Now that things seem to be easing up, i’m going to be blogging a lot more about the many trips i took in the past few months! I’d been saying for years that i needed to take my parents to one of my favourite places in the world, and we’ve finally struck that off the list – Bali!
I planned a trip for us to stay in three main areas across the island – Ubud, Lovina, and Seminyak. Our first stop was Ubud, famed for its gleaming green rice terraces, traditional arts, colourful markets, babi guling, and many-a yoga/meditative practices and raw food movements.
Via Agoda, we stayed at Kamandalu, one of Bali’s pioneering 5-star luxury resorts that stretches across 3.5 hectares of private land. The beautiful property is inspired by Panglipuran village (one of the oldest and most traditional settlements in Bali) and is surrounded by lush rice paddies.
In Sanskrit, ‘Kamandalu’ refers to ‘the vessel that contains the water of life’, and the resort prides itself on carrying out its philosophy by providing life-enhancing rejuvenation. Just looking back at the photographs and rekindling how i felt when i was there is rejuvenating enough for me. It was such a beautiful relaxing place to just immerse myself into for days – one of those premises where you really don’t have to leave at all (nor want to).
Having been around for many years, the already beautiful resort recently saw a huge makeover to cater to the demands of today’s discerning traveller while preserving its heritage and timeless serenity. Kamandalu’s main facilities have just been redesigned by Grahacipta Hadiprana, a renowned architect and design firm in Indonesia.
The resort is built on curving ridges above the Petanu River and is a mere 10-minute drive from the centre of Ubud.
Each chalet or villa in Kamandalu comes with a view of either terraced rice paddies or plunging valleys. There are 1 to 3 bedroom villas, some with private landscaped gardens, private pools, or large living rooms, depending on each guest’s desires.
We could choose to dine between the award-winning Petulu Restaurant or Aira Cafe. Petulu, a spacious restaurant overlooking the glorious rice terraces, serves authentic Indonesian cuisine from a menu designed by leading culinary expert William Wongso. Aira Cafe is an open air affair by the swimming pool.
One could also opt to have a special Kamandalu Afternoon Tea, simply dine in the privacy of one’s villa, or have a picnic lunch prepared to enjoy with the view of Ubud’s tropical forest.
They have all sorts of activities and excursions organised, i wish i could have stayed longer to try them all!
There are guided walks/bicycle tours through the rice paddies, bird watching in the evenings, morning strolls through Tampak Siring village and Gunung Kawi Temple, Balinese cooking classes, village trekking, visits to the Peliatan Palace and Elephant Cave Temple… They can even help arrange white-water rafting, golfing, canoeing, surfing, diving, etc.
If you have children (so many of my friends have children so i need to write this down!), you’d be relieved to know there are baby cots and babysitter services, and lots of activities for the kiddies like Bali Junior Chef classes (for ages 4-5, and 5-10), Balinese egg decorating/painting, ceramic molding lessons, gebogan (learn the Balinese way of life by making offerings), canang (weaving with coconut leaves), and gamelan (Balinese dance). A lot right! Tire them out proper so they’ll pass out by bedtime, i say!
Despite all the many activities provided for the restless and adventurous, Kamandalu is ultimately a getaway that effortlessly excels in providing the atmosphere for relaxation. You can’t avoid feeling that; what with all the lush nature, singing birds and gentle breeze tickling you constantly.
One of my favourite features in the resort and something that makes me want to return… is their magnificent yoga and meditation teak pavilion set amidst the treetops of Ubud.
It was here that i had a kismet one-on-one meditation session with their resident yogi Arif (story to come n a separate post). He holds complimentary yoga sessions daily too.
More pix after the jump from my entire stay there!
It was kinda weird how i ended up in the Philippines for New Year’s Eve. It was a completely impulsive move that felt right when i agreed to it. Having recently been single, i found my regular New Year’s Eve plans up in the air. All my couple friends had their families and babies to take care of, and some single friends invited me here and there for NYE, but i wasn’t feeling it. So i said no.
