Monday

I flew back from a glorious weekend in Perth late last night which I spent with an old friend who's back for a while after studying abroad. 3 years worth of stories. I love and miss you V. Nothing beats the friendship that can continue where it left off years ago.

Since culling my wardrobe this year I've not had many exciting outfits to blog, so here is what I wore to work today. I'm well and truly sick of tights.

- Scanlan dress & belt
- Sussan jacket
- Witchery necklace & flats

instasydney

I have needed to run away from the reality of my 9-5 existence (more like 8-8 these days) more than ever. And the only way to not spend the weekend also trying to make the impossible happen for some people is to run away as far as possible.

Thank goodness for quick flight times.

Charlie & Co burgers and truffle and parmesan fries, macarons, drinks in the sunshine at Opera Bar.

Boot scootin'

What better way to procrastinate getting out of bed to go to the gym than trying to decide which new boots to buy for next winter. Right as summer is about to start.  Typical me.

As I'll be taking most of next year off, the pony hair boots couldn't be justified.  I couldn't blame my clients for needing them.

Instead I hit the practical route and got these.  They will probably serve me better and wiser next year and could well come to France with me, depending on when I go.  It's all about the inner dialogue justifying it to the wallet.

The real issue at hand however is what on earth I'm going to wear this summer, if summer ever decides to arrive (last night I had the heating on).  Most of my wardrobe was sold or thrown out this year and I hate all the fluro tank tops they're trying to make me wear.  May just live in a sarong.

And the winner is.... ME!?

This time last year I was wandering the streets of Paris.  As I've written a number of times, it was one place high on my bucket list that I wanted to tick off.  I worked pretty hard to make it work - somehow!   I didn't know at the time but my body was in the midst of being taken over by an autoimmune illness, perhaps the reason why I didn't see any of the magic city past 8pm.  Apart from late night cocktails at Opera Bar at Crillon Hotel.  In my experience, every stereotype of Paris was a myth - Paris was clean and beautiful, people were not uptight or snooty and if I made a little effort to speak French, they all made effort to speak English.  The high end stores were a delight - I encountered the loveliest sales assistants from Chanel to Hermes to Maje and everything in between.  And I still drool at the thought of the Raspberry Tart at Laduree.

You can read my posts from that trip HERE.

There were plenty of things left that I hadn't had a chance to see.  I never made it to Versailles and most of the museums went unvisited.

Yesterday, unlike most Melbournians, I headed to work, leaving my phone in my car by mistake.  When I finally got around check it late last night, I had a bunch of missed from a mobile number I didn't recognise and just as I picked it up the number rang again.

Rewind to last Saturday as B and I were enjoying breakfast and papers at our favourite cafe and I had sent my details, entering a competition thinking that surely nobody ever wins those things, let alone ME!?!?!

Well I got the shock of my life last night when the lovely Laura from the Melbourne French Festival - Paris to Provence called me to say I'D WON A TRIP TO FRANCE!

I have no idea how or when this will all take place (maybe for my next birthday???) and where do I want to go?  Paris?  A farmhouse or chateaux?  Maybe I'll offer my house for a house swap and hope there's somebody that wants to spend time in Melbourne whilst I'm in France.  MIND IS BLOWN!

Either way, I am so fortunate and so privileged to have won.  Maybe my luck will continue today with a win at the races (Mount Athos?) and the $100mil lotto draw.. (I do promise to share and be generous!)

WOW!

Vogue Australia - December 2012

A few years ago, I believe I read somewhere that Australia is the only market where Bazaar is read more widely than Vogue. In a way I could relate as many months I found Bazaar a better read than Vogue.  While both were luxury magazines, I could understand how Vogue felt perhaps a little bit more out of touch.  As a subscriber of international editions of Vogue, I found that Australian Vogue reprinted far too many features and covers (Bazaar may have been just as big a culprit but I did not read international editions of same).

Like most women, I was angered at the way that Kirstie Clements was treated but ultimately the end result has been good for Vogue.  The recent issues have been wonderful and the covers original.  And the online presence has grown immensely.  Bravo to the Vogue team for a wonderful December cover, featuring two lovely Australian ladies - Julia Nobis and Black Caviar, leading ladies in their field.

As we head into racing season and balmy summer nights and parties I can't wait to see what Vogue has to suggest.  My partying and shopping maybe scaled back this year, but I won't let that stop me from enjoying my summer.  What are your plans?

Picture: Benny Horne for Vogue Australia

Home truths

Nothing like your own bed

Moo cow

Bedroom window view - hello baby cactus and mint plant

This year, my bedroom has become my sanctuary.  For someone who functioned on very little to no sleep, I am asleep by 9pm most nights. 

