Tattooshop FriendShip, Amsterdam

I’m in the Netherlands at the moment. Visiting family and friends. I have a great big family and I’m happy to see them all again.

One of the family members is my nephew Fabian, the son of my sister.

Fabian is a tattoo artist.  A few years ago together with his friends Omar Bernardus and Jens Rasmus Jensen they opened a tattoo shop, called Tatooshop FriendShip. The shop looks great and is located downtown Amsterdam.

The boys are very talented.  Like in Asia and Australia tattoos are very popular in Europa as well. However, people come from all over the world to the shop to have a tattoo done.

Next to new and old customers also many friends come to visit the shop because the atmosphere is cool and it’s nice to meet people.

If you go to Amsterdam and you want to have a tattoo…  don’t miss this great Tattooshop FriendShip.

There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet…

Tattooshop FriendShip
Binnen Bantammerstraat 6
1011 CK  Amsterdam
Netherlands

Tel. +31 (0) 6 19229921

More photos and information you’ll find on their facebook page Tattooshop FriendShip

The boys of Tattooshop FriendShip

FabianDean and Jens Rasmus Jensen

Checking the drawings

Looking good Edu de Leau

Tattoo artist Omar Bernardus in action…

               There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet…

Carla Palermo, vintage and new fashion shop in Amsterdam

At the moment I’m in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Visiting family and friends.

I would like to introduce you to one of my best friends, Carla Palermo.
She is a beautiful colorful sweet and warm person.
Her parents come from Indonesia so Carla’s roots lie in Indonesia.

Carla is the owner of Carla Palermo, a vintage and new fashion shop downtown Amsterdam.

The area where the shop is located is called the 9-Straatjes, Amsterdam’s coolest and hip shopping area. Carla Palermo is a great shop. You’ll find exclusive vintage clothing, bags and boots but also you’ll find new fashion and jewelry.  I heard a woman say, this shop is like a candy store for women…

Beside the vintage and new fashion Carla sells Blubambu Buddha necklaces. The profit, 100%, of these necklaces goes to charity in Bali. Some of the new clothes in the shop are made in Bali, in small fair-trade companies.

Carla Palermo also supports deaf girls in Bali, she pays the salary of the craft teacher so the girls get sewing lessons and she financially supports a toddler so the toddler can go to kindergarten.

Yes! Carla is a great person and I’m very happy she is my friend…

If you go to Amsterdam don’t miss Carla Palermo shop.

Carla Palermo
Huidenstraat 4 | de 9 Straatjes
1016 ES  Amsterdam
Tel. +31 (0)6 23237698

My best friend Carla Palermo

The colorful shop

Boots are made for walking…

Beautiful kimono and vintage hats

Colorful jewelry

Blubambu Buddha necklaces for charity

Huka Huka Steel & Silver, organic piercing

A few weeks ago I went to Tampaksiring, visiting the factory of Huka Huka Steel & Silver, organic piercing.

Huka Huka has shops in Legian/Kuta and Tampaksiring. They sell organic piercings and jewelry made from steel, silver, bone, horn and wood. Also carved skulls from buffalo’s, cows and goats are for sale. Some people don’t like it but many people do. In Tampaksiring you’ll find many shops selling this kind of skulls and many designers buy small skulls made from bone and horn for fashion and jewelry because it is very popular now a days. The people of Tampaksiring are very good in carving.

Several times I visited the shop in Legian to order some jewelry. Gusti Alit Ardana, the owner of the shop told me about the factory in Tampaksiring. I asked him if it was possible to visit the factory because I love to see craftsmen at work while creating all these beautiful pieces by hand.

It was great to see the Huka Huka factory and Tampaksiring is also a very nice village to visit.

If you are in Legian or Tampaksiring and interested in some nicely shaped piece of steel, silver, bone, horn or wood don’t miss the Huka Huka stores.

You’ll find Huka Huka Steel & Silver, organic piercing  in Jl. Legian Kaja, no. 452, Legian/Kuta and in Jl. Astina Pura Selatan Br. Kelodan, Tampaksiring.

Phone numbers: 085 237312450 | 087 861097255

All pieces made by hand

One of the tools

Owner Gusti Alit Ardana is also very creative

Working hands

Several skulls

Sometimes they need small  machines

Black painted carved skull

Owner Gusti Alit Ardana

In the spotlight: Balinese photographer and web designer Surya Wijaya

Since I live in Bali I have met a lot of great talented people. One of them is Surya Wijaya.

Surya is a great photographer and specializes in luxury property photography but he is also good in beauty & fashion, jewelry, people & culture.

Besides photography he also develops excellent websites. One of the projects he is working on now is redesigning the Villa Blubambu website. We are full of anticipation to see the result and will keep you informed when it goes life so you can check out for yourself.

If you want to see some of Surya’s beautiful photos go to http://www.suryanirmala.com/

Surya in action…

around the swimmingpool..

or inside the guestrooms

behind the bushes

or from above…

Villa Blubambu by day. Photographer: Surya Wijaya

Villa Blubambu in the evening. Photographer: Surya Wijaya

MAMMA SAN kitchen lounge bar

I was eager to make photos of restaurant Mama San. Because I love the ambience, the nice atmosphere, inside of the building and of course the food. The restaurant looks stunning and is very stylishly designed. It is one of my favorite restaurants.

I just read that Mama San won 2 awards for Best Bali 2012, one as best casual-dining restaurant and one for best new restaurant and I fully agree with this!

We (my husband and I), together with friends have been to Mama San several times for lunch or dinner. Before dinner we like to have a fine drink or great cocktail upstairs in the beautiful lounge bar.

Mama San’s Asian menu includes Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Malay, Singaporean, Thai, Cambodian and Vietnamese. It’s very hard to choose, the food is so delicious. Fortunately they have the option to share. This way you can taste them all. It’s always a culinary pleasure having lunch or dinner at Mama San. If you are in Seminyak don’t miss this brilliant restaurant…

Mama San
Jalan Raya kerobokan No. 135
Br. Taman, Bali

Phone: 036 173043
www.info@mamasanbali.com
http://www.mamasanbali.com/

Openings hours:  Monday – Sunday 12:00 – 17:00, 18:30 – 23:00

The stylish restaurant…

with comfortable sofas

Great fine wines and cocktails

I love the painting

Very friendly staff

Upstairs the beautiful lounge bar…

and also for dinner

La lot Vietnamese. Grilled minced pork belly wrapped in betel leaves
with nouc chan dressing

Crispy salted pork with yellow beans, garlic, chili, gai lan and jasmin rice