Ubud // Taco Casa

I'm having one of those days. where being an expat is hard and I'm missing the convenience and familiar things of America. [side note: I'm sitting in Starbucks wearing probably the most "American" outfit I could have: cutoff jean shorts with TOMs and a baseball tee.] lately I've really been missing food. and by food I mean easy gluten-free things like Buddy's pizza and New Planet pale ale and grocery stores like Wegman's and Whole Foods that believe in labeling allergens [in English.] traveling and living abroad with food allergies... sucks. living in Asia with a shellfish allergy and gluten sensitivity is really difficult. especially when I can't read or speak the language. I am so ready to head back to the states for summer and eat all of the things.

part of our summer will include traveling to California and Texas, during which I plan to eat my weight in Mexican food. I can't eat flour tortillas but corn tortillas in the form of nachos, enchiladas, and tacos? yeah, I'm all over that. [if you live near/have traveled to San Diego or Austin, please send me your taco recommendations!]

and I suppose my taco craving is why today I want to share with you the amazing Mexican place in Ubud where we ate literally every single day when we were in Bali: Taco Casa.

when I say we ate there every day, I am not exaggerating. we ate ten meals at Taco Casa during our stay in Ubud, and considering we had to hike through the monkey forest to get there, I think that's pretty impressive.

and when you have to hike past those terrifying monkeys? well, darn it, you deserve some margaritas!

in Taiwan, there are a few "Mexican" places that try but fall pretty short. if we want to eat Mexican we cook it at home [thanks to Costco carrying tortilla chips] but it's not really authentic. in Bali they have the climate to grow all the right spices and peppers, and they use them. not to mention, somehow they have cojita cheese.

their menu includes all the standards: taco, nachos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, and an incredible 8-layer burrito. the staff is friendly and the kitchen runs like a well-oiled machine. everything is made fresh and from scratch: tortillas, beans, hot sauce. have you ever had enchilada sauce from scratch? you want to, trust me.

and if you're not into margaritas I will drink yours for you you can order one of their amazing juices [this one was ginger + carrot + beet] or a ginger lemon soda, or a mint + lime + ginger ice crush. tequila optional.

and if you needed another reason to go? yeah, this sign.

now if you'll excuse me, I'll be spending my afternoon daydreaming about tacos. [and seriously, send me your taco recommendations.]

markets and more in central Ubud

when we decided to stay in Ubud, I was picturing a sleepy village surrounded by rice paddies. something quiet and out of the way. definitely not crowded or touristy. [are you guys starting to sense that I was not very well-informed about Bali?] the area was definitely more developed than expected. I mean... you can sip your Starbucks while staring at a temple. but it was still beautiful.

everywhere you turn in Ubud, there is something to see. the Balinese architecture is ornate and full of gorgeous stone carvings, and the moss-covered grey is often punctuated by backdrops of bright orange. it's so unlike anything I've ever seen or visited. what surprised me most is that all of the buildings seemed to carry this distinct architectural theme. when you are in Bali, you know you are in Bali.

walking through central Ubud is loud and crowded. every five steps someone is hollering at you, asking if you'd like a taxi ride, would you like to take a tour? there are temples and shrines tucked in among all the hubub, mostly only distinguished from hotels and residences by being gated off from the public.

between the temples and cafes, there are plenty of shops. everything from DVD stores to the "Cha Cha Cat Collection." and then there are the markets. if you head up Karna Street it will lead you to the main market buildings. we found the enclosures to be a bit... overwhelming. there is a narrow aisle between stores to walk, jammed with people and various merchandise that reaches out to grab you. my claustrophobia was much relieved when we decided to stroll the open stalls instead.

there are certain things I think you'll find in every market in Southeast Asia [cheap sundresses and sarongs, fake RayBans, fabric tote bags, keychains and wooden carvings etc.] but Ubud seems to have at least two unique offerings. the first - paintings. gorgeous artwork depicting scenes of the island was available, from beaches to rice paddies to even this very market. the second is a more unusual souvenir. bottle openers with long wooden handles that have been carved to look like... well, you know.

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Jenn. she drinks her coffee with Truvia + almond milk and blogs about lifestyle + home improvement over at Near and Far Montana.

Ubud // Lotus Temple

in central Ubud, tucked behind a Starbucks of all places, you can find the lotus temple. the ponds are calm and the area is quiet, shielded from the bustle of the main street.

