Men's, Jeff and Mike, and runners-up Yudhi and Oka; winner of the Men’s Amateur Singles, Kevin, and runner-up Joko; winners of the Mixed Open Doubles, Kim and Nining, and runners-up Wiwin and Imron; winners of the Men’s Open Doubles, Imron and Citra, and runners-up Jeff and Mike; winner of the Women’s Open Singles, Ira, and runnerup Wiwin; and the winner of the exciting finals of the Men’s Open Singles division was Ismail, and runner-up Kim. The tournament was kindly supported

by; Ayana, The Anantara, The Balé, Como Shambhala Estate, Karma Resorts, Kupu Kupu Barong Beach Resort, Sentosa Private Villas & Spa, Silq Villas, The Samaya, The Elysian, Conrad Bali Resort & Spa, Westin Hotels & Resorts, The Oberoi, Bali, The Villas Bali, Holiday Inn Baruna Bali, Bali Deli, Biku Tea Lounge, Khaima Moroccan Restaurant, Ma Joly Restaurant, Body & Soul, The Junction, Dandelion Boutique for Girls & Boys, Theta Spa by the Sea, Hu'u Bar, Bali Zoo, Cafe Bali, and Pro Motion Events, with main sponsor support generously endorsed by; Indo Board, Xclusive Property, Eikon Lounge, The Yak Magazine, and Trattoria, and hosted by The Canggu Club, Bali.

For additional release photographs, by official photographer Yaeko Masuda, please visit www.yaekmasudo.com

Just Doin' It

Just Doin' It

timomaas We chased down the German maestro of mash-ups, Uber-breakbeat bass-head and undisputed king of the electro-jungle, Timo Maas, during his recent visit to Bali.

respect them for what they do. Hey, I mean I‘ve been listening to music for 30 years, so there’s a lot of bands, producers and artists that came up that I absolutely love. But from the point of view of today? No, there’s not really anyone like that for me. I’m not looking for idols – I want to be an idol, for the younger generation, in a perfect case scenario. You know, that doesn’t always happen, but it would be nice someday in the future if people say, “Did you ever hear of this guy, Tim Maas?” I hope to see that sometime down the line.

Do you still work with your sounddesigning partner, Martin Buttrich?

Nope. It was a relationship, a DJ-producer relationship, that we had, but then it wasn’t working anymore. For 13 years we worked together, and went through a lot of important times together, like a Grammy nomination and all that, but at the end of the day it had to finish. It was like a marriage, and, you know, nothing is forever. I’ve got a new team now, I’m working (and living with) this guy Santos, a DJ/producer from Italy, who’s pretty famous in Europe and Japan. He’s a supernice guy and we’ve already done a lot of records together. So we live together, with my wife and daughter, out on the farm, 25 minutes from the airport in the middle of nowhere!

How did you get the chance to work with such a range of talent, like Kelis and Finley Quaye, on your earlier albums?

I worked really hard to get the connections, you know, and I had visions and dreams, but I didn’t want to be just a dreamer. I wanted to realise the whole thing. Like with Kelis, who wasn’t yet familiar with my work, we started talking with her record company and had to convince her a little bit. I was a hot re-mixer at the time, so they were also looking for a Timo Maas remix, so we did one for the Young Turks, which was pretty much the bomb, and after that she was into it. And all the other people, you know, we just met them along the way, at parties, and some were interested to collaborate or give vocals to work with, and it just came together. With my own

success, doors were opening and I just wanted to do something with it.

Is there anyone you would still like to work with in the studio, but haven’t had the chance yet?

Yup…but I don’t tell. No, no, I don’t tell!

Because it’s like, I don’t want to drop names, just for the background behind it.

I only drop names when it’s something serious, something real. Yeah! I have a few dream artists that I would love to work with, and I WILL work with them, I don’t know how, but I WILL work with them!

So your new label only releases on vinyl?

