Trendy Hitched

As if our work demands are not enough to get us bonkers, hubby and I had decided to embark on another renovation for our humble abode. Something minor, I may say, but still took (and continuously taking) a dent in our already measly savings account. The stress levels however, are far better than what took place back in early 2010.  The difference? We got a contractor to manage it for us this time. Not an ideal situation for someone like me who was able to do things on her own last year (now don’t get jealous, I got an engineer for a dad, an architect for a brother, and an achiever/coach for a mom). But being a good wife who doesn’t want to further pressure my already worn-out-from-a-new-role hubby, I agreed to it. Not without having to point out every now and then how expensive our contractor is charging us.

Anyway, the whole renovation thing got me scrambling again for some new ideas for the other parts of the house (despite the fact that no one knows when we will have a major renovation again). My brain’s probably so bored with numbers and stress that it needs to be refilled with some creative juices. Here are some of my inspirations for the next who-knows-when renovation.

I hope these images got you fired up. Tata!

Photo credits: Houzz

1. Stay in a nice resort in Nusa Dua. Hubby and I stayed in Conrad Bali and we never regret any moment of it. Their lagoon villa was a treat for couples like us who simply want to laze around the pool .
2. Wine and dine at the beachfront restaurant called Eight Degrees South. Food was great. Don’t forget to order their assorted grilled seafood – the scallops were to die for!
3. Go white water rafting in Ayung River. Book your trip thru Bali Adventures Tours to enjoy hassle-free adventure.
4. Experience the authentic Balinese massage. One could get a good decent massage for $20.
5. Enjoy the local Balinese cuisine in Bumbu Bali. The place is owned by a former chef of two known hotels so you could also get some Balinese cooking lessons from the owner, for a price of course.
6. Shop for souvenirs (or even art piece) in Legian area. We were able to get a good deal for a nice bowl that works as a centerpiece for our living room table.
7. Try out Ku De Ta‘s vanilla mojito. Or just spend at least two hours in this restaurant. The whole ambiance of Ku De Ta makes you forget about your work. Yes, it’s that nice.
8. Visit Uluwatu temple set in a cliff. Best time to visit is in the afternoon so you get to see the sun goes down.
9. Have dinner along Jimbaran bay and binge on fresh grilled seafood half the hotel price. May I just warn you that the place can get smoky as there’s just not one restaurant in that strip.
10. Vacays are meant to be  enjoyed and savored so don’t overcrowd your itinerary. Coz if you do, you just might miss the charm of Bali.

You read it right! My 5-month hiatus just ended today. For what reason? Nada. Just thought it would be nice to share again my utterly boring predictable life to you people. :p

Just a quick run-through on what happened in the last 5 months:

- As expected, renovation was crazy and fun at the same time. Took four months to finish the new layout, another month for final touch-ups and a couple of reds for my sanity.:p  Still need to buy curtains but that’s all about it. We’re almost done!

-  After the insane amount of stress the house renovation brought into our lives, hubby and I managed to fly to Bali for my birthday(more of that in the next few blogs). Trip was worth it, loved the food and the people! Oh, and the massage, HEAVENLY!

- Hubby got a call from work on our third day in Bali asking him to fly to Chicago the following week. My thought bubble: “Didn’t he just arrive two weeks ago from his 4-month stint in Edmonton?” Of course, it was just all in my mind so wife got trumped by work. And hubby flew to Illinois three days after we got home.

- Few months passed and it was time for hubby to come home. And what do you know, I got an email from work saying I need to go to India for a two-week business trip. Talk about timing, huh!

- Two weeks in Bangalore and I’m finally back home. Settling down. At least for the next 6 months, I hope.