During a random lunch at Ben’s @ Publika with Lexie, she invited me to join her in Manila and Boracay with two other single girl friends. The moment i heard it, something in my mind went, “YES!” So i booked my flights to spend a week in the Philippines. It was great. By being so far away, and New Year’s Eve week; i could keep my phone and laptop at bay without feeling guilty.
The night before leaving, I worked till some stupid time like 5am, slept for 1 hour, then woke up at 6 to catch our morning flight. I figured i could sleep when i’s on holiday. The moment we arrived in Manila, the driver took us straight to a hair appointment Lexie’s mum so kindly booked for us. I don’t have much hair to style so… i got a wash and blow instead. I succumbed to Burger King cos i was starving and if i didn’t feed myself, i would have slipped into angry fairy mode. It was okay, i told myself. It’s New Year’s Eve after all.
Went back to hers, and while we were getting ready for dinner, i wished i had a drink while doing my make up. Lexie walks into the bathroom, and hands me a large wine glass with sangria in it, “My dad made it.” The timing was impeccable.
I thought Buster (their mum’s chihuahua) was cute when he ran off with one of my flower headbands to hide with his other toys in the living room. Cuteness factor decreased a bit when i spotted him about to pee in my Rimowa and managed to fling carry him off in a split second.
Got ready, bla bla, made Enrique (Lexie’s brother) wait, then us three headed out to the City of Dreams for dinner before partying.
It’s a brand new casino resort which also holds the Hyatt, restaurants, Pangaea club, and god knows what other facilities i have no idea about.
Lexie and i looking up at the fascinating ceiling work. I’m wearing a white romper from Love Bonito, clutch from Brisbane, shoes from Kurt Geiger.
We had dinner at Prego. The steak tartare was divine. I wish it was a bigger portion!
Sambuca shots
We hit it pretty hard with champagne and coffee patron the moment we arrived…
I was SO excited for it to turn into New Year’s tho! I can’t remember the last time i felt so excited… i just FEEL like 2015 is gonna be such a great year. 2014 brought so many changes and self-discoveries, i feel like i’m more ready to explode in 2015. Amazing things are gonna happen, i just KNOW it! When the date turned to a new year, i felt a shift in me (well, i thought i did). Like a new chapter is starting. I was just so excited about LIFE.
We partied till lateeeee. The next day Lexie and i died trying to wake up to head to the airport for our flight to Boracay. It sounded like such a great idea at the time – spend New Year’s Eve in Manila! Then New Year’s Day in Boracay!
Reason it’s stupid is cos i didn’t think of how much suffering it takes to get oneself to the airport hungover.
I noticed it was 1:11 on 1st January and took a screenshot.
Lexie in hungover mode.
Anyway to make a long story short: we waited for our flight which was delayed for hours. HOURS. When we finally got onto the shuttle that was taking us from our gate to the plane, we were told the flight was cancelled. Lexie and i headed back home cos we got ourselves on the next morning’s flight at 6am. Went home, gave sad faces, ate a meal, got a shower, felt happier, watched The Interview, and hung out.
NEXT DAY WE finally get to Boracay!
We arrived in time to catch breakfast with Saira and Hajar at the Strand, where we were all staying.
Before going to Boracay, we saw how the weather forecast said it was most likely to rain every day we were there. But i was just so adamant it wouldn’t. Like, it’s NOT possible. Every time people told Lex and i that, we’d be like, “No… it’s not gonna rain.” And you know what? It didn’t rain a single day we were there. (Well, not when we were out anyway.) It was kinda cloudy on the first day we were there… but it kept on getting better and better throughout the trip! #sopositiveyoucan’teven
My sunnies are from Mouet, Italian sunglasses handmade with 100% acetate.
January just FLEW BY. I honestly thought Jan would be a slow month for me, but work and proposals to prepare have been overwhelming. I seem to have returned to working every day, keeping up social activities in between, and barely getting enough sleep.
If only i didn’t have to sleep… then i could do MORE things.
