Departments

Cooking Up a Feast

The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival office is now in quiet mode since the closing ceremony of our fifth festival. The team is a little weary but, nevertheless, diligently finalising financial reports and statistics to present to sponsors, media and the foundation committee

Meet Bondan Winarno

By the time you read this article I will be lying by the sea, gazing at a lazy sky under fringed palm trees, sipping on cocktails with frilly umbrellas and relaxing. Well that's the theory anyway. Or maybe I will be pouring over glossy cookbooks and taking copious notes as I plan the menu of my new little tapas bar, Bar Luna, that I have started up in Jalan Goutama, that Melbourne-esque laneway that is loaded with personality

Think Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

There is something to be said for reading. Writers and readers across the world have been pondering its virtues for centuries. C.S. Lewis stated "We read to know we are not alone."  Madonna admitted that "everyone probably thinks that I'm a raving nymphomaniac, that I have an insatiable sexual appetite, when the truth is I'd rather read a book."

Ubud is the Place for a Festival

A rainy day in Ubud and I am at Casa Luna, watching misty sheets of rain fall as I type on my faithful laptop. The foliage seems to grow before my eyes as I gaze out at this overgrown jungle of sorts. The sound of the river surging down the hill on its way to the ocean adds impact. And it's not just the foliage that is sprouting: it is all the tiny creatures that inhabit this verdant landscape from squirrels to fat ants, spotted geckos and exotic birds

Tri Hita Karana - The Ubud Writers & Readers Festival: Taking Shape

There is a buzz in the streets as Ubud moves into peak season. The majestic royal cremation is over but the tourists still remain. The mantra, "Bali is back", is floating through the air like a warm current and there is a lovely feeling of optimism all around

Vikram Seth Comes to the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

Once upon a time in the days before the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, I used to spend my spare time poring over glossy cookbooks and food magazines. Page upon page of glorious recipes were the stuff of my dreams and I would make copious notes and salivate at all those calorie-laden offerings. Later my favourite recipes would appear in different guises on the menu at Indus and Casa Luna

Asia’s Rising Stars At the 2008 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival

It's springtime in Bali. The nights are becoming cooler, the flowers are in full bloom and the skies are starting to fill with kites. We are entering my favourite time of the year. In the meantime, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival team is flying high with excitement for our 5th event. Now is the time we start compiling all the writers' names into a cohesive mass and find the threads that link their work with this year's theme – Tri Hita Karana, or the inter-relationship between God, humanity and natur

Tri Hita Karana: God Humanity & Nature

With only six months to go, the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival team are now wearing running shoes, or rather dancing shoes, as we move into salsa speed to pull this ever-growing international event together. I am personally thrilled to see the literary tables turning with publishers, agents and authors now seeking invitations to be included in our event. With some of the most exciting writers in the region joining our guest list, we guarantee we will be showcasing the best of East and West once again

Nyepi - The Balinese New Year

Close your eyes and imagine a day of complete quiet; no sounds of cars on the road, televisions blaring, motor bikes zooming around town or airplanes flying overhead and imagine Nyepi, the day of silence that marks the Balinese New Year. Nyepi has just passed and Bali now celebrates Saka Year 1930. I love this day of calm and contemplation

The Search for the Perfect Nasi Campur in Bali

I decided it's time to find the most delicious Nasi Campur on the island and any review of Bali's beloved, national dish should really begin at Kedewatan, the home of two famous warungs or roadside eating houses that have been serving Nasi Campur to dedicated locals for years. Both are located near each other, on that charming village street just before the Kupu-Kupu Barong Hotel on the opposite side of the road

Chili

Chili. The word conjures up an artist's palette of seductive reds, action-packed flavor and mouth-killing fire: of sun-ripened chili, intense sweat-frenzied heat and a taste sensation that takes you to Paradise or beyond. Let's face it, can you imagine a curry without chili? So join me as I shine the spotlight on one of the world's most exotic ingredients

The Power of Rice

Rice. The word conjures up a thousand lush images of terraced rice paddies, wavering green stalks, bowls of steamed white grains and the exotic East. And the jewel-like perfection of the majestic ice fields of Bali are about as close to that vision of paradise as you'll get