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Gate at Handara Gold Resort & Spa

Gate at Handara Gold Resort & Spa

Life Update: Photoshoots, Kuala Lumpur, The Gili Islands + more!

Tara Brose November 13, 2017

We hit our 1 month mark a couple days ago, and I honestly can't believe we've been in Bali this long already! On one hand it feels like we just got here, and on the other it feels like we've been away from our friends + family for an eternity... I think it's safe to say that I finally feel like we actually live here now, rather than still fighting that feeling like we are on vacation, and any day now we will pack up our bags and fly back home. My whole life I spent my vacations at the beach. Sun, sand, and waves meant time to relax and step away from reality... I only dreamed of what it would be like to actually live at the beach, and for the last 9 years of living in NYC, my life couldn't have looked more opposite than it does right now. However, I am quickly realizing it is such a different world living somewhere vs. visiting somewhere. A new and different world that I am getting used to, slowly but surely. 

I've finally had my moments these past couple weeks of feeling homesick. I knew it would happen sooner or later, and I'm sure it will come and go many times as we are away this year. I am learning to embrace these feelings face to face rather than try and act like they aren't happening. At first I felt guilty for feeling homesick. And a little embarrassed, to be honest. How could I actually feel homesick!? I live in freakin BALI for crying out loud. I am literally living my dream, on the most beautiful island, full of sunshine, fresh air, sunsets, and epic views. This is what I've always wanted! But even so, I think it's okay to feel homesick, too. Embrace it, and then snap myself back into reality. When I miss walking down those crowded streets of NYC, I'll go for a run on Batu Balong Beach-- full of interesting people watching. When I miss the 'holiday' moments like pumpkin carving and seeing the leaves change, I'll grab a coconut at the nearest beach hut ((even better if they carve a heart at the top of it!)) and watch the sunset over the water-- watching the colors change from cool pastels to vibrant pink and orange. When I miss bundling up for a cool fall day, I'll wrap up in the few layers I have and ride further north in the mountains to feel the temperature drop 20+ degrees... then quickly turn back around because I'll realize how much I actually hate being cold, haha! The important thing is, I'm learning to actually allow myself to feel, to process, to think beyond my current circumstances, and mostly to be patient with myself. Who knew I needed to work on patience after living in NYC for so many years?! ;) 

Echo Beach

Echo Beach

ALIGHT. Enough about how I'm feeling... let me update you guys with the fun stuff-- some of my favorite moments that have happened since my last post! 

1. FLY YOGA! I had so much fun trying out fly yoga at Desa Seni! The spunky Spanish yoga instructor I had was hilarious, beautiful, and super motivating. The location itself was so calming + dreamy, and hanging upside down actually felt so freeing! You have to really trust those thin ribbons that you are hanging from... which was pretty exhilarating if you ask me. I'll be back, for sure! ((PS- you can't really see the ribbon in my pic, but I promise it's there, haha!!))

Desa Seni

Desa Seni

Desa Seni

Desa Seni

2. Photoshoot for ROVE! I was so happy to be able to model for ROVE's newest Greece-inspired collection coming soon!! I collaborated with this brand when I lived in NYC, and was so happy to finally meet the gorgeous + inspiring designer herself, Carolin. Her label is based out of Byron Bay, Australia but she does her production here in Bali. We shot at this really cool location called Panama Kitchen & Pool, and it literally felt like we were in Greece! I loved every minute of it!! Especially bc the photographer wasn't so bad to work with either... ;) 

Panama Kitchen & Pool

Panama Kitchen & Pool

3. Photoshoot for Birkenstock Australia! Zach and I had the opportunity to meet some amazing women from The Lifestyle Edit, which is based in Australia! They were in Bali shooting for several different brands for their online publication, and asked us to model for their Birkenstock shoot. We were shooting several looks all day in iconic spots in Seminyak, including this new, really cool Restaurant/Bar/Pool called Cabina! I can't wait to share all the photos with you guys as soon as they are released!! :) We had so much fun with this shoot and loved working with TLSE team!

