Drinking Coffee from an Animal

We started early in the morning and rented a driver for the day to take us around. It’s a great and often cheaper way to be able to cover a lot of ground for one day. Plus they like to suggest local attractions along the way that you may not have been able to see or know about.

We stopped to have lunch over looking some rice paddies. Mixed in were fields containing different fruits. All throughout lunch we could see these ladies heading out to the field with empty baskets on their head. Within twenty minutes the baskets were full of watermelons and they were walking back to the pile to drop it off.Our next stop was to a coffee plantation. This is the pathway to the coffee shop at the back. All along the path were different chocolate and coffee plants.

Most of bali's coffee is microground so it can be drank just by adding water. We were also able to see how they make luwak coffee, some of the most expensive in the world. Long story short: a palm civet (the weasel looking animal above) eats only the best of red coffee beans. While inside the intestines, the beans undergo chemical changes. They then poop it out (tasty). The poop with the coffee beans is collected, roasted and stripped of the outer layer and cleaned, then finally ground into coffee.

 We had a taste test of lemon tea, bali coffee, cocoa coffee and ginseng coffee (our favorite)

Next up on the list was the Bali zoo which we picked mostly because you were able to get up close and personal with several different types of animals. 

Fruit bats. If you swung them back and forth they would open their wings and try to fly.

Me and Alissa trying to prove we were tough by holding an alligator. Tt was surprisingly squishy. Right after we gave it back the calming drugs that it had to be on seemed to be wearing off. Good thing if was after we held it!

Everyone makes fun of me for this but this is my dream car. vw thing. Just in case you were wondering what to get me for christmas this year.

 Our last stop of the day was the monkey forest sanctuary in the city of Ubud. You had to be careful not to wear anything shiny or have food on you. If you did, the monkeys would climb on you to find it and grab it.

 The temple had a lot of morbid sculptures of demons trying to eat babies

Rice paddies line every open area in bali. they make the most of the land they have by terracing all of the mountains and hills.

A Week in Paradise

After almost 24 hours of traveling, we finally arrived in Bali! We spent half of the trip at the southern part of the island in Nusa Dua then moved up to the north east coast to Tulamben for the remainder of the trip.

We were moved up to business class for the first leg of our trip!

This is how hubs stayed occupied during the flight.

We arrived at around 3am so we crashed as soon as we got to the hotel. The next morning we woke to an enormous American style breakfast. Living in Korea, traditional American breakfast is something we really miss.

Our pool side villa complete with outdoor kitchen and bathroom.

It even came with a pet.

American style breakfast! Complete with Bali coffee with coconut cream, a new favorite in the Diamond household.

We were constantly surrounded with the smell of incense. Every morning you will find baskets with flowers and incense as offerings to the many Hindu gods. You will even find them strapped to the windshields of cars.

Anywhere you are on the island, you can see kites being flown. They can be a little inconvenient to carry in order to get to a good flying spot though.

We spent the first day recovering by lounging by the pool and checking out the beach.

Hubs and Mike decided to check out parasailing. 

 

As he landed, a swarm of men came over to help him. We found out later that all the men who help with parasailing get paid in turns. That means that if there are 5 men working, each one will get paid $10 for every fifth customer.        

                           

One of the many wood sculpting booths.



Our hotel rescues turtle eggs from the local market and hatches them at the resort. They then take them out to the sea to release them. So awesome! Unfortunately we missed the release but at least we got to see them before we left!

At low tide you can walk out far into the ocean, through coral and tide pools until you reach the water.

He always keeps me on my toes!



You can see where all the boats are now beached, but in the morning they will be floating in the water once again!

My Haute Profile in Ocean Style Mag!

Thanks Ocean Style for profiling me in your HAUTE magazine. I love the way you mix, fashion, beauty and travel!

Click here to read my story on page 110 http://issuu.com/oceanstylemag/docs/v6002



My Haute Summer Travel Beauty Tips!

When traveling for business or pleasure a Haute Travels girl knows looking good with minimal effort for maximum appeal is part of our travel package. When preparing for a trip, some things are just as important as my ticket, passport and carryon bag—my haute look.

Here are eight tips that will keep you looking haute.

-I love a great rosewater spritz to keep my skin hydrated while traveling by plane.

-Haute hair is a must-have so I keep my brown tresses hydrated with frequent steam therapy sessions to keep my strands from drying and breaking.

-When tanning in Miami, Las Vegas, the Caribbean or any where that’s warm and sunny, I always follow up with an after sun moisturizer and self-tanner to seal in my glow. My favorite is by Clarins.

-I can’t leave home without perfectly manicured toes… although when staying at some resorts with great spas I make it a point to hit them first for a fresh pedicure.

-A great lip gloss keeps my kissers fresh and moist while adding color even when I go nude my lips stay haute.

-A great bronzing powder makes my face pop with a fresh flawless look.

-Great brows are important in adding instant glam.

-No matter where I go during the summer, I travel with Skin So Soft by Avon to keep the bugs away.

Staying haute is what it's all about... but most importantly be sure to use products with an spf and use sunscreen to keep the rays at bay.

What are your summer beauty tips?

The Beauty of Business in Las Vegas

When it’s time to get away for a beauty event in Las Vegas… there’s just one thing to do—make it happen. CosmoProf is one of the largest international beauty shows in the world. There is so much to see and sample in the world of makeup, nails, and hair. It really is a girly girl’s paradise. Every new trend, product and tool is right here for beauty industry-insiders to sample.

When my days at CosmoProf North America wrapped over at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center it was on to The Trump Hotel for poolside relaxation and networking. That’s right… the beauty of business never stops! But it doesn’t have to because the opportunity to expand networks and net worth is always a top priority.

While in Vegas, I didn’t get to hit the party scene like I did a few months ago because this trip was all about research and development for a Haute Travels project that I haven’t made public yet, but stay tuned. However, I did make time for dinner over at Caesars Palace with brand strategists from Zone Management, Lila Brown of Ella Bee PR and natural hair guru Robin Groover. But, as you can imagine, when a group of smart people get together they talk about what else… the evolution of rap music! And the guy with all of the insight was a white guy from Boston! It was the most fun that I’ve had in a while. I love multicultural connections.

 

If you’re a girl who loves beauty products and cutting-edge technology that’s revolutionizing the beauty industry—you must attend CosmoProf. Another show will soon head to one of my favorite haute European destinations—Italy in 2012!

What's your favorite Beauty show?

Note: I left my camera at home and had to use my blackberry for photos... *sigh*