Bali Traffic Woes (From Bali With Love)

(5/24/2010) The government of Bali's capital of Denpasar has tasked its transportation department to review traffic flows and patterns to see if traffic congestion in South Bali can be lessened by introducing additional one-way streets and parking rule changes in some areas.

Any proposed changes remain under review and are subject to a consultative process with related government agencies.

Among the changes under consideration:

• Prohibiting parking on both sides of the street on crowded, narrow roads. One possible road listed for new parking restrictions is Jalan Sidakarya. 

• Altering the traffic flow direction to one-way streets. Jalan Gunung Agung, a road which has long been under consideration for one-way status, but delayed due to a lack of alternative roadways, is once again being scrutinized for one-way status.

• Changes in public transportation routes to make service more responsive to changing housing and work-place patterns in Bali.

One-Way Streets Problematic in Bali

One of the contributing factors to the difficulty of resolving traffic congestion in Bali is the blatant refusal of locals to obey one-way street postings. Local motorcyclists traveling the wrong directions on one-way roads is a common occurrence on the island.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Taken from Bali Discovery.

Multiple Vehicle Tax in Bali? (From Bali With Love)

Bali is over populated with vehicles and motorbikes so I was somewhat happy to see this article.

(5/22/2010) Bali's administrators are considering introducing a progressive tax that will affect people owning more than one motor vehicle. 

Bisnis Bali, quoting Gusti Made Supartha, the chief of income resources for the provincial government of Bali, said: "I estimate 20-30% of vehicle owners will be impacted by the progressive tax." Supartha said the introduction of a progressive vehicle tax was provided under law No. 28 of 2009, regarding tax and provincial retributions. 

However, another provision of the 2009 law prevents the introduction of such a new tax before 2011.

Supartha said the provincial authorities only serve as the executor of policies made in the nation's capital. Moreover, he warned that the taxes applied for motor vehicles in Bali cannot be out of step with motor vehicle taxes charged in other provinces of Indonesia. To do so would only perpetuate the number of non-Bali license plates traveling Bali's roads and highways.

Supartha estimates that the number of vehicles in Bali totals 1.6 million units. If 20-30% of the vehicles fall under the proposed new progressive tax, 400,000 vehicle would be affected.

Bali's motor vehicle tax collections during the first three months of 2010 increased 25% over the same period in 2009, amounting to 27.9% of the taxes targeted for collection from Bali's motorists for the entire fiscal year of 2010.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Taken from Bali Discovery.

Tips for Organizing the Bathroom (From Bali With Love)

Photograph from Ideal Home.

*Obviously a good place to store towels and washcloths is key, but it’s also a good idea to keep a laundry basket to tame the towels. We’re a convenience-driven society so why not work with it?

I also love the quick and easy DIY this photo offers: the towel ladder. Surely you can find tons of old ladders at garage sales and customize them to your décor. Just remember to secure the ladder or budge it up against something so it doesn’t fall and disrupt your beauty routine!

Photograph from Country Homes & Interiors.

*This idea is great for a tiny bathroom, but it can really work in any sized room. Just stick an unused chair (Who’s ready for a trip to the attic!) in a corner for an impromptu shelf. If you have lots of beauty products, why not keep them in a small basket or container on the chair and hang a towel over the back?

Photograph from Ideal Home.

*If you have a floating sink but miss the counter space, try installing a low shelf beneath the plumbing. Just measure (twice, cut once!) and head to Home Depot or Lowe’s if you don’t have a piece of wood in the shed already. All you need are some wall brackets and a screwdriver. Bonus? If playing handyman scares you to death, these stores also have all-inclusive kits for such a project.

Personally, I love the open storage, too. Not only for easy access but also because it encourages me not to make a mess!

Photograph from Living Etc.

*This is my favorite display of baskets, boxes, and jars working for the homeowner, because it can be the most inexpensive yet all encompassing solution. Keep the countertop, floor, and shelving space you already have and organize your things into baskets, boxes, and jars.

Taken from Design Sponge.

Cotton Ball Wedding (From Bali With Love)

I'm madly in love with this cotton ball wedding I spotted on Laissezfaire. So creative, soft and beautiful! Ivory and champagne always go well together.

To see the full post, go here. To see how pictures, go here. Enjoy! :)

Inspiration: Outdoor Room (From Bali With Love)

Check out this outdoor the writer from Things That Inspire is building at her house. I hope to have one similar to this when I move back to South Carolina!

To see the full post on her outdoor room, visit her blog.

Fabrics (From Bali With Love)

Do you guys know Jenny from The Little Green Notebook? If you don't, you should really check out her blog. She is the sweetest "e-friend". Always so helpful and quick to respond to reader's comments and emails.

When looking for exotic fabric swatches, Jenny recommended I check out the site Decorator's Best. I didn't quite find the style fabric I was looking for but I did find a few others that I liked. Here are some of my picks:

Check out their site for more swatch choices. What style fabric do you like?

