LA by Diana - Personal Style blog by Diana Marks

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May 4, 2018

My Bali Trip: Blue Karma Resort Seminyak

It's time to continue my story of exploring Bali. After introduction to the island in Canggu, and cultural zen experience in Ubud, it was time to check out the most stylish and upscale area in Bali - Seminyak, famous for the best Bali shopping, beach clubs, top restaurants and the most luxurious resorts. 
I stayed at the beautiful luxury boutique hotel Blue Karma, which is a bit tucked away from the action yet just a short walk away from the best local shopping streets, restaurants and the beach. Artistic creativity, ethnic design and a beautiful garden came together to create a unique hidden paradise in the middle of all the action. With only 9 villas from 1 to 4 rooms, the hotel feels very private and peaceful, and of course their service is beyond excellent. I stayed at a 1 bedroom villa called Lavender, and I was completely in love. I think the designers were building it specifically for me, because I would literally live in that place! Minimalistic ethnic decor with lots of wooden elements, a private pool and so much space - it is truly my personal interior dream.
Unfortunately I had to leave the hotel very early on the last day, hence cut my stay there short. But I was up for a spontaneous last minute adventure trip to Gili islands, that you can check here :)
Check out the video tour on my INSTAGRAM (scroll right for the video!)

April 26, 2018

Springtime Snacking with My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream

This post is sponsored by My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Spring is in the air, and I am back exploring my favorite healthy snack options. Luckily my favorite My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream has so many flavors to choose from! I have recently been obsessing with their Sweet Mango flavor, it's a perfect snack on the go. This is not a dessert, it's a delicious portable snack for anytime and anywhere. It's super cute looking, has a different unique texture and overall super fun to snack on! Most importantly, I can take it along while running errands and share with friends on the go too :) Check out My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream at your local retailer and online :)
Happy Snacking!

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.