Birkenstock

Birkenstock

Cabina Bali

Cabina Bali

5. Visa run to Kuala Lumpur... Our trip actually started off pretty terrible, but ended up being pretty great! First of all, we did not officially get our visas. Which was the whole point of the trip, considering we flew in one day and out the next, ha. So yes, we have to go back in a month to try again, because even though we work with an agency here in Bali and were told we just needed to go to the Indonesian Embassy to "pick up" our visas, that actually means arrive at 6am to wait in line so you can hopefully be seen that day ((they only see a certain number of people per day and when we went, had already reached their quota at 10am!)). Also, it apparently takes 2-3 days to process which we didn't know either. AH! So that was super frustrating and felt like a waste of money, except we ended up being rescued by our friend Rayna from NYC! She is from Malaysia and connected us to her good friend, Jonathan, who showed us around KL and made our trip worth while. We walked the streets of Chinatown, visited several gorgeous temples, and even had time for some of KL's famous Roti found in Little India! ((I had to take a gluten pill for that... but so glad I did, haha!)) All in all, we made some pretty great memories and know what to expect for out next time around. 

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

6. THE GATE! We made it to the insta-famous gate, from Handara Golf Resort & Spa! First of all, how funny is it that this iconic gate is actually at the entrance of a golf resort?! Ha! So this location is one we have had on our Bali bucket list from quite some time, and were finally able to take the day trip up north to see it for ourselves! It was just as gorgeous as I imagined, and we had so much fun hanging out here, getting some great photos, meeting other people doing the same, and watching the sunset. However, the drive up here is just under 2 hours from where we live in Pererenan, and the last half hour or so is going straight up a very windy mountainous road. As usual, the further up you go, the colder and colder it gets and by the time the sun set, we were both freezing!! Not to mention how much wind you feel when riding on the motorbike. I came up up the mountain wearing shorts and a tank, and left wearing my shorts, with a maxi dress on top, and then a t-shirt, a button-up on top, and THEN wrapped up with a sarong haha! It was a funny site to see for sure! ((You probably had a good laugh if you follow my insta stories because I shared this hilarious OOTD moment!)) Note to self/anyone else who wants to go see this gorgeous gate: Bring warm layers for the ride back! You won't regret it! 

Gate at Handara Golf Resort & Spa

Gate at Handara Golf Resort & Spa

7. Three Words: BALI. BIKE. RENTAL. By now you've heard me mention riding our motorbike time and time again in these posts, and that's because it is a huge part of our life here in Bali! It is our way of transportation, and is much more time efficient than riding a car. For the last month, we've had the honor of riding a few different bikes from Bali Bike Rental, and could not have loved collaborating with them any more than we did! It is so important to have a good and safe bike here in Bali because so many of the roads are super dangerous with random holes and are extremely narrow. Driving can be a little nuts. The guys over at Bali Bike Rental have made us feel safe + secure, and even provided a storage container to go on the back of our bike when we needed it for our trip up to Ubud! Whenever you make it out to Bali, definitely rent your bike from these guys. I cannot recommend them more highly! 

DS7C9815.JPG
DS7C9894.JPG

8. New friends + new adventures! If you know us at all, then you've probably noticed that both Zach and I are pretty spontaneous people and we love nothing more than meeting new friends! Last week both of these two truths collided when we met Helen and Nikita from the Ukraine! This adorable blogger couple lives in Bali, and right from the start, they are the kind of people that make you feel like you've known them for ages! They are genuine, authentic, and super refreshing to be around. This explains why after connecting via Instagram and meeting up for dinner, we were totally down to crash Helen's birthday trip to the Gili Islands when they invited us! I'll share more about our trip in a separate post, but this spontaneous weekend trip was definitely a highlight worth mentioning!! :) 

Gili Air

Gili Air

Despite the rollercoaster of emotions I've been riding lately, I am so incredibly grateful for the life Zach + I are making for ourselves. It looks different than anyone else's that I know, which sometimes makes things difficult because I feel like we are blindly blazing our own trail, but I wouldn't have it any other way! We try our best to stay grounded and keep Christ at the center, and honestly without faith, I couldn't do it. Living a life that is suitable for YOU is so important. No matter what anyone else tells you and no matter if it feels scary or even a little crazy at times. Make sure to always stay on your own path, all the others are already taken anyways... so why not make your own?! 

I hope you enjoy this post + all the photos! I love getting feedback from you guys, so please share any thoughts/comments below! And let me know if you even like these 'Dear Diary' posts, ha! Staying connected is what this is all about!! :) Love you all! 

