Lovers of Leisure Milou Neelen & Davey Massikki
The Pleasure of Leisure is a portal for escapism. A sensory exploration of travel and the rituals of leisure, guided by a curiosity for how leisure is experienced across different places and cultures.
For one of the editions of Lovers of Leisure, TPOL co-founder and photographer Anna Pihan visited the Bali home of Hôtel Magique founder and The Pleasure of Leisure books co-creator Milou Neelen, and her partner, DJ Davey Massikki. Together, they share a glimpse into their world of music, creativity, and leisure on the island they call home.
Photography by Anna Pihan.
In what way is leisure time important for your creativity?
Milou and Davey We both need leisure time to stay creative. Even though we both love long days in a creative bubble, emptying your mind wondering around, and making trips makes space for next-level ideas.
Milou Especially leisure time in nature. The beauty of nature feeds my soul and sparks my curiosity. Even though we created the ultimate place for inspiration by designing and building our own home, your curiosity can only come so far by staying in one place. I need curiosity to stay creative, so leisure time in nature is a must.
What does leisure time mean for you as a couple?
Milou I love exploring so much, that I can wear myself out during trips (Anna Pihan can confirm ;). When I travel alone I wake up super early and explore by foot or bike all day long into the evening or night. Davey takes more time, might skip a location but enjoys another a little longer. He makes time to eat, drink, and nap, all things I can rush or skip. So when I travel alone I might come home exhausted, whereas if we travel together I feel just as happy plus rested. Plus I love just watching him enjoy our trip as well, how he experiences it, experience through his eyes.
Davey I think our leisure time together grows the quality of our relationship, I enjoy my time more sharing it together. Also, we are never not talking, but during leisure time we take our conversations to the next level. We have come up with the best ideas, solutions, or thoughts that help us grow individually or as a couple during those long conversations.
