Beach holidays...

I spent Easter Sunday at Noosa and Marcoola beaches on the Sunshine Coast. The weather and company were divine and I really didn't want to leave! Can you blame me? It was pretty much the perfect day...

Firstly there was Main Beach at Noosa (which actually came after coffee and visiting the shops on Hastings St but who really cares)

Beach time was followed/combined with Gelati from Massimo's. I had passionfruit and Irene had raspberry. Delicious!

 

After our first dessert came a lunch of seafood, salads, sparkling wine and this mouthwatering berry and cream spongy thing:

 

My mum made it. I might have felt sick all afternoon because it was so rich but it was worth it!

Of course I was a little tired from trying to digest all the food so after lunch I needed a lie down. 

It made sense to do it here.

 

I took some pics of my new rings (that I bought when I met up with my fabulous friend N who is visiting for the holiday break). 

I thought the beautiful blue beach/sky background might make things a little more interesting.

 

I also failed at taking pics of my new rings...but look at that sky!

 

This is me, post ring photo success! I am not smiling not only because I LOVE the beach and feel totally relaxed, but also because in 39 days the boy will be here and I intend to drag him back to Noosa...and maybe we'll never leave?

 

I feel that an important part of any beach trip is watching the sunset. This time I saw it set over the Maroochy River on my way home.

This is the river just pre-sunset

 

And of course: Sunset

Told you so - utter perfection.

This weekend...

I was craving a relatively quiet weekend this week and I thought I had managed that quite well…until I realised I had actually packed a lot into it!

On Friday night my sister and I drove down to Coolangatta to stay overnight with our friend D.

This is what lies across the road from his apartment. I know! I want to live there too! Literally 2 minutes walk to the beach and loads of restaurants and shops too. Sometimes I wonder what I am doing living in Brisbane...

We met some of D’s work friends at the SoundLounge in Currumbin to see some local live music. Local band Colourfide were full or energy and I’d highly recommend checking them out if you’re on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane. If you’re a little further afar, just click on their name and got to their myspace.

No weekend is complete without brunch. You can quote me on that.

On Saturday we brunched at Bellakai. I had avocado, haloumi and poached eggs on a piece of sourdough toast with a drizzle of some herby-lime oil. It was seriously delicious but also ridiculously huge. The treadmill is going to be my new best friend this week.

Saturday night I just couldn’t stir up the energy to go out so I hung out with my wonderful BFF who is known on this blog as ‘C’. We made taco salads (without the taco) and watched The Social Network and Scott Pilgram vs. The World. I kind of hate Mark Zuckerberg now. However, on the bright side, I love Michael Cera even more. I know he always plays the same kind of character but he just does nerdy-sweet so well! Oh! I also found out that one of my best friends from high school and her lovely boyfriend got engaged which is very exciting news! Congrats to A and M!! xx 

I spent today baking (look out for a separate post on that) for my friend Mrs Challen Charms B’day picnic at Newfarm Park. It was a perfect day in Brisbane today and the park was full of people of all types: families, lovers, indie hipsters, exercising old men, gay guys taking their pug for a stroll. An excellent spot for people watching J

How did you spend your weekend? Is brunch an integral part of your life like it is mine? After seeing Scott Pilgram do you now find yourself wishing that your life was narrated in comic book style? No? Just me then…

So it's been a while...

Noosaaaaaah

Yes. It’s been a couple of months since I’ve written a post but in my defence life has really gotten in the way! Namely, Christmas, New Years, and a visit from the boy.

Seen as he came all the way from the UK and we only had 2 weeks together I felt that I needed to take the time to show off my Country and give him a few great reasons to come back – other than me of course.  

So, here’s a quick run down of how I made him fall in love with Australia:

1. I debuted Betty on Main Beach at Noosa – the boy was an instant fan and I felt like a 1950s siren. Double win.

2. I took him to Australia Zoo and forced him to get his photo taken with an array of Australian fauna including Kangaroos and a Koala. He liked the furry cuteness but not the smell. I like feeding Kangaroos and patting Koalas too = another double win.

This is a pic of a little Koala we saw in the Wildlife Hospital. What a cutie!

3. Remember this Motel dress? I posted about it in November? Well I bought it at Youth Culture at Noosa with The Boy’s nod of approval. He appears to be one of many males who find this dress alluring as I have since learnt. Get yourself some Motel in that wardrobe ladies!

This is me a wearing it. Pretty don't you think? You can only really see the top but still..

4. I introduced him to my friends with casual beers at Archive, in West End, Brisbane. Australia beer boutique with a library theme? Puuuurfect for an English literature major.

5. We spent a few romantic days and nights holed up in a luxurious hotel in the city centre. Nice girls never kiss and tell.

6. We went to MELBOURNE to visit one of our best friends! Good coffee, icecream, shops, bars, loads of amazing street art as you can see below…everyone loves Melbourne. The Boy wanted to move there.

 

Flinder's Street Station

Notice anything weird in this picture?

Union Lane

 7. We drove along the Great Ocean Road and had a picnic on the beach at Lorne with two of our friends/housemates from Canada. Our roadtrip = good tunes, beers in the backseat (but none consumed by the driver) and a fun time had by all. The boy bought Percy Pigs for car trip consumption and we got to snuggle and snooze in the back seat on the way home.

It's Love...

Just one of the many stunning views along the Great Ocean Road

8. We went shopping on Chapel St and I bought these AH-MAZ-ING shoes. I like, The Boy likes.

Thank you Wittner!

9. We went dancing and drinking at Cookie on Swanston St in Melbourne and I wore my new Motel Dress. The boy said I looked ‘well fit’ and we snogged, amongst the crowds on the rooftop bar, overlooking the city.