Xo- Tara

PS- Shop exact + similar looks below! :)

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Panama Kitchen & Pool

Panama Kitchen & Pool

Crate Cafe

Crate Cafe

Cabina

Cabina

Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur

Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur

Photoshoot for Babe Scrub Australia

Photoshoot for Babe Scrub Australia

In Lifestyle, Travel Tags Bali, Birkenstock, ROVE Byron Bay, Handara Gate, visas, photoshoot, feelings, Kuala Lumpur, visa run, The Lifestyle Edit, emotions, Rove, temples, ROVE girls, Australia
← Gili Island ParadiseA Day at Samsara, Ubud →
DS7C2194-Edit-Edit-Edit-3.jpg

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It’s been real, America! After 3 months back in the Western Hemisphere, we’re finally leaving today to return to our new home in Bali. We’re beyond grateful to have incredible friends and family all over the world, but it’s a hard goodbye every time we leave NYC. When we moved to Bali in 2017 it was a giant risk and we only planned to stay a year.. but that year has turned into 2, and our hearts are ready to be back on that Indonesia island we love so dearly. First stop: Germany (see you tomorrow @travel_fred) then Singapore, and landing in Bali on Wednesday!
.
On another note- we’ve been so overwhelmed by all the kindness you guys have shown in response to our post from yesterday. So much encouragement and advice and positivity- we’ll do our best to respond to everyone, but just wanted to say THANK YOU. The best is yet to come!!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba @ritzcarlton #RCMemories
Ok guys- time for some REAL TALK. We always share the happiest, most beautiful moments here, but we feel it’s important to share the not-so-perfect stuff too. It’s actually been a really hard few months for us, and as we move into 2019, wanted to share a little bit of where we’re at.
Long story short- our drive crashed in Nov. and we lost almost everything we created in 2018 😭. We made the extremely dumb mistake of being slow with our backups, and between the hectic-ness of travel and quickly filling up hard drives, we didn’t back our main 4 TB drive up from April to November. And one night in the middle of our epic Bali trip, the drive just stopped reading. We tried everything, took it to every top repair shop in Bali, and no one could fix it. We flew to Singapore to bring it to one of the top data recovery specialists in Asia, and they deemed it un-recoverable. So, we shipped it to one of the best recovery specialists in America, and they could only recover 1%- all old files that we didn’t care about. Apart from some of our top selects and a few folders on Dropbox and our website, we. lost. everything. Photo + video from 16 countries, priceless memories and nearly a year’s worth of work, gone in a second. The entirety of the content from our first full-year of traveling- totally erased.
To be really real, it was a major blow. It’s slowed us down in lots of ways, but especially in our morale.
We’ve spent months feeling devastated at what we lost- at times it’s literally felt like we should give up. Trying to pull an old image or make a recap post or video, and it’s just not there. We know it’s just “stuff”- but it was the result of our biggest endeavor and most special year of life so far, and it’s gone. We’ve also felt unsure if what we are doing is even sustainable- and to continue creating has been really a struggle, as silly as it may sound. BUT- we’ve rallied, we’re working our way forwards, trusting for the future, and holding our heads high. We have our memories and that’s what really matters. We’re healthy and that can’t be bought. We have incredible friends and family who have encouraged and pushed us on.... (cont’d in comments)
Mornings in paradise ☀️ @stregisbb
.
It’s our last weekend in America before we fly home to Bali on Monday.. it’s hard to believe that we’ve been away from Asia for nearly 3 months already! It’s been so amazing seeing our families and friends in the states, but we’re ready to be back in Bali for sure!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #beautifulhotels
Tara- I don’t think either of us could have dreamed up a life crazier than this, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter where we go or what we pursue, no matter the exhilarating successes or the devastating defeats, no matter the distance or challenge or situation— my heart is fully and completely at home with you. Today, and every day, I’m the luckiest man in the world to be loved by you. Happy Valentine’s Day you sexy, sassy, sweet thing you. ILY forever xx -Zach
.
#TheTravelLeague #couple #coupletravel #valentinesday2019 #bemyvalentine #love #iloveyou
Happy Wednesday guys!
.
Interrupting our normal travel posts today to re-introduce ourselves for anyone who’s recently joined us! We’re Zach and Tara- an adventure loving married couple from NYC and currently based in Bali, Indonesia. We sold most of our stuff in 2017 to travel full time and build a lifestyle brand focused on our passions- luxury travel, fashion and design. ‘Life in Style for the Modern Adventurer’, as we like to say. We’re both 29 years old, Tara’s background is in fashion and Zach’s is in music and design- we got married in 2014 and have been traveling together ever since. So, as things have grown and progressed it only made sense to jump head-first into building the brand full-time, and we’re so grateful that you’re along with us on this journey!
