Bali through my eyes

It was a Friday night.

I had just finished a relaxing massage and suddenly found myself craving a good cocktail. How I wished my favorite bar was still around (they do, but different) ʕ•_•ʔ

While sipping on the complimentary ginger tea, I opened Gmaps and started searching for bars nearby. That's when District 1 popped up. It wasn't far, the reviews were promising, and their grams looked like my kind of place ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

A few minutes later, I found myself walking up the stairs above a Vietnamese restaurant. The moment I stepped in, I knew I'd made the right choice. It's the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to slow down after a long day.

I told the bartender I liked my cocktails strong, not sweet (if possible, not sweet at all😂), though a little sourness is fine.

At first, I ordered the La Vie en Rose cocktail, mainly because my name is Rose too. But, I guess the universe had other plans. By an honest accident, another bartender mixed it incorrectly and let me taste it anyway. It was way toO sweet for me. He laughed and said, "Well... the real La Vie en Rose tasted more or less like this" ʕ – ᴥ – ʔ

Then the first bartender smiled and said, "don't worry, we'll make you something that's not on the menu."

A few minutes later, here it came! He told me this was a mix of passion fruit, a touch of bourbon, a hint of martini (if I am remembering correctly), elderflower and a dusting of matcha on top. Well... hats off...

For the first time, a bartender completely understood what I wanted without me having to over-explain it. That's rare.

When I asked what the cocktail called, he simply replied "We just made it and there's no name for this."

So I said, "then let's call it Jessie, like Jessie from Toy Story.. and also me..." ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ He instantly agreed~

Then I told him that I'll always come back for this one, and he just noddedʕ – ᴥ – ʔ

I mean, I was really impressed. Strong, floral, slightly tangy, and not overly sweet. The funny thing is, if someone asked me to describe my ideal cocktail, I'd probably end up describing this... or maybe, I'd just tell them to order a Jessie at District 1 🤠🍸(￣▽￣*)ゞ

the energy is shifting and still don’t know what the future holds, but definitely excited to see what comes next 🪷💫✨

Honestly, June is kinda one of the best months to experience Bali. The air is crisp, the weather is just right🍃 It’s not scorching hot and the humidity is much lower, making it so comfortable to be outdoors.

And the sunsets? Absolutely surreal. Every evening feels like the sky is putting on a different masterpiece. Cotton candy hues, golden light and dreamy pastel skies☁️🌸💫

It’s one of those things that photos can never fully capture.. nonetheless, I love capturing these little moments and turning them into memories I’ll always cherish💛🧸✨

The moon was saying hi👋🏻 and the cotton candy sky felt soO magical🍭 This might be a normal view in Bali.. but to me, it’s always something special. And I don’t think I will ever get tired of witnessing skies like this🍬🌸💗💫

A beautiful sunset sky with an unexpected model🐶

The sun slowly disappeared beyond the horizon, the crescent moon quietly took its place, and before long, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury began to appear one by one.

Sometimes life feels a little magical when we simply stop and watch💫

The sky was particularly clear and beautiful that day!

I happened to visit Mertasari on a new moon, when the sky belonged to the kites. One by one, they took flight, rising with the wind and dancing above the beach.

Watching them felt strangely reflective.

A kite needs a good wind to lift it, but it also takes a great deal of effort to keep it steady in the sky. Perhaps life is a little like that too. We all need support from something beyond ourselves, yet we still have to do the work of staying aloft.

🪁✨

This marks my third Nyepi in Bali and I wouldn’t trade this for anything else!

I feel incredibly blessed to experience Nyepi here, where time seems to stop ticking for a while. In that rare stillness, I get to witness a sky full of stars right from my balcony🌌✨

Once, a friend recommended me to try a bowl of bihun bebek in Kuta. At first, I was hesitant because I'd tried bihun bebek once before and in Medan, and while it was good, it didn't leave much of an impression on me. But the way my friend said that this was the best bihun bebek she had ever tasted, I was curious enough to give it a try...

And.... I was completely hooked. The bihun or rice vermicelli had just the right texture, the seasoning was spot on, allowing every ingredient to shine without overpowering the bowl. It was generously topped with tender duck meat, fresh spring onion, and fragrant fried garlic. But if I'm being asked what made me fall in love with this dish, it would have to be the herbal broth. It was so comforting..rich, aromatic and deeply soothing, it felt like the kind of broth that warms you from the inside out. This is definitely something I crave after a Friday night out 🐻🍜✨

I think what makes it even special is that this menu is only available on Saturdays, and if you arrive past lunch, there's a good chance this bihun bebek will already be sold out.

Here's the location of the restaurant: https://share.google/MXI8Mno6q5GLoCzcI

Disclaimer: I can only confidently recommend the bihun bebek and the homemade fried dumplings. Everything else on the menu? You're on your own :)