A Week In Seminyak, Indonesia

Mr P and I are back from our week long getaway to Seminyak, Indonesia feeling relaxed and recharged - the sign of a good holiday!

I first visited Bali about 15 years ago and stayed in Kuta which is a bustling, lively, party town. This time around it was nice to stay out of the hustle and bustle and in the nicer area of Seminyak.

A few months ago I found an amazing deal on Scoopon which gave us over 60% off accommodation plus a bunch of extras like airport transfers, meals, massages and more which was too good a deal to pass up. 

The place we stayed at The Jineng Villas was amazing - it's a group of about 10 villas which are all privately enclosed with their own swimming pool. If you are looking for a romantic and secluded place to stay which is perfect for couples I highly recommend it. 

The accommodation package included 3 meals a day which they would bring to our villa and set the dining table for a romantic meal. We could have breakfast, lunch or dinner and high tea every day. 

I had so many recommendations from people for places to go for dinner or bars for drinks but because the food was so good at our villa we only went out for lunch and dinner a few times as it was just too relaxing dining in and it was free!

Bali is a really hot and humid climate and they have two seasons - wet and dry. November is the wet season so it was even more humid after it rained, which it did in the afternoon and evening most days. 

So when we weren't having a dip in our private swimming pool we spent time at the beach cooling down with our toes in the water and at the beach side bars.

One day we went on a sightseeing tour with Bali Driver Seminyak - we did the full day Tanah Lot and Countryside Tour. 

We were in our own private van and driven around by our guide out of the city of Bali, through all the little towns and into the countryside. We visited three temples which were all so different and unique to one another, we trekked through a rice terrace field and had lunch overlooking the rice fields (this was on my bucket list and I loved it) and on our way home we went to a coffee and tea plantation and tasted samples of all the different coffee and tea varieties.

It was great to get out of the city and tourist areas for the day and see some of the real Bali.

Another really fun thing we did was a Balinese Cooking Class with Nia Cooking School - it was great and I highly recommend doing a cooking class if you want to know more about the local food.

We met up with our group and were taken to a local food market in Seminyak and learnt all about the different spices, herbs and vegetables used in Balinese cooking. Then we went to the Chef's Restaurant Warung Nia and our group took it in turns to help the Chef prepare each dish - we made 12 dishes in total which we were then served for lunch.

We were given a recipe book of the dishes we made which was a really nice touch. Mr P and I are big foodies so we can't wait to recreate some of these traditional Balinese dishes at home.

We had such a great holiday on this tropical island with a good balance of relaxing, pampering, eating, swimming, shopping and sightseeing!

Have you been to Indonesia? 

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DIY: Sealing The Courtyard Pavers

Our front courtyard was paved 6 months ago but with the wet and cold seasons of Autumn and Winter we've had we haven't had a chance to seal the new limestone pavers because we needed a run of sunny warm days to do this. 

Well last weekend really turned on the sunshine and Perth had it's hottest day in 6 months it reached 37 degrees so we took this opportunity to tick this DIY off the to do list.

On Saturday Mr P got out the pressure cleaner plugged the hose into it and gave the limestone pavers a good clean. 

For any stubborn marks and stains I came along with a scrubbing brush and cleaned them off. 

Then we left the pavers to dry out completely for the rest of the day.

The next day on Sunday we got out the vacuum and cleaned up any grains of sand or grass or anything else so that the pavers would be perfectly clean before we applied the sealer. 

We purchased this Karcher wet dry vacuum when we first started renovating 6 years ago for around $100 and it has been worth it's weight in gold we use it for all our DIY jobs both inside and outside and it means we don't ruin our nice indoor vacuum with dusty dirty renovating clean ups.

Now for the sealer - we used Crommelin Enhanced Satin Paver Sealer which is a tough heavy duty sealer and quite strong smelling. It is a clear and transparent sealer which has a satin sheen to it and made the pavers a tiny bit darker so instead them being a bright white they are now a bit more cream and limestone looking which is actually a good thing as the white was pretty glarey on a bright sunny day! 

Mr P applied the sealer carefully with a paint brush around the courtyard edges and then finished off with a paint roller all the way around the courtyard.

After 2 hours the sealer is dry enough to apply a second coat of sealer.

Again, around the edges with a paint brush and then follow up with the paint roller.

Now that the pavers are sealed if anyone spills a drink or otherwise on the pavers they won't stain because the sealer won't allow it to penetrate into the pavers.

The part that I'm most excited about is that we can now finally bring out some outdoor furniture (which I got months ago and have had to store in the garage) and we can set up some nice pot plants to add some more colour and life to the space and look forward to enjoying some sunny days in our courtyard garden.

Have you tackled any outdoor projects lately?


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Book Review + Preview: The Trophy Child By Paula Daly

This is a book review of The Trophy Child by Paula Daly that is due to be published by Grove Atlantic on 7 March 2017.