Yes. I just released a new album called Rockets & Ponies, and it’s only released on vinyl right now and a little bit later will be digitally released as well. But yes, it’s a vinyl production, on one side it’s the pressing and on the other it’s a logo etched into the record, and the artwork is really high quality. It’s something for collectors. The music is also worth keeping. I mean it’s pretty uncommon to find a 17-and-half minute song, you know? That’s why I love vinyl so much, you can always find surprises. I always play some vinyl in my sets and I have about 35,000 records at home – I have to have something in my hands, you know, a file on a hard disk, that’s not new anymore, it doesn’t have meaning to me. Vinyl has soul in it, it has a lot of meaning to me. When I start a label, I want to deliver the things that I would also like to buy, at the musical level, at the vinyl level.

How do you see the music industry today, with so much available and distributed through the internet?

It doesn’t matter how the music gets out.

None of the guys are making money from it. It’s more important for the music to be heard, as a means through which DJ’s can get live gigs and albums going from it. That's how you make money from it.

There’s a handful of guys that still sell loads of records and actually make money. You know, 10 years ago, a standard release on a good label would sell 10,000 records. Now, an even better release will sell only 2,000, and maybe a few thousand downloads,

but there’s not really any money left from that. The money’s still out there...the music is consumed by the people, and people are listening to a lot more music now than 10 years ago. When you’re in my role, you have to figure out a way to make money out of it, because I just built a studio at home, and it’s like a hundred thousand Euros or something daft, and I have to put this money back into production. So it’s good that I now have a long list of people I can work with, and do more albums and stuff with in the pop area, as well as music for film scores and video games and things like that. But you don’t get these jobs when you don’t have the reputation in the underground, so the underground is always the most important thing, not for making money, but for distributing your work.

Speaking of games, what do you like to do or play when you just want to tune-out?

Poker…yeah, I am a poker nerd. Me and my friends, we all play poker, but I am one of the craziest.

For money or friendly?

Money. Friendly? Come on, who’s friendly in this world? Ha-ha-ha.

Where is the most beautiful or amazing place you’ve been to so far?

Woah, there's so many! It can be the shadiest place in the world, but when you’re together with the right people, or in the right mood...New Zealand? The southern New Zealand Alps? I played a hippy festival there a few years back.

That was quite impressive...in this area where they shot Lord of the Rings. It’s just stunningly beautiful. I also live in nature, you know, I only see fields and trees when I look south from my farm. Everything in nature is inspiring or impressive to me.

And Bali also, I’ve heard, but I haven’t seen enough this time so I have to come back. I get a feeling here, and that feeling tells me that I definitely have to come back.

And finally, what’s your favourite footwear?

Flip-flops. www.timomaas.de

Sounds Around

SOMEWHAT out of breath and partly nervous to meet the man who has carved out such a heady path of club hits and reworks over the last 10 years, The Yak's Lou Nietunz sits down with the dance-floor demi-god Tim Maas for a little friendly sparring over cocktails.

So Timo, how did you first get into music? And what was your first introduction to musical training?

My Mum told me that my grandpa – who died really early in his life – was a musician who played the trumpet and the bass.

No-one else in my family ever really had a big musical connection, but starting from when I was about seven years old, I would sit in front of the radio with my seven or eight blank tapes and record and re-record mixes on my tapedeck. I bought my first record when I was about nine, and then the first time I actually played a DJ set was at a friend’s party when I was 13, like in ‘82.

So if you add it all up – I’m 40 now – that's basically my whole life. I've been working professionally since ’94, so I'm pretty happy with my life decisions.

Do you remember the first concert you went to or were inspired by?

The first concert I saw was Dire Straits.

They were amazing. But, you know, now I’ve seen them four or five times, and they seemed better before.

Who would be your all-time musical superhero or creative idol?

No, no, no. I don’t really have any idols or heroes anymore, to be honest, since I’ve actually met so many of them. There were some people I looked up to, but a lot of them failed, just by being assholes or by not fulfilling expectations, which is normal. You know, nobody can fulfill your imagination, or frankly fill your expectations. But I do have a few guys that I really respect, more for the way they are.

Carl Cox is one of those guys, even though there’s a few not-so-nice stories about him here in Bali (due to cancelled shows).

I absolutely respect him for the way he is and the way he does things, and for the way he loves the music. And obviously there are others, like producer Trevor Horn, or people like Brian Eno, people that do outstanding and experimental stuff. I just

Raver's Review

Souldiggaz with Izza Kizza, Michaelangelo L'Acqua with Bebel Gilberto, Stephen and Damian Marley, Bitter:Sweet, Brazilian Girls, Amp Fiddler and...TV On The Radio!