Or if only i could stretch time then i’d have more hours in a day.
Some random pictures from stuff i was doing in Jan:
Went to Hajar & Aishah’s Coachella-themed birthday party. It was totally my kinda theme!
Channeling my inner little poniness and piling on the sparkle! Tried new waterproof pink and purple metallic eyeliners from Shu Uemura, and eyeshadows from MAC and Stila.
When i was dressing up for the party, i had the ingenious idea to DIY metallic fringe to hang from a pom pom headband i have from the KinkyBlueFairy store. (We’re gonna be selling the metallic fringe very soon!) I was so proud of myself, i felt like they were super long sparkly pony hairs fluttering in the breeze.
I managed to play with my hoop for ages and ages at their party… at times i’d just run off and be by myself and play till i got thirsty or wanted to talk to someone. Made lots of new friends that day!
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Since my hair is so striking these days, i wear black once a week (just cos i feel like it).
Here’s i’m wearing a silk black dress from Gallo by Thian, and a thin jacket from FV Basics / Fashion Valet.
On right are lights at Hyde at 53M. Been so busy that i barely go there anymore…
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Hannah and i on the left. One weekday night, Digi got me to attend their launch at KL Tower and i went not knowing what to expect…
I ended up instagramming:
“Oh WOW that was the BEST TEN MINUTES of my day! First some dude BASE-jumped off the top of KL tower and landed right in front of me with lights strapped all over him, the side of KL Tower lit up with the words Lets Inspire, and then and then FIREWORKS went off (and I didn’t take too many pix cos I just wanted to ENJOY it with my eyes) and was sooo happy just gazing up at it and absorbing it for ages… And then when I thought it was over, confetti RAINED DOWN ON me for AGES. Ages and ages till I took so many photos just laughing in it. Oh god can’t take it.”
There were MOUNDS of confetti lying everywhere on the ground. So much so that i almost threw myself in it to play some more and stared wistfully at it saying aloud, “I wish i could take it all home!” And you know what Mark did? He got someone to get me a massive plastic bag (so massive i could crawl into it) and they stuffed it with confetti for me to take home. I was so happy i hugged it all the way out with the registration girls commenting, “Wow, I’ve never seen anyone tapau confetti before.”
That’s me. WHY LET THE CONFETTI GO TO WASTE?!
The whole event was to launch Digi’s new branding with their tagline – Let’s Inspire. Well. I felt damn inspired that night… while making my way to the carpark in the shuttle van, i happened to meet a reader called Zahira, who introduced me to her friend Haziq, who happened to be the BASE jumper that night! I was so excited i took his number cos i used to be obsessed with BASE jumping when i was a teenager when it was a new thing that started then… and am thinking MAYBE THIS IS A SIGN i should finally try it cos WHY ELSE would the Universe align for us to meet!?
Excitement inspires me… people inspire me; and people who do exciting things – double whammy!
Right after the Digi event, i headed to Play @ The Roof for Moet & Chandon‘s Moët Rosé Unfurl the Tie party.
Chelsia & i on the left. On right are two pink things i heart – strawberry Pocky and pink Moet!
On left: Baby, Shannon and i.
On right: Alexia and Lais, new model friends based in Bangkok! Forgot the guys’ names oops.
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Since my hair has been purple/pink, i can’t stop being attracted to all these pink/purple things around me…
I took a pic with the Me Clinic logo cos we’re the same colour! I’ve been going to ME Clinic for laser treatments for my pigmentation caused by hormonal imbalance and overexposure to the sun. They’re having a Buy-1-get-1-free Promo for laser treatment (RM800 per session) till 16th Feb, just mention JOYCE.
On right is me with Anu at the ChuLip launch – a Japanese lip balm that looks like a cute lil egg. I carry a purple one around wiht me now… in my purple bag, that also happens to hold a purple external charger, with a purple keychain, all to match… my purple hair 🙄
Ever since Baby joined as manager early this month, we’ve joked that we’re the parents (cos we’re around the same age) and the rest (at ages 20-25) are our ‘kids’.