I don't know how I lived comfortably in a one bedroom flat for 4 years, yet since moving into our house last year (which is more than 3 times the size of the flat) everything has been overflowing.  I've lost count of the clothes, shoes, furniture that's been sold on eBay or thrown out, yet every couple of weeks it becomes obvious that even more has to go.  The bedroom has been the biggest victim benefactor of my ruthless culling.  Half of my clothes are gone.  9/10 hair and skin products have been turfed. Now every piece of my highly edited wardrobe has it's space (let me tell you, outfits are on high rotation) and the top draw of the tall boy is a mecca of only the best and favourite products.  

I've unsubscribed from most of the daily deal websites now (too much junk being marketed as a bargain) but not before I bought the most wonderful 1000 count thread quilt cover set for $37.  They are simply divine and so easy to keep clean (maybe the Omo Ultimate & NapiSan has something to do with it???)

Crisp white sheets, clean pajamas and a good night sleep are hard to beat for me these days.  And it's true what they say - make your bed every morning, because even if you accomplish nothing today, walking into your bedroom and seeing the bed made will make you feel calmer... because even if all else has failed at least you had made the bed.

The guest bedroom has also been receiving plenty of attention (correction, ruthless throwing out of everything in sight).  It is the multifunctional genius.  Or at least it will be by the time I finish with it this summer.

Speaking of summer, any chance I can put away the tights yet???

Holiday attire

$12 sarong from a Burleigh Heads news agent.

Make a stand

I'm probably one of the most opinionated people you are likely to meet.  I like to form an opinion on EVERYTHING, however I don't voice much of that on my blog.  I love engaging in debates, I love learning about new things, I love reading.  My mind is always buzzing with thoughts.  And this post maybe unlike others that I post but I felt compelled to voice my thoughts. If you follow me on Twitter, this is probably nothing new for you.

This past week I have been both upset and angered at the treatment of women in Australia.  Firstly the vulgar attacks on our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and the awful comments from Alan Jones about her fathers death.  Although I don't agree with a lot of her policies, I truly believe that she has been absolutely crucified during her leadership mostly because she is a woman.  Her personal life choices are just that and should have nothing to do with how she does her job.  I am tired of women being belittled and I am tired of society doing nothing about it.  If a public figure gets away with humiliating the leader of our country in the media, what example does that set the wider community?  Question her policies by all means, but do not bring the death of her father into it in the most derogatory of ways.  Why does society continue to employ these men and continue to accept their indiscretions.   

Even more tragic was the death of Jill Meagher.  It's amazing how this sad event has touched so many people from all walks of life.  I suppose because Jill is just like the rest of us.  An ordinary young woman who went out for drinks with friends from work and never came home.  When a bush walker goes missing, you think, well I don't go bush walking.  But everyone goes out on a Friday night.  I hope this brings regulation to the taxi industry; taxis often refuse short fares, forcing us to walk home which could place us in dark streets surrounded by strange people.  Cameras in notorious spots are often not working (I once had all of my belongings stolen and I could see 5 cameras positioned towards the spot where I was, yet all of them were switched off).  I hope that people take harassment seriously.  The footage shows a man approaching Jill and engaging in a conversation that she was clearly uncomfortable having.  If a woman says no to speaking with you, it should be taken as a no.  Let alone any further advances.  Why should women have to put up with unwanted conversation and be forced to fight it off?  I won't even begin to voice my opinions on individuals with extensive history of violence towards women being released back into the community... convincing officers of the law that they are cured.  Some illnesses have no cure.  There are people whose locks should not have a key.

via google

Daytime sequins?

Yes please!

Ballin'

I very rarely browse Etsy.  I find it's a black hole full of things I want.  I can easily spend 5 hours discovering the most beautiful items and getting lost in the beauty of everything I come across.  I suddenly imagine myself wearing long kaftans, silk jumpsuits and outrageous jewellery.  Etsy totally sucks me in.  Luckily I'm pretty good at avoiding it.  It's too annoying to browse on my phone and I rarely open my laptop these days.

I didn't however have much luck avoiding the beautiful and dainty jewellery of Illuminance Jewelry.

Everything is exquisitely made and insanely beautiful. Some of favourites that are headed my way...

 

 

 

 

 

all images below to Etsy seller.

Birthday thoughts....

 

It's been a year of learning for me.  As I enter the last year of my 20's I am grateful to have had the opportunity to grow up and become an adult.  The life of many I know was cut short, much, much too soon.  But this year has also forced me to slow down a lot.  I simply don't have the energy to live the life I was used to.  I sometimes miss the old pace, but I know that I need my 9-10 hours sleep now and I don't battle against it.  It's been a long 10 months and learning about auto immune disease took me longer than I expected and distressed me more than I would have liked, but the forced changes have got me on the mend.  Maybe I seem a bit selfish now, often saying no, but there is no alternative for me.  I eat a lot of apples, do some light exercise and sleep.  A lot.