.
Tara wearing @magalipascal
Zach wearing @rovebyronbay
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague
It’s “take me somewhere tropical” season in frozen North America, which means time to highlight some of our favorite Caribbean escapes! Our blog post covering our all-inclusive stay at @barcelomayagrandresort is live now on LeagueTravels.com (just in time for Valentine’s Day, hint hint). Go check it out!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxMexico #BarceloMoments #Mexico #Cancun #honeymoon #allinclusiveresort
Stealing kisses and soaking up the last few moments of light at @stregisbb 🖤
.
Our lives are fast-paced and always on the go- and to be honest, it’s easy to get so caught up in the crazy that we can forget to be present in the moment sometime. The line between “life” and “work” is a very blurry one in our industry, so we are always having to take a step back and re-evaluate what we’re doing and how we’re doing it! 👍🏼 Instagram is an amazing space, but it is so important to remember that social media doesn’t equal life. Moments may be captured inside the carefully curated squares, but it’s best lived outside of them. Much love guys!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #LiveExquisite #stregisbahiabeach
Puerto Rico has always been a special place for us- it was one of the first trips we went on after we got married and we’ve been coming back ever since. From wandering the colorful streets of Old San Juan and sipping on Piña Coladas in the restaurant they were created in to exploring jungles and kayaking through bioluminescent bays- there’s so much to do and see here and you don’t even need a passport (if you’re a US citizen)!
.
We spent the last few days at the @stregisbb- and if you’re looking for a luxurious, exotic jungle + beachfront destination without venturing too far from home, look no further!
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #LiveExquisite #PuertoRico
Running around all day in the Puerto Rican sun has us like 💤... and is there anything more romantic than watching the sunset from a hammock on a private beach?! @stregisbb #LiveExquisite
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico
Teamwork makes the dream work 🌴💪🏼
.
We’re here in Puerto Rico and so proud of this amazing island- totally devastated by hurricane Maria in 2017 but rebounding back in a way that only the passionate Puerto Ricans could! Life is getting back to normal here and the island is open for business once again, and it’s an honor to be here to show it off! We’ll be exploring the exquisite @stregisbb which is newly reopened after a year of remodeling, and we can’t imagine a more incredible place to enjoy the island from.
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Do we have any Puerto Rican Followers?! Let us know in the comments below! 🇵🇷
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #puertorico #LiveExquisite #stregisbb
So long Aruba! It’s hard to believe we’d never visited this Caribbean paradise before, but we can confidently say we’ve fallen in love and will be back! Thanks @ritzcarlton for making our stay in Aruba incredible in every way. #RCMemories #RCPartner #Aruba
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We’re now on our way now to another Caribbean paradise- and can’t wait to take you guys along with us!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba #travelbloggers
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It’s been real, America! After 3 months back in the Western Hemisphere, we’re finally leaving today to return to our new home in Bali. We’re beyond grateful to have incredible friends and family all over the world, but it’s a hard goodbye every time we leave NYC. When we moved to Bali in 2017 it was a giant risk and we only planned to stay a year.. but that year has turned into 2, and our hearts are ready to be back on that Indonesia island we love so dearly. First stop: Germany (see you tomorrow @travel_fred) then Singapore, and landing in Bali on Wednesday!
.
On another note- we’ve been so overwhelmed by all the kindness you guys have shown in response to our post from yesterday. So much encouragement and advice and positivity- we’ll do our best to respond to everyone, but just wanted to say THANK YOU. The best is yet to come!!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxAruba @ritzcarlton #RCMemories
Ok guys- time for some REAL TALK. We always share the happiest, most beautiful moments here, but we feel it’s important to share the not-so-perfect stuff too. It’s actually been a really hard few months for us, and as we move into 2019, wanted to share a little bit of where we’re at.