I almost fainted when I first read the track credits.

The album begins on a sombre note with Cole's hauntingly croon-ful Lush Life.

Warning the pitfalls of complacency and backed up by a brushy break-beat reworked by Cee-Lo, this serves as a return-notice from the ole Cole soul, back from the past to visit the future. This sets the scene for will.i.am and the exquisite Natalie Cole to dipple-dapple on the playful classic, Straighten Up & Fly Right.

It's amazing how these works sound now, 50 odd years later, when their ideas

are applied to modern-day soundscapes and present-day realities. Turn-tablist Cut Chemist chases down the next one with his percussive update of Day In–Day Out. The jazzy essence pervades here, yet the Chemist's scratch-work and basslinerevamp keeps busy to make the update complete. From there, Bebel Gilberto flutters in to serenade us with typical panache on Brazilian Love Song, much like the bird in the treetop that Cole sings of.

The vibe then turns for a Latin detour, with partners in crime, Nas and producer Salaam Remi returning to the studio for The Game of Love. You wouldn't think that Nas and meringue could go hand-in-hand, yet Nas flows effortlessly on top of this sassy old classic. The Roots take over from there, lending a hand to the big band on Walkin’ My Baby Back Home. The original is kept intact for the first two minutes before the Phillie live-act step in to finish it off with a lyrical update for the ladies.

Souldiggaz and Izza Kizza step up next for a stand-out jam on Hit That Jive, Jack. The soul-claps and boogie-woogie bass-line drive this scatological Mambo sojourn.

The Marley brothers, Damian and Stephen, then bring their natty goodness to the

party for a true rude-boy duet on Calypso Blues. They are the perfect choice for this number, giving playful Dancehall answers to Cole’s island baritones.

To close out the album, Bittersweet lend a soft female sensitivity to More and More of Your Amor, while the Brazilian Girls heat up a frenetic rendition of El Choclo that gathers pace like a steam-train. Just Blaze plays cat-and-mouse with some girls waiting for a ride on the skit Pick Up to hilarious effect, bouncing between Cole's original pick-up lines and modern-day female rejections. Amp Fiddler donates his fuzzy-warm keyboard wizardry to expand upon Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere, and TV On the Radio give a dark, brooding rework of the classic Nature Boy. This is one of those special albums that can be replayed often, as Cole's original works maintain their vision and class, yet the mix of styles and producers here is so diverse, it's like a world-tour of his spirit. One can only hope this will re-introduce the magic of Cole's songs to a generation of new unsuspecting fans.

Truly timeless!

your fire, switch off those voices...

This is followed by The Moon & 1000 Offerings, a classic fusion of Balinese gamelan, Blues, Tech-Dub...all wrapped together in heady mix. Petrushka Parts 1 & 2 move the tempo up with rock-ska attitude and stay instrumental thoughout. Soaring guitar solos and synth-bass do battle here to delicious effect. The second part of this track gets a lift from local legend Rio Sidiq’s tempestuous trumpet, working magic with sequencer-cycles washing back and forth.

Babylondon turns more urbanly badass, with hip-hop lyrical salutations. This reminds of Morcheeba's work, and one

only wishes there was more of a story on the mic here. However, the message is sometimes so simple that we shouldn’t over-analyse. For Your Digitalize Only skanks back on the Dub-train, mixing lovely rolling-bass, rock-guitar and Cozi's tech-loved voice to soothe your mind ending with a fizzy drink. Helicopters fly by above gamelan keys on It Doesn’t Matter, while former Gong-guitarist Steve Hillage (System7) and Tim Valkenburg drop in to lend their fingers to the recipe before segueing to the traditional rhythms of Upacara. Rodnet turns a little more tranceoriented, with tech-washes and lots of echoes. The rock drums remain, and the organic meanderings build, but overall this one marks a discordant detour, or momentary lapse of reason.

Fall Back in Time thankfully takes us back to happier places with Cozi's whispers and jubilant Zen-reggae vamps. A wicked bassline and guitar join forces here with dancehall-stabs to salute you while floating down the river.