Music: Bitter:Sweet (From Bali With Love)

Have you ever heard of Bitter:Sweet? I love them! The group is comprised of a girl and guy from California. The first CD of theirs I bought was called The Mating Game. I was surprised to see they are considered an Electro/Trip Hop group because many of their songs sound soulful and jazzy. Their other CD's are titled The Remix Game and Drama.

If you aren't familiar with them, you should check them out! Enjoy!

Tropical House Plans (From Bali With Love)

I was searching online for balinese style and tropical style house plans today. When I think of tropical houses, I envision grass thatched roofs. Luckily for me, my search resulted in just what I was envisioning. Both of these house plans caught my eye. I love the elevations, the separate master suites and, of course, the swimming pools.

Pantai Model 1; 2 Bedrooms/2 Bathrooms. Images from Bali Built.

Kauai Timur Indah House Plan. Images from Balemaker.

What kind of tropical style house do you like?

DIY: Tin Can Planters (From Bali With Love)

I love these tin can planters!! It's so simple, a great way to reuse cans and looks stylish!

What you’ll need:

– Several tin cans

– hammer and nails

– plant to be repotted

– potting soil

– saucers for underneath cans

- With a hammer and nail, punch a few holes in the bottom of each can.

- The holes allows for drainage, a necessity in preventing stagnant water from rotting your plant’s roots.

-Remove your plant and gently loosen the soil surrounding the roots. With the excess soil, fill in the bottom of your can and gingerly place your plant inside, patting down extra soil around the sides. Lightly water and place on saucer.

Taken from Design Sponge.

Thank You! (From Bali With Love)

I just wanted to take a moment to thank Giggleberry Creations and Dwellings by Devore for mentioning my blog on their blog! So, THANK YOU LADIES! I enjoy reading both of your blogs.

DIY: Chest Turned Office (From Bali With Love)

Need a home office but have no space? Check out this chest turned office space. This can be easily tucked away in a corner, at the foot of the bed, in a hallway, a guest bedroom or even double as a coffee table in a living room.

Taken from Martha Stewart.

Otomi (From Bali With Love)

I am loving this fabric. It's from Mexico and called Otomi because it is handmade by Otomi Indians. Isn't it fabulous? I love textiles, especially ones with bold prints or colors. I dream about operating a textile business of batik and ikat here from Indonesia...hopefully more on that to come later.

Michelle over at M.A. Belle says you can order this fabric from Jacaranda Home. While I'm at it, if you have time you should check out her blog, M.A. Belle, as well as her fabulous online magazine, Lonny, and her amazing shop, Rubie Green, that carries my favorite thing, TEXTILES!

Image and Source from M.A. Belle via Cookie Magazine, December 2005.

Loving This idea (From Bali With Love)

Use Narrow Attic Space for More Bedrooms...

Coastal Living

Ate & Leather Backpack (From Bali With Love)

I find this neat Ate & Leather Backpack handmade in Bali. The maker of the bag has a pretty cool story to accompany the pictures.

NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Balinese designer Nengah Danantara creates the ideal backpack for warm weather fashions. He weaves the bag by hand from ate grass, suggesting honeycomb patterns to adorn the bag's front. A hoop and button close the bag, which travels on leather straps. Artisan Info: "I was born on November 16, 1978, the second child in family. My mother is Nengah Suji, a senior ate maker in our village. My father was a cab driver; I often accompanied him driving around when I was a child. Time passed by, and I learned to print Balinese handwriting on a palm leaf, as well as carving images on this leaf; my grandfather taught me. When demand grew for ate products, many in my village started dedicating more time to this craft, and I saw it as a challenge to learn how to make these items too. "Weaving ate is not as hard as people may think, but it's not an easy work either. One needs a lot of patience to weave one tiny piece of ate into a basket or bag. "I would like to thank Novica for making my work part of the largest network of artists in the Internet. I hope my products find favor with Novica clients."

You can buy the backpack HERE at my store.

Images and information taken from Amazon.

DIY: Suzani Ottomans (From Bali With Love)

Look at this cute idea I spotted on Jenny's Little Green Notebook!!

To check out Jenny's full post and sample suzani throws that would work well for a project like this, just click HERE.

Photo Inspiration (From Bali With Love)

I've seen several photo art hearts but I love the look of this polaroid heart.

Taken from Style Files via Cookie.

Taken from Style Files via Emmas Blogg

Book: The Secret (From Bali With Love)

Have you read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne? I really loved the positive energy I felt just from reading the book...I honestly couldn't put it down!

The Secret is how everyone should be living their lives! The Secret explains how a person can positively focus their energy, needs, wants and thinking to change your life, happiness, health, wealth and so on.

The book was featured on The New York Times bestseller list, was a number 1 seller on Amazon, featured in two episodes of Oprah and had a movie made about it in 2006.

If you read it or have already read it, let me know your thoughts.

New Cell Released in Indonesia (From Bali With Love)

Cute girlie cell phone just released in Indonesia...not sure of the specifics yet but I do know it's about 1.4 million rupiah, which is about $150 and I think it has dual SIM card capacity which is great for me. I currently use 2 SIM cards, one to make international calls and one to make local calls.

Image taken from HERE.