Long story short- our drive crashed in Nov. and we lost almost everything we created in 2018 😭. We made the extremely dumb mistake of being slow with our backups, and between the hectic-ness of travel and quickly filling up hard drives, we didn’t back our main 4 TB drive up from April to November. And one night in the middle of our epic Bali trip, the drive just stopped reading. We tried everything, took it to every top repair shop in Bali, and no one could fix it. We flew to Singapore to bring it to one of the top data recovery specialists in Asia, and they deemed it un-recoverable. So, we shipped it to one of the best recovery specialists in America, and they could only recover 1%- all old files that we didn’t care about. Apart from some of our top selects and a few folders on Dropbox and our website, we. lost. everything. Photo + video from 16 countries, priceless memories and nearly a year’s worth of work, gone in a second. The entirety of the content from our first full-year of traveling- totally erased.
To be really real, it was a major blow. It’s slowed us down in lots of ways, but especially in our morale.
We’ve spent months feeling devastated at what we lost- at times it’s literally felt like we should give up. Trying to pull an old image or make a recap post or video, and it’s just not there. We know it’s just “stuff”- but it was the result of our biggest endeavor and most special year of life so far, and it’s gone. We’ve also felt unsure if what we are doing is even sustainable- and to continue creating has been really a struggle, as silly as it may sound. BUT- we’ve rallied, we’re working our way forwards, trusting for the future, and holding our heads high. We have our memories and that’s what really matters. We’re healthy and that can’t be bought. We have incredible friends and family who have encouraged and pushed us on.... (cont’d in comments)
Mornings in paradise ☀️ @stregisbb
.
It’s our last weekend in America before we fly home to Bali on Monday.. it’s hard to believe that we’ve been away from Asia for nearly 3 months already! It’s been so amazing seeing our families and friends in the states, but we’re ready to be back in Bali for sure!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #beautifulhotels
Tara- I don’t think either of us could have dreamed up a life crazier than this, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. No matter where we go or what we pursue, no matter the exhilarating successes or the devastating defeats, no matter the distance or challenge or situation— my heart is fully and completely at home with you. Today, and every day, I’m the luckiest man in the world to be loved by you. Happy Valentine’s Day you sexy, sassy, sweet thing you. ILY forever xx -Zach
.
#TheTravelLeague #couple #coupletravel #valentinesday2019 #bemyvalentine #love #iloveyou
Happy Wednesday guys!
.
Interrupting our normal travel posts today to re-introduce ourselves for anyone who’s recently joined us! We’re Zach and Tara- an adventure loving married couple from NYC and currently based in Bali, Indonesia. We sold most of our stuff in 2017 to travel full time and build a lifestyle brand focused on our passions- luxury travel, fashion and design. ‘Life in Style for the Modern Adventurer’, as we like to say. We’re both 29 years old, Tara’s background is in fashion and Zach’s is in music and design- we got married in 2014 and have been traveling together ever since. So, as things have grown and progressed it only made sense to jump head-first into building the brand full-time, and we’re so grateful that you’re along with us on this journey!
.
Tara wearing @magalipascal
Zach wearing @rovebyronbay
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague
It’s “take me somewhere tropical” season in frozen North America, which means time to highlight some of our favorite Caribbean escapes! Our blog post covering our all-inclusive stay at @barcelomayagrandresort is live now on LeagueTravels.com (just in time for Valentine’s Day, hint hint). Go check it out!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxMexico #BarceloMoments #Mexico #Cancun #honeymoon #allinclusiveresort
Stealing kisses and soaking up the last few moments of light at @stregisbb 🖤
.
Our lives are fast-paced and always on the go- and to be honest, it’s easy to get so caught up in the crazy that we can forget to be present in the moment sometime. The line between “life” and “work” is a very blurry one in our industry, so we are always having to take a step back and re-evaluate what we’re doing and how we’re doing it! 👍🏼 Instagram is an amazing space, but it is so important to remember that social media doesn’t equal life. Moments may be captured inside the carefully curated squares, but it’s best lived outside of them. Much love guys!
.
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #PuertoRico #LiveExquisite #stregisbahiabeach
Puerto Rico has always been a special place for us- it was one of the first trips we went on after we got married and we’ve been coming back ever since. From wandering the colorful streets of Old San Juan and sipping on Piña Coladas in the restaurant they were created in to exploring jungles and kayaking through bioluminescent bays- there’s so much to do and see here and you don’t even need a passport (if you’re a US citizen)!
.
We spent the last few days at the @stregisbb- and if you’re looking for a luxurious, exotic jungle + beachfront destination without venturing too far from home, look no further!
Remember to tag all your travel photos with #TheTravelLeague to be a part of the @LeagueTravels community!
.
#TheTravelLeague #LeagueTravelsxPuertoRico #LiveExquisite #PuertoRico