Fansy Dub (Return of the Regyptian)

marks a classic arrival to the promised land. Mixing Arabic horns, synth-squeezes and plucky guitar all combine to give a triumphant farewell from the land of Zen Lemonade.

Perfect for after-hours or Sunday afternoons, this musical massage leaves you feeling refreshed and grounded.

Overall the album is a resounding reminder of the possibilities when cultures mix and celebrate each other's differences.

Hopefully studio-spaces will grow in Bali and allow further explorations and discoveries of cross-cultural collaboration for the many DJ's, musicians, and singers that visit. Babylondon is available worldwide distributed by Arabesque and will be available on i-Tunes later in the year. So if you're looking for the sound of modern Bali-Dub-Rock-Zen-Goodness – look no further!

Album: Nat King Cole Re: Generations Artist: Various Label: Capitol Records Happy days! I was startled to find this gem hiding on the shelves of my local groove purveyor. While hesitant to buy, due to recent trends of remake tribute albums that somehow fall short of the mark, this one was thankfully done for the right reasons, with the right people, and put me in the right mood to write.

With an all-star cast of producers and performers, Re: Generations was championed by executive producers Carole Cole and Michaelangelo L’Acqua.

Under their direction, a dizzying international band of present day urban and nu-soul talent, including none other than (now take a breath) Cee-Lo, The Roots, will.i.am with Natalie Cole, Cut Chemist, Just Blaze, Nas with Salaam Remi,

Album: Babylondon Artist: Zen Lemonade Label: Electronic Soundscapes lyricist: MC Solomon (Brooklyn, New York) Seminyak’s very own East-West studioduo, SuperCozi and Gus Till have just released Zen Lemonade's latest opus, Babylondon. This new album returns to their rootsy downtempo sonic adventures with new confidence and new friends in the studio.

The first track Sky Dub eases into the affair with laidback ambient keys, downtempo basslines and vocoder musings. Everything seems innocent before turning gritty, reminiscent of Massive Attack's later vibes. Cozi's lilting vocals question and probe, reasoning an escape from it all within in the music – Switch off

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yak

Astro

moodofthemoment

Deepak in Bali | astro-deepak@usa.net | www.astronlp.com | Skype: drdeepakvidmar

FEELING a little stuck these days? Feeling a little tense? Feeling like things are not working the way they used to, but hard to make a change? You can blame it on the huge Saturn-Uranus opposition in the sky happening (off and on) from October 2008 until (boom boom) it peaks in August 2010. This is when the world economy obviously started going down and you can expect it to keep going down at least until that time. And then there is such a strong energy that things suddenly get much better (a new source of energy) or much worse. What this means for you personally and professionally is that things that used to work are not going to work that same way anymore. You need to break your habits and think outside the box. Good to do old things in a new way and new things with methods that are tried and true.

After some sudden happenings of unexpectedness, a few distractions by desire and a power struggle or two, you are in your energy now. You are in the saddle again. You are at your peak, but it is not time to sit down – and you would be bored with that anyway. It is time to prepare for the next peak...and the next. And the paradox is that you have to go down, down into the valley to get to the next peak. If you are born the last week of March, you are feeling this now. Keep on going, my friend, and spend what you have to spend to have the tools to do the job.

taurus

A dream has come to you of what can be instead of what is. You have high hopes, high dreams, high ideals for what is possible for yourself in the world now. You are looking for the positive way and the sense of community. First the idea, then the dream, then the energy and taking action, and then others come. A community is formed. Your work becomes your play and your play becomes your work and the more the two come together, the more you forget your self and just float with the flow.

gemini

You know so much, but you do not know how much you know until you hear yourself say it. It is when you hear yourself speak that you know. Take care to listen to the tone and vibration of your own words rather than to the nouns.

Find yourself a friend who will listen and who enjoys to receive without judgment or editorial comment. Find a friend who will let you talk and just be received. More important than the books, more important than the sayings of the wise man, more important than the words of kings, is the opportunity now to listen to your own voice.

libra

cancer

Moody, moody, you sometimes have had enough of the roller coaster ride of emotional waves.