I know this book won't be available for another few months but I'm sharing this review now so you can add it to your must read list if you're a suburban thriller fan then you will love this book it's brilliant!

Paula Daly was born in Lancashire and before becoming a writer was a physiotherapist. She now lives in the Lake District with her husband, three children and whippet Skippy.

Set in the English Lake District this is the story of what appears to be an ordinary family The Blooms - A mixed family made up of a bitter tiger Mum pushing her youngest child to do every class and lesson available, a cheating alcoholic Dad who doesn't really know his family at all, and three kids from mixed families who are either pushed to their limits or ignored altogether.

This is a fast paced family drama with incidents happening throughout to keep you engaged and reading on to see what will happen next. There are kidnappings, disappearances and a body among this dysfunctional family filled with dramas and infidelities.

The writing is brilliant in that the suspense and tension is kept up all throughout the story there is never a lull. Although I felt the ending was too fast and wrapped up without more explanation.

What I liked most about this book was it was quite believable in what looks like an ordinary family on the outside can be anything but ordinary behind closed doors.

I recommend this book to readers who like family dramas with a thriller and mystery involved.

I give this book 5 stars out of  5

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:

1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch paint dry than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd give up a bottle of the worlds best champagne for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

The Trophy Child can be purchased from Groove Atlantic

Sharing my book review on Good Reads here and Netgalley

Disclosure:  NetGalley partner with bloggers such as me to help promote authors and their books and I was given this ebook published by Groove Atlantic to review. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Recipe: Slow Cooker Asian Beef, Veggies + Rice

I love cooking with Asian flavors but usually I make a quick stir fry so I thought I'd make a stir fry style dinner in my slow cooker, that way I can set it in the morning and forget about it until dinner time.

This Asian Beef turned out so good, really tasty sauce, melt in the mouth tender meat, and with veggies added in the last few minutes and tasty garnishes, served on rice it is a simple and healthy mid week meal.

Slow Cooker Asian Beef, Veggies + Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large brown onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

500g chuck steak, thickly sliced

1/2 cup soy sauce (I use the salt reduced one)

1 cup beef stock

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tbs ginger, finely grated

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice

1/2 tsp white pepper

To serve

1 cup frozen peas

Bok choy, stalks sliced (you can use any Asian green vegetable)

3 spring onions, sliced

1/2 cup cashews, lightly toasted

Fresh coriander leaves

Sesame seeds

Cooked rice

Method

Note: I have a sear a slow cooker which I fry/brown in first - you can use a frypan first and then transfer everything to the slow cooker (always brown the meat first to seal in the flavour and so it holds its shape and doesn't fall apart while slow cooking).

1.  Heat oil and brown meat on both sides, remove and set aside.

2.  Heat oil and fry onion and garlic for a few minutes.

3.  Add beef back into slow cooker.

4.  Add soy sauce, beef stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, Chinese five spice and white pepper. Give it a good stir.

5. Put lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

6. When you're ready to eat add the bok choy and peas to slow cooker and cook on low for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. Once the veggies are cooked through it's ready to serve.

To serve add cooked rice to bowl, top with Asian beef and veggies being sure to ladle lots of the lovely sauce over the rice, garnish with spring onions, cashews, coriander and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. 

Enjoy!

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Book Club Book Review: The Husband's Secret By Liane Moriarty

This is my book review of the October book club pick The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

This is the second book by Liane Moriarty that my book club has picked to read and she is fast becoming one of my favourite authors - you can read my review of her other book Big Little Lies here

This is the story told by three main characters - Cecilia, Tess and Rachel who all live in a typical American suburb.

The main focus is on Cecilia who has a perfect life with her perfect kids and husband until she discovers a letter from her husband confessing something from his past that changes her life and everything she thought she knew. Then there is young Tess who is having marriage issues and moves back in with her Mum and sends her son to the local school. There's older Rachel who works at the school and carries the grief of her daughter being murdered many years ago.

Each of the lives of these women interact with each other and have a connection although they don't realise just how much their lives are intertwined until the very end of the story.

Although the story has a dark side it was very easy to read, told in a lighthearted way, with very well defined and likable characters. There is a lot happening with families and love interests to keep the story entertaining.

Often in books you are left guessing at the end whereas this was the opposite and ran through how things could have turned out and what may have been - this was an unusual way to end and I really liked it.

I recommend this book to Liane Moriarty fans.

I give this book 4 stars out of  5

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:

1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch paint dry than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd give up a bottle of the worlds best champagne for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

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[Image via Dymocks]

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Etsy Love: Press For Champagne

I have splurged on myself with this amazing handmade find from Lisa Go Lightly on Etsy

Yes my friends it's a 'Press for champagne' sign with a bell that actually rings!

If there are any men reading this and you are looking for a gift idea for someone special in your life then this is it!  

I don't know anyone who wouldn't want an emergency button like this for those times in life when you just need a chilled glass of bubbly!!

