A DATE IN A SUSHI RESTAURANT

Had a date with my love one last Saturday. Since early afternoon that day, I really wanted to eat sushi. Any kind of sushi has flied in front of my mind disturbing my day.........huh! Producing more saliva..........oh no!

After work, quickly I called my love one, ask him if he can go out for dinner together. Sometimes, he has already had arranged an agenda for us. Luckily, he did not!

Arriving there nearly 20.00, we ordered sushi & tempura. As an opening food we chose Gomae, kind of vegetables with sesame seed sauce. I had a hot ocha and my love one preferred to have a lemon tea.

Not long after we had our first bites of our sushi, a couple went in. Quiet young. They sat opposite of our table, a bit in a cross direction. I have a very clear view towards that young couple.

I noticed since entering the restaurant, the man kept on talking on his cell phone. After finish with one conversation, he continued with another new conversation.

He..he..he..., about half an hour, my love one started to pay attention, since the voice of the man of that young couple raised.

My love one turn his face back and for seconds observing the young couple. Then, he whispered........, "If I'm being the date.........., I will already leave him!"

I smiled at him, and explained if the girl seemed like dictating what to say to the man, so she is also involved indirectly in that looooooooooong conversation!

We hardly hold our laugh......since the man started to use idioms and wise words in his conversation, he had a dispute with the person he talked to, and tried to sort things out.

Oh man.........! If we really look our surroundings, we can find many things that actually can save us from bored.

TAMARILLO JAM

Yesterday, was the first time I tasted tamarillo. I like it, sour and a bit sweet taste.
Cultivated a lot in the mountain area of Bali like Bedugul and Kintamani.
Costs Rp. 7.500 / kg, I got the feeling that it is a bit expensive the price we paid yesterday!
I should check next time when I have a chance going up again.

I bought 2 kgs of tamarillos. Stealing one to taste for the first time, the rests I peeled, took out the seeds and scoped the fruit. Chopped it roughly - I used hand blender. I added 600 grm of sugar + one stick of cinnamon, and started to simmer it.

After nearly 40 minutes, I got a beautiful thick tamarillos jam. It has a very beautiful red color, and taste yummy!

SANUR FISHERMEN

Went to Sanur (a beach area east to Denpasar) quiet early morning 2 hours ago with my love one. Hope to get fresh fish from his fishermen friends.

Unfortunately, they came back with empty hands. Traditional fishermen's life is very hard. Taking the risk going down to the deep sea area when we are all having our nice sleep, trying to catch fish for continuing their family life, giving education to their kids, etc. Many times get good catch, but many times get nothing.

If you wish to get really fresh fish, go to Sanur early in the morning, wait for the fishermen who just come back from their night journey. Once you experienced having those fresh fish, the fish which claimed also fresh sold in the supermarket will become tasteless!

ARBEI

I took this picture on my latest journey up to the mountain, to a yet un-explored area. I was really surprised seeing this arbei (that is what we called the berries here) plant, it brought my memory back to my childhood time.

During my childhood time to my teenage period, it was being a routine for my family to spend our holiday season in the village where my dad originally from. Staying there for nearly a month. Going fishing, cycling and exploring many exotic places - mostly out of crowd.

On my grandma's yard there was arbei bushes carrying lots of fruits. After playing in a hot day we (myself and my cousins) used to take a rest, sitting near the bushes and busy picked up riped berries to cure our thirsty.

My cousin who elder than I am explained that the silkworm eats that kind of berries leaves.

The berries I found last week was not as sweet as the berries on my grandma's yard. But it gave me a pleasant feeling.

ENVIRONMENT CONCERN - Maya Ubud Resort & Spa

I visit regularly a beautiful resort located in Ubud, which I knew very well has always improving quality of service, facility and activity programs extended to their guests.