Sometimes you would like security and stability instead, or at least the ability to be numb. Forget about that now and for the next few years. The roller coaster ride gets more wild and takes you more deep into the essence of it all. Because you feel everything and everyone, you are feeling the collective unconscious and what is happening. It tends to suck you in and pull you along. The lesson to learn is to do it your way and to not follow the crowd.

The emphasis is on people now, particularly relationships.

It may be good or bad, transforming or disemboweling, but whatever it is, it is intense. It is an issue between cooperation versus self centeredness. It is an issue between control or compromise.

It is the eternal struggle between ‘I’ or ‘We’.

Communication flows to build the bridge, but misunderstanding undermines the pilings that keep it standing. The best response to all of this is to step into the other’s shoes and to have compassion and empathy.

leo Maybe you have to work twice as hard to make half as much. Good to be conservative now and to save for a rainy day. Keep your investments basic, long term and durable rather than speculate in high risk possibilities. Work for your own sense of pride rather than any return that might be made. Keep connecting, networking and making new friends. Join groups that fit the purpose of your life and make friends with those who share your philosophy. Avoid falling into the old ways and keep your eyes on the light straight ahead.

scorpio It is when you hold back and keep secrets that conflict happens. If you are totally open and honest, who can complain to you? Who can be upset by you? Who cannot respect you? You are what you are and when you are clear and open about that, it is accepted. As long as you keep something hidden, others will suspect something and defend themselves. As long as you try to be powerful, others will feel threatened and withdraw. Total honesty with the other will become a habit of total honesty with yourself and that is when you really, really begin to live.

virgo Prepare your bed now for when you go to sleep to have your Dream. The Dream is coming, the vision, the inspiration, but first the earth must be seeded for the flower to grow. Now is the time to plant that garden, to dot your Is and cross your Ts. Now is the time to get grounded so that next you can fly.

Now is the time to prepare. The vision will come and the world-of-all-is-one will be a garden to you. Other dimensions and vast possibilities are coming, but first, remember to tie your shoes. Now is the time to lay the foundation in order to raise the roof.

sagittarius

Itchy feet and a gleam in your eye as to how green the grass is on the other side. Travel, travel, moving, moving. It is your joy, it is your job, it is your purpose in this life. Some of you are being held back by duty, responsibility, job or lack of money. Some of you don’t know where to go except for sure not where you have already been.

Maybe work is too heavy and you are restless at home. Let them both go and you are free. You are broke and poor, but you are free. Move, my friend, to where the fresh air blows.

capricorn

The long-term picture is that the intensity of Pluto will be in your sign until the year 2024. The short-term picture is that now is the time to prepare. The question is to prepare for what? Uranus going square in 2012 means that it is all going to change suddenly and without precedent. Knowing history and what happened in the past is not going to help. Making a long range plan is not going to help. The world is in a chaos and who can be methodical and organised in an environment like that? Now is the time to gather information and to find out what you can.

aquarius

Jupiter conjunct Neptune in Aquarius now is one of the most beautiful, spiritual and visionary energies that can be. It is a cycle of every 13 years and every time it happens, mankind is uplifted to new heights. You are uplifted to new heights. It is about ‘may all sentient beings be happy’ and it is about doing something to help that happen in the world. It is about coming together with fellow seekers to do your part to make this world more the way it can be and more the way it should be. After all, Utopia begins with “U”.

pisces The reason everything is for the other and very little is for you is that (a) you don’t really need it as much as the other guy; and (b) it is the best way for you to grow. Only a loving person will ask how they can be more loving because only a loving person can be conscious of how much more there is to give, to feel, to let go.

Only a loving person can feel when they did not love enough. The fact that Saturn is opposite your sign and giving you struggles now is not a punishment for bad deeds. It is a lesson in how to help people without harming them.