Pura Saraswati is small but beautiful. I'm sure this place is beyond gorgeous when all the flowers are in bloom, and we were lucky to find one lone pink lotus in the pond.

on Thursday nights they do Balinese dance demonstrations, so if you look closely you can see where they are wired for lights and a sound system... but despite this temple being built to cater to tourists it was one of my favorite that we visited.

for one, there was no one there. Jackie and I had the place to ourselves, save a group of local boys who ran through. and secondly... I did mention it was behind Starbucks right?

I wouldn't dis the local Indonesian coffee by ordering that here, but they did offer a lemon iced tea that was fantastic for cooling off from the heat. there is also a small cafe opposite of Starbucks that [I assume] would offer a more local selection.

I suppose this is as good a place as any to tell you about these little offerings. walking around Bali you will see hundreds of these small arrangements. each one serves a specific purpose - everything from "for good business" to "for pool safety" depending on where the offering is placed and what it consists of. there are persons who have the designated task of setting these offerings in their place and lighting the incense. these ones are outside the temple, but they are placed everywhere - in doorways and next to the pool and by small shrines.

we really enjoyed out visit to the lotus temple... plenty of interesting things to photograph and no one elbowing you out of the way. it really is a hidden gem in the heart of Ubud. I would definitely recommend stopping by if you find yourself in town and in need of a quiet escape.

monday thoughts, etc.

I know I don't have a traditional job, but getting out of bed this morning was tough. Monday mornings I do tutoring. [or rather, I have conversations with one of the Chinese teachers who wants to improve her English. we read news articles, or we just talk.] Taiwan doesn't observe daylight savings time, but I feel like I lost some sleep this weekend. both Husband and I have been borderline sick. it's just that season for sinus crud. and so my brain is not functioning at 100% at the moment... it's a list kind of day. 

1. I'm ready for another vacation. the weather has been chilly and damp, and sorting through Bali photos makes me wish I was back there sweating my face off. [or maybe curled up in bed under the covers.] after talking about the disappointment of Tanah Lot, I wanted to show you something that actually exceeded our expectations: our stay at Kertiyasa Bungalow. I'm not going to write a full "review" post but I will show you some photos from the hotel and say this:

the rooms were clean, the bed softer than those we’ve paid twice as much for elsewhere, and the service was incredible. every morning they served free breakfast in the restaurant. eggs any way you like with bacon or sausage, fresh crepes or French toast, or traditional Balinese breakfast dishes like fried rice or noodles. cooked to order, not a buffet. and served with your choice of fresh juice, coffee or tea, and fruit salad or fruit platter.

did I mention I'm ready for another vacation?

2. Ubud was the perfect destination for us. when we said we were going to Bali, most people automatically assumed it was a beach vacation. Bali does have some fantastic beaches… but our main goal of vacation was to relax. after doing some research we discovered that the main beach area of Bali [Kuta] is to Australians what Cancun is to American college students. namely: a great place to party and catch some sun. [though on our flight out we met a pair of Americans who had flown all the way to Bali to party in Kuta for a month. yes, a month.] we were more than happy to chill by the pool or play cards on our balcony. no beaches or bars required.

3. there's a small black kitten living outside our Starbucks. he's been there for the past few months. every time I see him it makes me: A. want to scoop him up and take him home, B. miss my kittens back in the states, C. take a picture to send to my friend and try to convince her to adopt it. the good news is this kitten seems happy and well-fed. [possibly because Husband occasionally buys him a cup of warm milk.] and before you try to tell me I should take him home... please remember that we travel 4 months our of the year, and boarding a cat for that long just isn't right.

in related news, I mentioned this kitten to my parents while skyping last week. since then there has been a 200% increase in the number of pictures of my cat that my mother emails me.

4. I've been binge watching Sex and the City. we used to watch it so often in college that I could recite every episode by heart. and now, at nearly 29, I am discovering so many things about this show. mainly: these women are kindof nuts. no wonder I had such trouble dating in college... most of my "relationship knowledge" came from this show, and the women pretty much just complain to each other and expect the men to read their minds [rather than actually talking to the men they are dating.] I think it's worse in the early seasons, and you know, it's just a tv show not a life manual. but holy cow am I glad I grew up and started to use this crazy thing called communication in my relationships.

5. I sorted through my wardrobe the other day. and put a whole suitcase full of clothes in "time out." I have a lot of things that are worn out or stretched out or out of style or just plan never get worn, and they are taking up precious space in my tiny wardrobe. so these clothes are now packed in a suitcase in storage. anything that I don't remove from the bag to wear in the next three months will be tossed. that way I don't have to commit to losing them just yet, but they are out of the way of the things I actually wear.

the much-needed cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Annie. she drinks her coffee with vanilla creamer and blogs about faith + lifestyle over at What She Saw.