Imagine a three-month well planned garden party all of a sudden dissolved by heavy rain. Invited guests scattered around, food soaking wet, and all the fine decorations destroyed by water. Imagine an open-aired professionally prepared musical concert cannot proceed because of water pouring unexpectedly from the dark sky overhead...more

Jimbaran Puri Bali has recently been reopened following the completion of extensive renovations. The cottages are now considerably large, with upgraded facilities and an entirely new swimming pool with natural green stone finish graces the heart of the property, running parallel to the beach...more

One such place is the aptly named 'Jalan Brick Lane' in Umalas, a residential neighbourhood of Kerobokan. Unlike its more famous London namesake there isn't a curry house in sight; but there are a growing number of luxury villas. I was invited to view the lovely Villa Menari (which means 'dancing' in Bahasa Indonesia, you'll get the significance of this in a second) by Michael Dance, a Brit with a background in the media business...more

The European interlopers introduced Balinese artists to the wider range of colors in Western painting, and to the variety of effects possible with ready-made brushes and fine-woven canvas. More important, Spies and Bonnet introduced Western techniques such as perspective, and encouraged their students to venture beyond the traditional mythological subject matter and paint scene from everyday life...more

Chef Gary Rosen is often remarked as being one of the most innovative chefs on Bali. His mixture of spices and flavours are what stands him apart from the rest, as well as his fun, somewhat unconventional personality and approach to cooking...more

Life without wine can be pretty dull and wine without life can be just as painful. The world wine industry churns out a lot of lifeless wine. Why? Because we are drinking it, that is why! Research conducted in 2004 uncovered that 97% of bottles bought in the wine store are consumed within 24 hours of purchase, furthermore, 95% of these wines are priced in the USD 8-14 range...more

For a relatively small island, Bali probably has the most complete variety of international fare restaurants compared to other islands. But where does one go for quality Indonesian dining, where one can indulge in a beautiful and indigenous atmosphere, savor delicious authentic dishes, and have decent wines? Instead of restaurants, Hotel Tugu in Canggu has spectacular theatrical dining venues with different themes that transport guests from one era of Indonesia's past to another...more