And my consumption has truly minimised.  Instead of buying I now sell.  And besides, acid green crop tops hold no appeal to me.  Even my old faithful Scanlan & Theodore isn't what it used to me in my eyes and for my style. 

So the dilemma around what to do with my birthday money started to consume me over the past few weeks.  I wanted to reward myself with something nice, as was my goal at the beginning of the year (to only buy quality items) instead of spending my birthday money on a couple of small things that later down the track disappear.

I'd had my old Fendi wallet since 2008 when I spent an absurd amount of money while trapped at Bangkok airport for 14 hours.  If there's an airport designed to suck every cent out of your bank account (and put a huge dint into your credit card as well) it's certainly Bangkok.

So now I'm a proud owner of a new and much needed wallet.

A review post to follow...  

Last weekend of winter

 

  

Green door at Redcliffe

 

 

Sea shells at Burleigh Heads

 

 

Surfers from Burleigh

 

When the real life gets the better of me I'm fortunate enough to be able to escape and spend time with my parents, who love doing the same thing as I do - hanging out by the beach.  The winter dragged on, like it usually does, so I spent the last weekend of August (also being the last day of winter) on the Gold Coast, doing a huge coastal walk at Burleigh Heads and lounging in the 26C warmth.  It was the best holiday ever, even if it was only 48 hours long.

This year has truly flown by, maybe a little bit too quickly.  It dawned on me yesterday when I ordered my new Moleskine diary for 2013 (it's all about the Peanuts limited edition!!).  But with a new diary comes the permission to plan my annual holiday in January! Can't complain about that.

Also, right now I'm trying to organise my mum's 50th birthday, which is next month.  If anyone has any ideas for what I should do and buy, please share them with me... I've got the cake ordered and I've also got the 50 red roses lined up (my mum adores flowers)... but I'm stumped on a proper gift... HEEEELP!

 

Winter wonder

I am well and truly over winter and layers and jackets. Dreaming of sunshine and vitamin D in natural form. And new clothes.

Quick dinner outfit post. Sorry they've been lacking.

Dress-Shakyhachi
Jacket-Zara
Brooch-lil shop in St Germain in Paris
Necklace-sass&bide
Leggings-sass&bide
Shoes-Georgina Goodman

Summer lovin'

I'm going to embrace the warm weather when it finally rolls around (which at this rate may be never) and wear a lot of yellow.

Tales from New Zealand: Life in Queenstown

I've well and truly been missing from the blogosphere and I'm sincerely sorry about that.  Winter sees a real lull in energy levels for me.  I run from the office, straight home to the ducted heating and don't dare leave the house much.  And this year my energy levels have been the lowest in years, so I figure it's best not to post much at all.

Queenstown was an amazing place.  It is like a fairy tale.  You could fool anyone that you are at any ski resort in the world and they would be non the wiser.  Photos do not do it justice.  It is picturesque, warm, friendly inviting and relaxing.  As soon as I arrived I didn't want to leave.  I take heart in the fact that it is a cheap 3 hour plane ride away.

The weather was warm, perhaps a little too warm which meant that all the mountains were closed for skiing, but the amazing house that I got to call home, as well as the delicious food I got to eat surely made up for it.  I think I will reserve a post just for "eating my way around Queenstown".

The descent into Queenstown through the mountains from Wanaka.

 

The view from my bathtub on a cold and foggy morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long, LONG walks along the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just me and the ducks. And my backpack.

Tiny bit of snow.  And I did quickly tire of wearing the same clothes every day.

Little guy!

Notes from New Zealand - Day 3 - Lake Tekapo to Queenstown

As the trip wears on, I am getting extremely tired as there has been a lot to do and explore but it's nothing that a nap by the fireplace hasn't been able to fix.  I didn't know I had this many muscles that could hurt.

Back to day three.  After a wonderful overnight stay at Peppers and a quick breakfast in town, we hit the road for our final destination and what would be home for the remainder of the trip.

From what we were told, it was rather unusual to get such a huge covering of fog, it was hard to see anything at all, including the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand.  The church is on the shores of the lakes, which was not visible due to the thick fog.

A frozen lake and fog surrounding Peppers Resort.

About 70km from Lake Tekapo is Lake Pukaki.  This lake usually has a distinctive blue colour created by the finely ground rock of the glaciers, but of course the fog continued so we didn't get to see much.  I did manage to score two bruises on my hike down (and then back up) the rocks, but all is forgiven.

The afternoon coffee pit stop was in the stunning town of Wanaka where we fed ducks and walked the shore of the lake in the rain.

The clouds were again hiding the mountains, which were huge.

Hooray, Queenstown is close!!!

And then onto Queenstown and our beautiful house, which I cannot wait to show you.