CHILLIN' WITH MY BEACH

Getting to the aptly named Dream Beach is not particularly easy, but then, for those willing to fly half-way around the world to Bali, a little extra traveling shouldn't be a deal breaker. After a two-hour ride in a tiny fisherman's boat from Padang Bay, Bali to Nusa Lembongan island, you must hop on the back of a motorcycle and hurdle through the jungle on dirt roads teeming with potholes. Finally, you crest a hill and look down to see the most beautiful, isolated, white sand beach you could ever hope to find. And situated on that beach is exactly one hotel, named for its lovely location - the Dream Beach Bungalow.

It's pretty and cheap. $20 a night will get you a gorgeous thatched-roof bungalow with a private outdoor shower and a queen-size bed enveloped in a mosquito net. It will also get you a nearly isolated beach, surrounded by pristine farmland, populated by free-range chickens and the occasional lazy cow.

The adjoining restaurant and bar, Cafe Pandan, serves up some of the best food to be found in Bali. Pepes Ikan (steamed fish wrapped in banana leaves) and Nasi Goering (fried rice topped with an egg) are ubiquitous fare in this part of the world, but the cooks take pride in their national dishes and serve them with care, perfectly spiced. You can enjoy your dinner with your toes in the sand, or while reclining on a couch on the second floor overlooking the ocean.

You won't find discos or banana boat rides here. You also won't find hoards of other tourists. Perhaps you'll find a few fellow savvy travelers, who like you, have come to kick back, enjoy a few Bintang beers and relax in this private wonderland.

Dream Beach Bungalow

+62 (0) 8123983772

- Ivey Doyal

BEAUTIFUL BARONI

We can't get enough of this fun, classy and simply gorgeous handcrafted sterling silver jewelry! Necklaces, bracelets and earrings made with unique designs that vary from sexy gold and silver accents that go perfectly with your little black dress - to whimsical circles bursting with the keenest color combinations - just the right fashionable touch to dress up your favorite new jeans and sweater combo, or your business suit.

We fell in love with this design team when we discovered their new jewelry line for little ones (Baroni Kids, featured in our online gift guide at www.travelgirlinc.com), and we were delighted to find out they create stuff for big girls too! They even have a collection of breast cancer education fundraising jewelry. Started by two inspired girlfriends with a passion for the good things in life, you gotta love the company policy: The Baroni staff designs "with their heroes in mind - the moms, the yogis, the marathoners, the teachers, the artists, the surfers, the writers, the gardeners - celebrating the playful, the strong, and the beautiful people who wear their jewelry and shine - from the inside out."

Doesn't it make you want to put a piece of Baroni on right now?

www.baronidesigns.com

- Stephanie Oswald