LA by Diana - Personal Style blog by Diana Marks

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April 25, 2018

My Bali Trip: Tugu Hotel in Canggu

As you know from my social media accounts, I recently went on a solo trip to Bali, which was full of adventures and self-transformational experiences. I managed to go to 5 different places (one of them is not even in Bali, it's another island in Indonesia!) over a span of 2 short weeks, but it seemed like I spent a lifetime there. I only had my first and last two nights of the trip planned, everything else was meant to be figured out as I go. I was following my heart and local advice, and ended up having the best travel experience of my life!
Bali is truly a magical island, with its own spirit and way of life. It is made up of fascinating history, a blend of religions and spiritual atmosphere all around. Local people are warm and welcoming, they believe in karma and energy, live in the moment and practice gratitude. I learned a lot from the local way of life. All areas in Bali are different from one another with their own unique twists, however they all unite under one balinese spirit. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to each area (and the place I stayed at) individually. 
My first stop in Bali was at a coastal village Canggu beach famous for great waves for surfing, cute cafes, co-working spaces and also known to be an up-and-coming resort area. I chose to stay at Hotel Tugu, which is a family owned museum-like property owned by a renown Indonesian art collector Anhar Setjadibrata. He owns a few hotels in Indonesia, all of which store his unique collections of art, therefore being on a mission to bring back to life the art, soul and romance of Indonesia. No wonder the hotel feels like his private property, and it seems that you are just vacationing at your friend's place. From museum-like decorations and a huge collection of antiques to the greenest tropical garden area, everything at the hotel looks dreamy and surreal.
The staff treats you like family, and goes above and beyond to meet each one of your needs. I felt like I am the only person staying there, despite the hotel being fully occupied. My suite had an oceanfront view, and I had a hard time leaving my balcony both in the morning and at night - sunrise and sunset ocean views are stunning! The location of the property is just footsteps away from the beach, where I took my surf classes despite myself never being an avid surfer. Weather you are into surfing or not, I definitely recommend it for an intense workout, super fun times and even a spiritual journey. 
As for the food, I was obsessed with Tugu Hotel's cuisine, which is almost upsetting as I didn't even get to try many other places in the area. Their breakfast bowls were delicious and dreamy, and dinner at JI Restaurant, which is located on the premises serves the freshest sushi that melts in your mouth! Check out full photo diary below:

April 8, 2018

My Home Office Area

Working on my own online business allows me to be able to work from anywhere (coffee shops, hotels, my home, co-working spaces). Sometimes I am productive in any of them, but there are periods of time, when I can only concentrate in my home office. I am not one of those "girly" women, who need flowers, fashion books and candles all around my office (even though I do appreciate them outside my office space), but what I like to have in my office areas is simple minimalistic design and seamless motivational signs. Thanks to signomatic.com I was able to customize my signs for my second home office area exactly how I wanted it - from material to color, shape and font, all of which you choose directly on their website. With Signomatic.com you can design everything from exclusive company signs and advertising signs to attractive engraved door signs and interior signs.

March 29, 2018

From work to fun with b.tempt'd

This post is sponsored by b.tempt'd, but opinions are my own :) 
You know that my lifestyle is very hectic and unpredictable, which can take its toll on my stress levels and overall health. I take this seriously and try to take care of my mind and body well-being as much as I can. Luckily, I live in Venice beach, where there are countless options to unwind and take care of your balance - from sunset walks to biking, paddle boarding or exploring local neighborhood stores. We all know that staying active is the best way to have a healthy mind. My new favorite activity is Bird scooters - a fun way of transportation, that makes you feel like you are a child again. And with my favorite lingerie brand b.tempt'd, I can finally do it all almost immediately because I don't need to change.  b.tempt'd is a lingerie brand that not only fits your body, but also your lifestyle. Their bras are comfortable for anything - work or fun, plus the brand is heavily encouraging us to take care of ourselves. I wear their bras under a t-shirt for meetings and for a light activity right after; it looks and feels amazing in any situation.
Here I am wearing the b.tempt'd Modern Method Bralette - perhaps the most comfortable bralette I have ever worn, because it still provides the support of a regular bra, yet feels cozy without the extra weight. And it looks so cute - I deliberately want to show off as much of it as I can. That's why I paired it with a loose contrasted tank top - and you know me, I love black and white combination more than anything. 

March 19, 2018

Self-Care with Biore


I have been talking about self care more and more on the blog, mainly because that's what this year is all about for me - taking care of my mind, body and soul without being too obsessive about it. I am humbled to keep partnering with the companies that are on the same mission as I am, and they introduce me and my audience to new helpful products. Today's blog post is about Biore - the brand, which has innovative products that really work, with superior technology, unique ingredients, and unexpected sensorial solutions that targets the root of all skin problems - the evil clogged pore.
I am not a huge mask fan, it takes too much time and is always messy for me, but Biore One Minute Self Heating Mask is the product I fell in love with immediately. First of all, it's only one minute, second - it doesn't harden, and rinses fast and clean - hence, no mess! I love the way it heats up on the face, such a cool sensation! Plus it's infused with natural charcoal, which draws out pore clogging dirt, oil and impurities in just 60 seconds, and it's 2.5x times more effective than a basic cleanser! Handy compact packaging makes it a great product to travel with. What is there not to love? :)