This sign originated from the Montage Beverly Hills which has a working version of it in The Film Noir Suite.

The Suite has been decorated with a Hollywood glamour theme complete with phonograph and vinyl records, typewriter and a 1940's themed room service menu and of course the 'Press for champagne' bell which is wired directly to the hotel kitchen so they can attend to your needs!

I will admit this was quite an indulgent purchase at almost $200 but it has been on my wishlist for years and I just couldn't hold back anymore I knew I had to have one. 

I guess I could have attempted a DIY and made my own and there are some great posts I found where people have done just that - you can find a DIY here.

Lucky for me Mr P is giving it to me for a Christmas gift and it may also have to be next year's Birthday gift as well!

Now all I need to do is find the perfect spot for it at home .... and to keep the champagne chilled in the fridge and at the ready! 

Have you splurged on anything lately?

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[All images via Lisa Go Lightly & Last image Montage Beverly Hills (via Pinterest)]



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DIY: How To Hang Art With Trojan Tools

Over the years as I've traveled to different places I've limited my gimmicky souvenir purchases which ironically are mostly made in China and I've never even been to China! Instead I look for handmade items from the markets or local streets to buy direct from the people who make it.

On our honeymoon in the USA last year we came home with three beautiful artworks all representing special memories of our travels. This black and white sketch of Bourbon Street in New Orleans we picked up from the artist himself at the local market and he even wrote a message for us on the back - you can't get a more personalized souvenir than that!

This art needed to be framed and luckily it was an easy size to frame myself so I hit the shops and found an inexpensive frame at Kmart with a simple black frame and white matting for a professional look.

Mr P and I are experienced art hangers now and have become a lot quicker at this DIY task compared to how long it took us to hang our first gallery wall of black and white photos.

Once you have your art hanging technique right there's no stopping the different arrangements you can create - centered arrangements, gallery photo walls, gallery art walls, the possibilities are endless!

But of course you need to have the right tools for the job too. Being a home DIYer I'm a fan of Trojan Tools which are an Australian brand of tools found on the shelves at Bunnings and marketed towards home improvement and DIY enthusiasts. I've used their renovating tools before and was more than happy to receive some tools needed to hang art at home like a pro.

To hang art you need - A tape measure, level, pencil, hammer or drill

Then you can use - A nail, wall plug, screw or hook

I decided to hang the framed art in our recently renovated powder room just off the laundry which was in need of some finishing touches.

The framed art may have stayed in this spot for a couple of months before we hung it on the wall just to be sure we had found the right home for it .... Does anyone else take months to decide where to hang art or is it just me?

A step by step on how you can hang art

Firstly, you need to decide where to hang your art - hold the frame up and play around with different positions until you find the one you like. As this is a small room, it looked best to center the art on the wall. 

Another tip when it comes to finding the height for hanging art is at eye level, otherwise it can come off looking too high or too low. We went with Mr P's eye level because I am a short-ass!

Use a tape measure to find the center of the wall and mark the center with a pencil.

Next use a tape measure to measure the frame and find out where the center is and mark the center of the frame with a pencil.

Hold the frame against the wall in the position where you want to hang it and use your pencil to mark the center point on the wall.

We used a small level to check the frame was straight and then a large level to draw a straight line.

Now this next part is something we learnt from previous mistakes to do - otherwise your picture will not hang in the exact spot you want it to!

If you have hanging wire on the back of the frame you need to hook your tape measure into the wire and pull towards the top of the frame and measure the distance between the top of the frame and the wire. Likewise if it's a hook on the back of the frame you need to do the same thing and measure the distance from the hook to the top of the frame - this frame had a hook.

Measure on the wall again adding in the measurement between the hook/wire and frame and this new X marks the spot is where you need to drill the hole and hang the hook.

Bear in mind the nail, screw or hook needs to be the correct weight to support the frame.

We use both screws and hooks depending on the type of frame or art we are hanging - nails don't go through our brick walls so that's not an option for us. 

As we have brick walls we used a drill to drill a hole and then a hammer to drive a plug in.

Then we used a drill again to drive a screw into the plug.

A tip to keep the dust from going everywhere when you're drilling is to hold a dustpan underneath to collect the dust - then you don't have anything to clean up!

I have myself a very handy hubby he can work a drill and clean at the same time!!

Once your hook (or screw in our case) is in you're ready to hang your art on the wall.

With one final check of the level, place it on top of the frame, to check that it's straight and then stand back and admire your handy work.

There you have it - in less than half an hour we have hung our art just like a professional!

It's so nice to have some personality on the walls and something interesting to look at - the powder room can be quite a boring place otherwise!

It's so nice to be reminded of our travels to New Orleans with this gorgeous piece of NOLA art on our wall at home.

Do you take months to decide where to hang art? Or is it just me!

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Disclosure: Thanks very much to Trojan Tools for providing some Trojan tools for review. I have not received any payment or compensation for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

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[All images my own]

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