It started when i asked her to join me alone for lunch one day, and just before she whatsapped, “The kids want to join.”
I said okay la, come.
The reason i hired her is cos i can’t always be in the office to supervise their process and performance, and i needed some extra help. She tells me daily how it’s going in the office, who’s been bad, who’s been good, who’s been great, and who’s been silly. And then we talk about their current states and how we can help them become better.
Some people have said that i shouldn’t get so emotionally involved with the people i hire and work with. I tried it for one week and it didn’t work out for me. I just CAN’T. I have to be financially AND emotionally invested in them. I think i’m adult enough to know when the line has been crossed.
We’re all very close and i feel we share a lot with each other. I know a lot about their personal lives. And they mine. I think it’s important to understand each other better… cos when we know what’s going on; there is less miscommunication about why someone is acting a certain way a particular day, or how to evolve a problem into a solution.
I like how because we’re so open with each other, we can say the stupidest things.
Example: Sweet Ee’s sticker obsession.
Sweet Ee has been obsessed with stickers for weeks. A month ago or something, she announced how she’d spent RM250 on stickers and stationary, and i was like, “Are you serious?” And then today at a lunch meeting, she slides out a small stack of stickers to proudly show me her recent purchases – MORE stickers, amounting up to RM80.
I tell you, her spending habits send me on a reel. I don’t feel like i need to have a child now cos Sweet Ee is my teenage daughter. I even told my own parents all the stories and declared, “Wow. Now i know how it feels like to be you.” Stress okay.
But anyway, embrace everyone as they are right, so i layaned her stickers and slowly sifted through the stack studying every design. There were some really nice ones! Like illustrated animals, French cartoons, and alcohol bottles.
Me: Oh! These are so cute! *holds up one tiny sheet*
Sweet: Yeahhhh
Me: How much were they?
Sweet: I think RM20…
Me: What! (*thinking: I’m not gonna pay RM20 for that…*) Oh Sweet Ee… i don’t know what to do with you… *hands her stickers back*
I put another bite of sashimi and rice into my mouth, my thoughts drowning in all the things i wanted to nag her about.
Me: I’m just gonna… stop.
Baby: Yeah, just stop. *gives me a forget it look*
Sweet: Awww…. *puts her head down and stickers back into her journal*
I run through my head on any positive things about her spending so much money on stickers. A few hundred RM is a bit much on stickers, but you could buy worse things than that, like, like… drugs!
Me: … better than drugs! Oh my god Sweet Ee! BUY ALL THE STICKERS YOU WANT!!!
Baby: *through her laughter* Buy all the stickers you want!!!
Just don’t tell us how much it cost ok.
Yeah so that’s today sticker drama… what else. Oh i was a bit naughty, and hid a rubber lizard in her closed organiser when she went to get coffee, and when she came back and opened it, she screamed SO LOUDLY she gave US a shock.
I still couldn’t help laughing into her shoulder tho, and said, “Sorry!!!”
Manatau she’s so scared of lizards…
Hours later, Baby and i were talking –
Me: Man, i can’t believe we didn’t record her.
Baby: Yeah… so stupid.
Me: We have to have a proper strategy next time… *plots*
Okay besides the stupid things we do, i learn a lot from them by being so close to them. I see them more than my family and friends combined! Last year, i must have seen Sweet Ee’s face more than ANY one else all year.
They’ve taught me how to be patient, and less stressed. They’ve had a lot to do with the less stress part by helping me a lot with all the things going on. The blog, PR, events, online store, photoshoots, orders from suppliers, operations, everything. They’ve even been very nice to sometimes run my errands when my schedule is packed ever so tightly.
Ohai #kinkybluefairyteam
Jane (freelances for us), Sweet Ee (our prodigal daughter), Weng Yee (our little star), Adrian (our new star), and Baby (little dragon). This was taken at a lunch meeting with Jane last week to discuss a photoshoot.
Below was taken on another night, when they all went out for dinner (without me boohoo! cos i had an event to attend).
