Well my old header for starters...and goodbye 2010! Though I'm not much of "New Years Resolutions" kind of gal, I find that I always secretly make some kind of promise to myself, to reach a certain goal, attain a specific achievement, whether it's working out more, writing more, cooking more...but I think I'm doing pretty darn good these days. I mean, sure, we all have an area where we can improve, it wouldn't be any fun if we didn't, but I think if I am going to have a New Years Resolution it will be to minimize, minimize, minimize! Clear the slate and start fresh, with my plate full of only things that make me happy or make me better. Well, that and lose 10 lbs (JUUUST KIDDING!!) It's almost 2011 over here, less than a day away, and I'm not sure if I am going to be coherent enough later to say this, so Happy New Year to the people in this time zone, and an early Happy New Year to the people further away! Be safe and happy : )

Bullion - Say Goodbye To What

Sorry for the lack of attention here folks! I have been feeling quite guilty about not keeping you all in the loop, and all that jazz that comes along with it. But as I sit here, sipping my very sweet, morning coffee and hear the water pumping into our little koi pond....I think I am going to need a few more days of contemplation, reconfiguration, and peace. Soooo....What I'm saying is that I love you for checking in, but due to the holidays and over-eating...I need to save my energy for digesting and sleeping : p! I will be back January 1st for serious info spills and pictures to share my holiday with YOU!


On a side note, I can't help but share this movie with you. It's out in theaters now and although I wasn't too sure about the title (Black Swan?! Gimme a break), when I saw it at the DVD stand for a buck fifty I couldn't help but indulge in what I thought would be very girly BS that I'd never, ever tell my brothers I viewed, much less paid for! So you can imagine my surprise when I popped it in, and from the opening scene not only was I completely captured by the dark scenes and intimidating atmosphere of ballet between young women, but the acting was superb! I mean, Natalie Portman is completely gorgeous and is always a wonderful person to watch on the screen, but I mean ALL the actors were just fantastic and fitting! (Winona Ryder, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel...and directed by Darren Aronofsky- Directed "Requiem for a Dream", which was/is incredible). Just go see it...let me know what you think!




Also, might I suggest 127 Hours. I haven't found it available out here yet, but the trailer practically moved me to tears (granted, some commercials have the same effect so I'm not sure that has much weight), but I have heard awesome things about this movie. Directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and stars James Franco, who isn't too hard on the eyes...I mean his acting skills are phenomenal (they really are!) So check it out and see if it grabs your fancy...




And for you couch potatoes out there (I'm one of you too these days), A Serious Man, by the Coen Brothers. Hilarious at times, dry in others, and pretty much all around one of the more quirky movies I've seen in a long while (I mean, it is directed by two guys known for this quality...) I would highly suggest this flick (but have a romantic comedy in hand, to follow up on it, if you are having a sensitive streak). Don't be fooled by the super bizarre opening scene...just keep watching!




And there I go again. I thought I just said that I was taking a few more days off, but I can't stop thinking about these flicks, so I'm happy to get it off my chest. They really are fantastic so go treat yourself to a tub of buttery popcorn and comfy seat up front...I'll live vicariously through you...and, while we're both here, here's a song that I can't get over...

GUARDS - I See It Coming

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and that you have a beautiful New Year, full of great, happy, strong energy!!

Movie Tuesdays! I see a lot of Movie Monday's out there, and although that makes complete sense (they both start with 'M', so clever) it's Tuesday right now and I love movies and want to start my own Movie Tuesday's post, column thingamagig. We are sans movie theater in Ubud, and the one in Denpasar has Twilight and some other horrifying "thing" playing, so I am forced to scour the cheap-o, though very unpathetic, movie selection for DVDs, which is located next to the grocery store. I miss the big screen though, the popcorn, the arctic temperatures in the movies, and most of all disappearing for a few hours into the pitch black, crazy amplified rooms that movie theaters offer. I am prone to smaller theaters, but I even miss the BIG Loews theater and their gargantuan, empty rooms...

So, if I was home, and near a cool theater, these are the flicks I would run with my coziest sweater on and stretchy pants to catch:

Tiny Furniture. Written, Directed, and Starring Lena Dunham. 22 year old college grad finds herself living back home in NY with her photographer mother and teenage sister. She works as a hostess and attempts to rekindle old friendships. The sarcasm in this seems great and I love how painfully honest it is about her situation at home and in relationships.

I Love You Phillip Morris. Jim Carrey. Ewan McGregor. Same directors as Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thorton. An action packed, hilarious, touching adventure of a movie. It opened on December 5th so check your closest theater for times and get on over there.

Bhutto. A documentary of a woman named Benazir Bhutto who comes from a wealthy, Muslim family in Pakistan, also known as the "Kennedy's of Pakistan". Her father was a political visionary who was killed and unlike her brothers who fled, she chose to stay and fight for her father's legacy as well as equal rights and law in Pakistan. I don't want to spoil it, but this is truly a must see.

Now, this song here is just so damn good it's almost painful to listen to and not dance or at least feel so completely elated that you're floating. Mike played this for me the other day and it's been on the playlist for the last couple of weeks. Tin Man by Future Islands...

This is the kind of retail-meets-social-consciousness I'm talking about: Apolis. A few days ago Michael told me about this company and shot me over a link to the video posted at the bottom here. It took a couple day to digest much of the work that this young company has been doing around the world over the last 6+ years. This "social enterprise" works through the foundation of a conservative business model (retail), but the core philosophy for Apolis is purely innovative and the future of a strong retail market, driven to equip people around the world to create a product, and opportunity. Started by two Californian brothers in 2004 by making some soft t shirts, Apolis looks like a brand that's going to stick around and hopefully inspire others (I know I'm inspired!). Here's a pretty sweet video of the guys at work in Vietnam, and don't forget to check out their website to see where else they have been!! (So cool!) 

Apolis Film: Vietnam Expedition Film Release from Apolis on Vimeo.

Wild Beasts

Even in our little garden there's still a lot of action.

Funny that they start out like this... 

These guys remind me of one of my favorite books. A worth while read for kids and adults...

And there's Bonobo too...

"All In Forms"

"Flutter"

"Eyesdown" Featuring Andreya Triana

BISA Batik Studio - Pejeng

Stamp in indigo...

 These next ones are all hand painted...

 Bird of Paradise...

Okay folks, this one's moody, let me know what you think...

but if moodiness isn't what you're looking for today...

I really like the fonts for these signs...

And from this store, I was surprised with...

 this amazing paper flower..."because real ones don't last"...(aww)...made out of pineapple fibers which also wrap around the long wire stem...

And this lovely new journal made from coconut fibers and palm leaves

 I love fresh, new pages and this soft paper is so nice to write on

Speaking of paper and nice things...

This novel, The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia, is an excellent read...And here's a song about pretty paper...

Bali Kopi (coffee) helps me come-to in the morning...getting me started on the right (sometimes the left one, but that doesn't really matter) foot. My morning coffee looks a little something like this to me when I wake up...

 Feed the fishies...

 Bathers lounging under the bridge...

 How they got down there...

But I got distracted by these water lily's...

And water that looks like glass...

 And who did I listen to for my morning romp, and just can't shake (except for my dancin' legs) you ask??


Discovery:


Jackson 5 - I Want You Back - Remix
Osaka Loop Line
So Insane
Swing Tree


God they're good...


Readers take note: Sorry for my absence this last week. My dad was in town and I had my hands full between CHICHI, the fish, and pops...but "I'm back in the saddle again" (Gene Autry style),so terima kasih banyak (Thank you very much : )