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Advertiser's

CLINIC BIMC Tel: 761263 www.bimcbali.com page 162 Yak Map F.12 EVENT ORGANISER Pro Motion Events Tel: 287250 www.pro-motion-events. com page 165 HEALTH, SPAS & SALONS Mango Tree Spa Tel: 975478 www.kupubarong.com/ spabyloccitane page 90 M Spa Tel: 736910 page 109 Yak Map C.9 Spoiled Tel: 8475141 Yak Directory Yak Map G.1 Theta Spa Tel: 755726 www.thetaspa.com page 23 Yak Map C.14 Thermes Marins Bali Tel: 702222 www.ayanaresort.com page 127 HOTELS & VILLAS Anantara Tel: 737773 www.bali.anantara.com Page 8 Yak Map P.11 Ayana Tel: 702222 www.ayanaresort.com Page 127 Batu Karang Lembongan Tel: 0366 24880 www. batukaranglembongan. com page 80 COMO Shambhala Tel: 978888 www.como.bz Back inside cover Holiday Inn Baruna Tel: 755577 www.bali.holidayinn.com page 12 Yak Map. C.15 Horizontal Tel: 0370 639348 www.thegiliislands.com Page 164 Karang Kembar www.balikarangkembarestate.com Page 131 Karma Resorts Tel: 708800 www.karmaresorts.com Page 15 Kupu Barong Ubud

Tel: 975478 www.kupubarong.com Page 90 Maya Ubud Tel: 977888 www.mayaubud.com page 110 Nikko Bali Tel: 773377 www.nikkobali.com page 83 Qunci Villas Tel: 0370 693800 www.quncivillas.com Page 137 Saba Villas Tel: 738058/59 www.sababali.com Page 57 Yak Map K.2 Sentosa Villas Tel: 730333 www.balisentosa.com Page 17/92-93Yak Map: O.6 Silq Tel: 8475461 www.silqkerobokanbali. com Page 111 Yak Map: R.3 The Balé Tel: 775111 www.thebale.com page 4 The Elysian Tel: 730999 www.theelysian.com Page 61 Yak Map P.9 The Haven Tel: 738001 www.thehavenbali.com page 169 Yak Map V.14 The Laguna Tel: 771327 www.luxurycollection. com/bali page 84 The Layar Tel: 767888 www.tropicalhomesbali. com Page 85 Yak Map E.8 The Legian Tel: 730622 www.ghmhotels.com Page 80 Yak Map M.7 The Samaya Tel: 731149 www.thesamayabali.com page 30-31 Yak Map M.7 Uma Sapna Tel: 736628 www.coconuthomes.com page 91 Yak Map I.9 Uma Ubud Tel: 972448 www.uma.como.bz Back inside cover Villa Bali Asri Tel: 735444 www.villabaliasri.com Page 57 Yak Map P.10 Villa Kemah Tinggi www.kemahtinggi.com

Page 137 Warwick Ibah Tel: 974466 www.warwickibah.com page 110

MEDIA Barefoot Tel: 3316530 www.be-barefoot.com page 168 Island Communications Tel: 282010 Fax: 287811 www.icommbali.com page 162 CRUISES Blue Water Tel: 0817343168 www.bluewatercruises. com Page 145 Pamela Catamaran Tel: 7800293 www.sailboatbali.com Page 164 MISCELLANEOUS Anton Landscaping Tel: 733320 www. antonlandscapingbali.com Page 22 Yak Map N.7 Astrology Tel: 425754 www.astronlp.com Page 26 B.A.W.A Tel: 977217 www.bawabali.com Yak Directory Bodyline Tel: 8476092 www.power-plate-bali. com Page 22 Yak Map Y.2 I'm an Angel Tel: 736969 www.iamanangel.net Page 162 Yak Map N.9 Little Stars Tel: 285993 www.littlestarsbali.org Page 26 Rim Cargo Tel: 737670 www.rimcargo.com Page 28 Yak Map T.8 SKAL Tel: 7840212 skalbali@dps.centrin.net.id Page 161 MUSEUMS/GALLERIES Kendra Tel: 736628 www.kendragallery.com Page 91 Yak Map T.9 Veronique Aonzo Tel: 7435180 www.artitude69.com

