My first trip to Bali was purely for pleasure. A much needed get away after many years of diligently growing Sweet Skins (and my three children). Although I grew up in South East Asia, I had never been to Indonesia before. Excited and ready for adventure, I stepped off the plane into an all too familiar hot & aromatic Asian airport. And into the loving arms of my sister Zoray and my six year old niece, Cempaka. Home at last!

Riding from the airport to our home in Ubud is utterly enchanting. Artful in every arch, and every doorway ornately detailed. Statues carved of stone & wood. Every stoop adorned with flowers and little offerings to the spirits.

I hadn’t planned on doing business in Bali. After all, I have a “Made in USA” business. Besides, I grew up in Thailand; if I wanted to manufacture in Asia that would be the obvious choice. But seeing as how every one I met was an artist, a painter or the brother of the maker (all of whom are ready and eager to do business with me) I had to at least consider the possibilities.

Ideas began swirling in my head like sugar plums — thinking about the shoe collection I’ve always wanted to design, the denim line that hovers just near the men’s collection that’s been brewing in my heart, fresh style swirling and whirling in a cloud of accessories, hearts and wings twinkling away in the endless skies of blue that are the back drop of my dreams…

“Hey Mira, wake up! This guy carves wooden jewelry. What shall we have him make?”… Really?

Let me just spend the next three weeks soaking in one or any of the many beautiful non-chlorine swimming pools, while I contemplate it. This is how I spent my days in Bali: in water, in warmth, in love, in fruit & sweet black coffee for breakfast; Soaking in the maddening beauty of tropical plants and my niece’s beautiful face; losing weight while eating non-stop; walking until my feet blister, and then swimming & dreaming some more.

By the time I left Bali, I had conjured up an entirely new & jet set life-style to aspire to, including a home in Bali, a heavy dose of plane hopping and several new lines of beautiful wearables, made with love in Bali. Stay tuned…