I have been told my life is a fairy-tale but my story is simple. Born in Melbourne, Australia, I met a Balinese man from Ubud in 1984, and without much thought, moved to this charming hillside town and threw myself into a new life. Back then, ducks and cows wandered down the main road and telephones were a luxury. That was nearly 30 years ago. Hard to believe. And since that time, 4 babies have been born and businesses have blossomed. We are the proud owners of Casa Luna and Indus restaurants, and more recently, Bar Luna. I also run The Casa Luna Cooking School where happy tourists and others are taught the secrets of Balinese cooking.
In 2003 my memoir/cookbook Fragrant Rice was published and is an account of my life on this fabled island interspersed with Balinese recipes and insights into local traditions.
In 2004 I created the international Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in response to the 2002 Bali bombings. It has been named by Harper’s Bazaar, UK, as “one of the top Festivals in the world” and by ABC’s Asia-Pacific network as “the next Edinburgh Festival of Asia”.
In 2011, my cookbook, Bali; The Food of My Island Home was released and includes my favourite recipes from Bali and beyond.
I live in Ubud on the premises of the Honeymoon Guesthouse with my husband and four children, when they are all home.
Drop in and have a cup of tea with me!