The latest program they have just launched is "TREE PLANTING"
Please find below the media release I have just had:

Plant a Tree and Enhance the Environment

Ubud, Bali – Since its inception six years ago Maya Ubud Resort & Spa (http://www.mayaubud.com)has been very concerned in preserving and protecting the environment surrounding the resort. To enhance these efforts the resort has introduced a program inviting guests to plant a tree along the resort’s riverside nature walk so they may be part of the environmental protection project of the resort. A small fee is charged with the proceeds being donated to an environmental protection agency in Bali.

Guests may choose from a variety of trees available from the resort’s nursery. These include mango, coconut, clove, guava, jackfruit, breadfruit, mangosteen, water apple and coffee to name but a few of the indigenous trees available for selection.

With more than three hectares of land are available along the riverside nature walk, guests may also choose the spot where they would like to plant their tree assisted by a Resort Guide. Each tree planted will then be tagged with the guest’s name and date of planting. They may also add a few special words to the tag as a memento of their visit to Bali.

Mr & Mrs Wolfgang Baermann from Germany on the occasion of their eighth visit to the resort commented while planting the first tree, “We have tried to grow tropical trees we have brought from Bali back in our home town, but have had no success. Now we will have our own mango tree here in Bali and will look forward to seeing how it develops on future visits”

”We are fortunate in having such an amazing site of over ten hectares of land surrounded by rice fields and tropical rainforest, with the resort buildings occupying only ten percent of this land area. The remainder is devoted to lush cultivated tropical gardens and the riverside walk, enabling guests to be at one with nature” commented Paul Blake, General Manager of the resort.

The Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, sits majestically high above the banks of the legendary Petanu River, across from charming historical villages of Bedulu and Pejeng and within walking distance of the vibrant artist centre of Ubud.

For further information please contact:

Ayu Martiasih
Marketing Communications Manager
Maya Ubud Resort & Spa
email : marketing@mayaubud.com

It is good to know if somebody do something nice for the environment. Our world has already been 'screwed' by us. The paradise has faded leaving ruined forests, pollution, and poverty at the end.

Hope the program held by them will run successfully. So in my future visit to the property I can see many more fruits plantation there.

BALI - TRADITIONAL FOOD (3)

People said - Buleleng region (North Part of Bali) is a place where many traditional delicious food available. I went there yesterday and had a chance taste a traditional food called: SATE PLECING. It is a variety of satay (pork and or fish) with sweet or hot sauce.

The sweet sauce made of fermented bean paste, and the hot sauce made of red chillies. Some people like to combine both sauce sauce which give a nice sweet, salty and hot taste.













It is served with slices of cucumber + sambal.














For the soup you will have 2 options, vegetable soup (a clear soup) and SEMUR.
I won't explore further the vegetable soup, it is just a normal clear soup with carrot, diced potato, and green bean.
I like this SEMUR soup very much.
A very thick stock consisted of slices of pork and potatoes. Taste like tomato soup but it has a different smell due to spices they use to cook. There is cloves, nutmeg, pepper and salt all cooked in a perfect balance.
















The drink is also very unique, they named it ES BEER, es = ice; beer is beer.
But do not expect you will get a normal beer as the western world understanding.
This special beer is made of grated young coconut + coconut water + simple syrup and splash of
lemon. Normally it is served in a big bulky glass which can make your stomach really full if you finish it. In this Sate plecing stall it is served with a normal glass! :-D




















So............, next time if you have a chance wandering around Buleleng region, do not forget to find a SATE PLECING stall. The one that I had yesterday is located near Hardy's Supermarket at Jln. Ngurah Rai.

PICKLES........PICKLES

When found this picture, I remembered my 'journey' during my teens period.
My friends and I are noodles lover. There was a small noodle stall in our town, selling Mie Ayam Jakarta. The noodle is made fresh everyday, which occurred a nice smell.

But.........best of the best.... is their pickles! Very thin slices of cucumber combined with vinegar, salt & sugar to taste, but in a very balance way. Really good!

So....., we were famous in 'cleaning' their pickles on those days. If we visited the place, the waiters will starring at us, watching their pickles being 'cleaned' to our stomach.

What....................... a wonderful memory!