10. I got him addicted to this…and he is moving here in June!

I have to say that my Grandmother was right. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, and love can conquer anything - especially a minor thing like living on opposite sides of the planet in different time zones...

Until next time xo

What a Betty...

Like many women, I love summer.  Every year it swings around bringing with it many of my favourite things: long days, tropical fruit, music festivals, the chance to wear Barbie coloured nail polish just that little bit longer, golden tans, icecream and party season (Christmas, New Years and then my Birthday = cocktail dresses galore!). 

Albeit, with the good there sometimes comes bad and there are also a few things I dislike about summer. Humidity – the enemy of nice hair and shine-free faces, occasional sunburn and the annual summer swimsuit search.

This is a hunt dreaded by women everywhere. I mean let’s be honest, who wants to expose their pale winter skin and those few extra kilos in an unflattering store mirror when they’re surrounded by pictures of Jessica Hart and Jennifer Hawkins flaunting their tanned thighs and toned butts. Really, can you think of anything worse?

Miss Universe and Miss Model-of-the-moment staring back at me while I struggle to fit my DDs into a bikini is not my favoured activity (and for that matter designers please take note – girls with boobs wear bikinis too and a C cup masquerading as a DD is a swimsuit FAIL).

This year however, I surprised myself with a mostly pain free tog-shopping excursion. I magically seem to have detoured past the usual routine of crying over my muffin top in the fitting room and I found a swimsuit that I feel comfortable in – and would you believe sexy – when I put it on!

It’s a MIRACLE I hear you cry..and yes you better believe it because it’s true. 

If you read any women’s magazines you should know that nautical is once again ‘in’ right now (I personally feel that it is pretty much never ‘out’ though). One pieces are also rivalling bikinis in sales…and my new swimsuit, well she ticks both of these boxes. I’m going to call her Betty.

Betty's on the far right

Totally foxy no?

Back view (I wish my arse looked like that!

Betty is pretty damn fabulous don't you think?! When I put her on I feel like a 1950’s pin-up girl flirting with wealthy playboys and soaking up the sunshine on the French Riviera (which incidentally is her real name). She’s cut like a siren, hugging my curves, placing emphasis on the good and drawing attention away from the bad. You could say, we are a match made in swimsuit heaven.

I plan on wearing her with a tan, loose beachy waves (provided humidity decides not to join my beach party), a little sarong for some Car to beach modesty, and my good old Havianas. Bring on summer I say! Hmmm if only I could get away with a red lip and wined eyeliner at the beach…

K

It's how I roll...

So it's the weekend update, starting with Friday night.

Philadelphia Grand Jury – affectionately known to fans as the Philly J’s – played the Hi-fi Bar in Brisbane on Friday night (supported by The Howls). This was my maiden voyage to this great Brisbane venue as it opened just before I went travelling and I can honestly say it was an interesting night.

Vinyl Bar

Sweaty, sweaty man

The décor of Vinyl (the front bar) on Boundary St reminded me of raiding my parent’s liquor cabinet as a teenager. The bar set up was reminiscent of the 1970’s with the dark wood panels and mirrors encasing gin and whiskey and old records lining the walls (just like Mum and Dad’s classic ‘Cabinet of magic’). Thanks to Movember, the place was also peppered with indie boys sporting moustaches adding to the whole 70s feel.

 

I do love me an indie boy*. 

Boy T is an Indie boy of the very finest calibre. In fact my indie boy description is pretty much just a description of him (and some of the other delicious eye candy at the Hi-Fi Bar on Friday night of course). But anyway, back to the case at hand; the Philly J’s. They were freakin’ awesome and despite some douchebag spilling his entire drink on my cute black and gold Primarni flats I still had a totally rad time.

I wore a simple navy and grey dress accessorised with a leopard print head band, a truckload of black eyeliner and let’s not forget my adorable Primark shoes that got drenched in beer.

Lead Singer of Philly J's

The sighting of an evil ex-boyfriend quite nearly ruined the night but thankfully a kick arse performance from the band, a tasty Carlsberg and some eye-fucking madness with a couple of indie boys redeemed the evening. My girlfriends and I met the band after the show too. You know, it’s just how we roll. 

Saturday is an entirely different story filled with tapas and cocktails at Bread and Butter on the Gold Coast, my very first (champagne fuelled) limo ride and just a few hours sleep after hitting Coolangatta's Never Land. Boys with full-sleeve tattoos and tanned girls wearing the best in body-con dominated the scene and the vodka tasted toxic. But it was still a great night out to celebrate my friend's Dirty 30!

Fooling around with the Limo

*My definition of an Indie Boy: generally wears skinny jeans with a cool t shirt or a flannel, sometimes seen sporting a man-igan or square rimmed glasses with a tousled yet trendy haircut. Into great music, fashion, a bit of art, culture and travel. Intelligent enough to have a decent conversation and damn damn sexy too! Not to be confused with Emo Boys. N.B. dyed black hair, too much eyeliner and a sad face are NOT ATTRACTIVE! Some good examples of hot indie boys: The Kooks and the Drums!

That's all for tonight. I'm going to bed to dream of hot Indie boys...or maybe just one in particular.

xx K

Chasing the Sun

Coolum beach

Aaah the beautiful Sunshine Coast. One of my favourite places in the entire world and a place I was lucky enough to visit this week. On Tuesday night I stayed with my friends A and M at their unit in Alexandra Headlands - just a couple of streets from the beach.

We watched movies, made fresh tasty food (including chocolate dipped strawberries) and did what most people do on the coast - chilled out by the beach. Pure heaven. Of course breakfast at Bisq in Cottontree was a fabulous way to start wednesday too...