Don’t i have the cutest team?! Don’t i don’t?!
When i saw it on Instagram tho, i was like, “Baby, where are your clothes??”
Baby: That’s how i dress when i go out la.
Me: Oh… *thinking it is officially after working hours… and she looks hot!* Well, if i had abs like that i would too.
Baby is being my cheerleader getting me back into my regular workouts. I haven’t exercised for MONTHS. 3 months to be exact. I’m going for a hoop class tomorrow, and then getting back into Powerplate next week. I even got Sonia to email me that Kayla Itsines work out.
Since she’s joined, our little name card family is looking cuter!
Everyone gets to pick a wallpaper for their own name card that they really like cos i think it’d best depict their character. From top to bottom is mine, Sweet Ee’s, then Baby’s.
And thennnn as our job titles…
I know i know, some people are like, “What kind of designation is that?”
At the end of the day, these are all just LABELS. How can a person be defined by what they do in one or two words? Every one does all sorts of things according to their fortes… so we might as well just make them up… and… who’s gonna stop us? Hahahaha!!
Sweet Ee does the accounts, store orders, invoicing, organises the photoshoots, and general operations of the store.
If i need writing or editing done, i turn to Baby and Joe. Joe also does graphic design for us, but we recently added another freelancer to our list – Kuman! He’s working on a new big project that’s exciting…
Weng Yee and Adrian (our stars!) help out with everything – photo-editing, prepping excel and ppt docs, get the smaller projects going.
Baby mothers everyone and laughs at their jokes. She also prepares decks, manages all our communications in English and Malay (Sweet Ee handles the Chinese communications cos she’s so excellent at it), everyone’s timelines, and makes sure no one fucks up (or if they do, not to do it again). And if they do… the little dragon is released (and it’s damn scary).
Haha so that’s my little team. Okay i’m gonna stop now cos it’s late and i just got back from work, and then i BLOG about work? Like not enough issit Joyce…
By the way, we are looking for new interns to join us.
Our little star Weng Yee is leaving us soon for London, and every day Baby and i are like #boohoo #sad #idontwanthertogo #itsherlastdaysoon #ohno #gonnamissher #iwishshewasntgoing
See this is what happens when you get attached. When they leave the nest there’s so much drama.
So yes, we’re looking for new little stars.
We pay a token fee of RM400 a month and claims.
You will help out with… everything. Well, we’ll find out what you like to do, what you’re good at, and put you to work!
We are looking for people who are into any of the following:
social media, writing, photography, video, advertising, PR,
marketing, operations, accounts, graphic design, events, e-commerce.
I would like beings who are responsible, creative, eager to learn, and NICE.
If you wanna sit with us, email me at joyce@kinkybluefairy.com.
One Friday Joyce and I had the pleasure of attending Cuevolution‘s Official Launch Party at The Studio at KL in Publika. Cuevolution is a online boutique founded in July 2014 by former scientific researcher Lim Ai Chiin. The launch party was an opportunity for everyone to have a look at some of the pieces being brought in from around the globe; as well as meet the designers behind them speak about their collections.
Joyce, Ai Chiin, and I. Ai Chiin is wearing one of the scarves as a top from Christine Sabaiduc’s collection.
Christina Sabaiduc (on right) caught our eye right away with her mesmerizing silk piece.
Christina shared with us about how she collaborated with photographer Jo Holland, who specialises in light based dark room photography, to create images which consisted of close up shots of seemingly average objects around.
The process involved using an enlarger in a dark room to expose the pattern straight onto photo film without the use of a camera.
The artwork on this dress was created from frozen contact lens solution. As they were ‘taking’ the photo, the solution was slowly melting thus creating movement – something that can’t be recreated thus giving more life to it.
Christina aims for versatility in her pieces, and exemplified various ways in which one could wear her silk robe. Cleverly-placed loops, and drapes in sheaths allows the piece to be worn long and short, tied to look casual or formal, and even into a pseudo playsuit with shorts!