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Yak Map W.1

PROPERTY Elite Havens Tel: 731074 /738747 www.elitehavens.com page 1 Yak Map P.8 Exotiq Seminyak Tel: 737358 www.exotiqrealestate.com page 2 Yak Map T.8 Tropical Homes Tel: 767888 www.tropicalhomesbali. com page 85 Yak Map E.8 RECREATION Canggu Club Tel: 8446385 www.cangguclub.com page 56 Yak Map N.1 Waka Land Tel: 426971/72 www.wakaland.com Page 110 RESTAURANTS&BARS Bali Catering Company Tel: 737324 www. balicateringcompany.com page 135 Yak Map N.4 Bali Deli Tel: 738686 www.balideli.net page 134 Yak Map Y.10 Cafe Bali Tel: 7801515 thecafebali@yahoo.com page 133 Yak Map Q.7 Envy Tel: 752527 www.envy-bali.com page 12 Yak Map C.15 Gourmet Cafe Tel: 8475115 www. balicateringcompany.com page 135 Yak Map P.4 Hu’u Bar/Nut Megs Tel: 736443 Fax: 735573 www.huubali.com page 10 Yak Map M.5 Isola Tel: 289310 www.isolabali.com page 83 Kemiri at Uma Ubud Tel: 972448 www.uma.como.bz Back inside cover Khaima Tel: 7423925 www.khaimabali.com page 131 Yak Map R.8 Ku De Ta Tel: 736969 www.kudeta.net page 3 Yak Map N.9 Kudus at COMO Shambhala

Tel: 978888 www.como.bz Back inside cover Loloan Tel: 736677 www.loloanbali.com page 165 Yak Map N.6 Ma Joly Tel: 753780 www.ma-joly.com page 134 Yak Map B.14 Nammos by the sea Tel: 8482222 page 15 Oceans27 Tel: 765027 www.oceans27.net page 29 Yak Map O.14 Queen's of India Tel: 732770 www.queenstandoor.com page 133 Yak Map V.10 Siam Sally Tel: 980777 www.baligoodfood.com page 81 Sip Wine Bar Tel: 730810 www.sip-bali.com page 135 Yak Map V.13 The Junction Tel: 735610 page 167 Yak Map Q.7 The Shore Tel: 773377 www.nikkobali.com page 83 Waroeng Bonita Tel: 731918 www.bonitabali.com page 165 Yak Map P.4 SHOPS Bali Deco Glass Tel: 7424106 www.bdgsunset2009. blogspot.com page 161 Yak Map E.8 Biasa Tel: 730308 www.biasabali.com page 6-7 Yak Map V.12 Bloomz Fine Flowers Tel: 735761 www.bloomzflowers.com Page 165 Yak Map R.4 Blue Glue Tel: 8445956 www.blue-glue.com page 16 Yak Map V.10 Body & Soul www. bodyandsoulclothing.com Page 5 Yak Map: V.13/V.14 Carlo Tel: 285211 www.carloshowroom.com page 19 Dandelion Tel: 730375 www.dandelionkid.com Page 25 Yak Map: V.8

DeJong Tel: 732107/969 www.dejongfashion.com page 163 Yak Map T.11 Dinda Rella Tel: 736953,734228 www.dindarella.com page 14 Yak Map T.8 GV Amazing Crafts Tel: 735588/7433782 www.gvbali.com page 161 Yak Map V.8 Hishem Tel: 737441 www.hishem.com page 111 Yak Map W.7 Holili www.holili.com page 163 Yak Map U.6 Hospitality Essentials Tel: 7803981 www.sb-he.com page 167 Hussy Tel: 8054009 www.hussy.com.au page 164 Yak Map W.10 Intimate Lingerie Tel: 763765 www.intimatelingeriestore. com page 13 Yak Map P.7 K&I Tel: 737025/736477 Page 21 Yak Map V. 9 Lily Jean Tel: 8475678 www.lily-jean.com page 11 Yak Map S.8/V.11 Lulu Boutique Tel: 736763 www.lulu-bali.com page 9 Yak Map V.8 Loft/Mengs Tel: 736910/733886 paulsplace@dps.centrin. net.id page 109 Yak Map P.8/Q.4 Mandailing Coffee Tel: 8619419 page 161 Yak Map Y.15 Mien Tel: 735964 www.mien-design.com page 67 Yak Map N.5 Milo's Tel: 754081 www.milos-bali.com Inside front cover Yak Map T.8/C.13 Paul Ropp Tel: 734208, 731002, 974655 www.paulropp.com Back cover Yak Map T.8 Pura Vida www.puravidafashion.com Page 27 Yak Map V.9/V.12 Swalk Tel: 431805 Yak Directory Yak Map V.9/V.12