Sorry, there doesn’t appear to be an official web site. Well, it seems there really is a web site. See the comments.

Now, I’m the first to admit that this subject requires more research and testing. Much, much more research, and a lot of repeated testing to make sure standards are maintained. Donations to support continued research can be made to the Cookie Research Undertakings Management Bureau (CRUMB).

Sarah Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal cookie

Herewith are my preliminary results, not necessarily in any particular order:

Walnut White Chocolate Cookie – Java Gallery, Phnom Penh – These were quite the surprise. A cake-like walnut-filled dough surrounds a solid chunk of white chocolate. The earthy taste of the nuts forms a nice counter-balance to the flowery taste of the white chocolate. Java also sell a chocolate-almond cookie that’s quite good, but not as distinctive as the white chocolate creation. Java’s main shop, and gallery, is located on Sihanouk Boulevard near the Independence Monument. They also have a tea shop in Monument Books on Norodom Boulevard.

Chocolate Chip – Joma, Vientiane – It’s positively deplorable, the abominations that have been created using the name "Chocolate Chip". Most of them should be called "crumb bombs with bits of brown stuff." That’s what makes the Joma offering so great. Tucked away in sleepy little Vientiane, this little bakery café makes some amazing cookies, made with real butter, eggs, and chock full of real chocolate chips. Not far from the Fountain.

Macarons – Blue Pumpkin, Siem Reap – I had never encountered these marvelous French pastries until moving to Southeast Asia. Even here, with all the French influence, they’re somewhat rare. Blue Pumpkin has by far the best – large glossy cookies with creamy fillings. It would be hard to pick which of the six flavors is the best – and you’ll have to try all six to find the right one for you – but I would probably pick the lemon. The sourness of the lemon provides a balance to the otherwise very sweet cookies. Blue Pumpkin has several branches all over Siem Reap. If you’re in Bali, Bali Catering in Seminyak makes a pretty good macaron, among other things.

Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookie – Sarah, Bangkok – The Thai capital is quite devoid of decent cookies, or maybe I just haven’t been able to get past the mangoes with sweet sticky rice to find them. My one consistently edible find is, oddly enough, a health cookie. Sarah’s Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal cookie is exactly what it sounds like: a chewy oatmeal cookie with dried cranberries in place of the more mundane raisins. These "health" cookies contain no sugar, but they are made with Malititol syrup, which some nutritionists argue is not good for you. No eggs are used, and sunflower butter is used in place of real butter or margarine. For the first time ever, I really can’t believe it’s not butter. Sarah’s cookies may be purchased at Villa Supermarket near Sukhumvit Soi 31.

Following the success of his past exhibition in London, Jean Marc Louis will present his Art work for the first time in Thailand, where he now resides.

Jean-Marc Louis’ choices of sober colors and refined lines, unexpected materials and captivating combinations made him well established on the international market with permanent representations in Brussels, Paris, St Tropez, London, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, etc. His abstract expressionism is the reflection of his numerous traveling experiences, love and interest in cultures, and research of minimalism.

The exhibition will comprise paintings and sculptures presenting Jean-Marc Louis’ latest inspiration, which will immerse the public in a shimmering universe where art arouses atmosphere and emotions.

The Sofitel Bangkok Silom combines the value of modernity, refinement and comfort, the V9 bar and restaurant, hosting the exhibition, is imbued with the French art de vivre and the Thai genuine haven of peace. Located at the 37^th floor of the hotel, the place offers one of the best views of Bangkok, reinforcing the charming of the urbane ambiance.

The exhibition runs from 20 December 2009 to 20 February 2010.

Now, McDermott has collected 100 of his images created over the last 14 years into a new book, titled Elegy: Reflections on Angkor. The book is available for a special pre-release price of US$60 through the photographer’s web site. Art prints of selected images are also available.

If we spirits have offended
Think but this and all is mended
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions have appeared.

I can’t believe I can still write that out from memory. I decided not to check if I got it correct, though. You may be wondering, "Why the Shakespeare?" Well, as part of this year’s Ubud Writers and Readers festival, theatre fireFLY is staging a Balinese version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performances are scheduled for October 7, 10 and 11 at 7:00 pm, the Arma Museum. For more information, see the play’s web site. It sounds extremely interesting, but I doubt I’ll be able to see it.

Just to be clear, I’m not talking about global warming, I’m talking about the other big "green" issue of the day: Iran. The election turmoil in Iran has become the cause célèbre of cyberspace, or more specifically, the "Twitterverse", where people have been turning their profile pictures green or adding green ribbons to them in support of the people of Iran. But you’ll note that my picture remains uncolored and unadorned.

Now, I don’t dispute that there was certainly something very fishy about this election, and I believe the Iranian people have a right to question and peacefully protest something that smells as bad as a shrimp boat with a full hold. The fact that the situation evolved and continues to develop through the use of modern technology certainly means that no matter what happens, the 2009 Iran election aftermath will go down as the first "Internet revolution".

However, there does seem to be some question as to whether the actual end result would be any different without the funny business. Furthermore, you don’t have to read much about the opposition to conclude that Iran probably wouldn’t be any ‘nicer’ where the West was concerned if one of the other candidates had won. But my decision not get on the green bandwagon goes beyond these doubts.

The question for me is, why is Iran so important? Granted there’s a certain geo-political significance to what happens in Iran, but does it really warrant such exclusive attention? What about all the other people in all the other countries denied the right to determine their own futures? For example, there’s another election that hasn’t had much attention these days. There’s no question that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won the elections in Burma in 1990, but the generals who run the country – and proved their ineptitude by holding the elections in the first place – refused to recognize the will of the people, and have kept Suu Kyi under house arrest for much of the 19 years since then. Now, she’s on trial for "allowing" someone break into her prison-home. There have been a few outcries about this, but the incident seems to have been quickly forgotten and Suu Kyi is still in jail.

A few days ago, two NLD supporters were sentenced to 18 months in prison. Their crime? They prayed for Aung San Suu Kyi. The generals have now decided that simply praying for anyone they don’t like is an "insult to religion" and punishable by imprisonment. This was reported by a few media outlets, but quickly forgotten. No outrage at the lack of religious freedom, nothing.

Do the people of Burma not deserve our support because they’re too poor to buy iPhones and don’t have ready access to the Internet? I’m not trying to convince you that Burma is more important that Iran. They’re both causes worthy of our attention. But it seems too easy to focus on just the one issue everyone else is focused on, and that’s how the Burmas, Darfurs and Tibets of the world get forgotten.

So, even though some people say I look good in green, my profile picture is going to remain the same old natural color it’s always been.

Now it’s time to get off my soapbox and start packing. I’ve got a plane to Manila to catch.

The Bali Arts Festival is a full month of daily performances, handicraft exhibitions and other related cultural and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Bali comes to the city to present its offerings of dance, music and beauty. On display are trances from remote mountain slopes, forgotten or recently revived village dances, food and offering contests, classical palace dances, stars of Balinese stage, odd musical performances, “kreasi baru” (new creations) from the dance schools of Denpasar, as well as contemporary choreography and dance companies from other islands and from abroad.

See the web site for full program details.