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

I can Ikea

Yesterday I bought some new furniture for my room from IKEA; the land of meatballs, picture frames and yellow and blue t-shirts amongst you know, all that furniture.

Behold new shelves storing my shit:

Hedwig guarding my Harry Potter Books from Dementors.

Banksy and Andy...yeah I love em

Photos, postcards and art.

So as you can see this weekend has been productive! There's still a bit to do but things are shaping up rather nicely. Oh and I also saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. AWESOME! I can not wait for the next installment!!

Bed time now.
xo K

Roses are red...and pink and purple and gold

The weather here has been soo lovely lately that it's as if Spring doesn't want to leave. These are some of the roses from my Dad's garden that have been brightening up my desk. Enjoy :-)

Sooo pretty - Mauve and Just Joey

Just Joey and Candy Stripe (I think)

Mr Lincoln?

Just so you know: their perfume is as amazing as they look.

xx 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

Can you be in love with a dress?

Last night I did a little online shopping at my old favourite ASOS and bought the dress that will hopefully serve as the centre of my party outfit on New Year's Eve...that is unless I fall in love with another one in the post Christmas sales (highly likely). Anyway, I won't keep you waiting long it's the Motel 'Wanda' dress in leopard.

I personally feel that this dress is pretty much my best discovery since finding white chocolate covered Oreos in Greece. Yup it's that good. I plan on wearing it with insanely high black pumps or a pair of cute Primark flats depending on how the evening works out. I'm already looking forward to wow-ing the boy T with it.

And just think of the possibilities after NYE...music festivals with a straw trilby and gladitators, to the office with a blazer, opaques and ballet flats. Really, if you can find a leopard print dress that as adorable and versatile as this I applaud you. Of course you could just go and buy it too. I won't mind. It's only natural to be obsessed with leopard print and to want to look modestly sexy (i.e. not like a tart). And it's such a good price! Really, thanks to its designs, quality and pricepoint Motel is fast becoming one of my favourite brands. I would wear pretty much everything on their website if I could afford it all but I will also freely admit that some of their designs may be a little too short/tight/unsuited for my figure.

Four totally different yet equally lust-worthy pieces you might like...

1. First date perfection. Understated and cute but still a whole lotta sassy.

2. Hot outfit to wear to a festival/gig or simply out with the girls.

3. The perfect outfit for when you know you're going to see that ass called you're ex-boyfriend.

4. Relaxed and polished for a weekend full of pretty much anything: brunches, BBQs, shopping, drinks at your local, seeing a movie with friends - anything!

1

2

3

4

And that my friends is all for this evening. I am off to shop the Urban Outfitters website now. I mean erm write a new budget.

K

Alright Gov'ner

This is the first of a number of blog posts I have written about my overseas travels in 2009-2010. Backpacking around Europe for 4.5 months and living in Canada for 8 months in Canada has left me with some stories so I thought I'd send them into cyberspace. Any feedback on these articles is welcome, otherwise - enjoy!

Destination: London, United Kingdom.

Picadilly Circus + Shopping bags.

Population: Roughly 7,556,900

Currency: The almighty British pound.

Language: English, but don’t be surprised to hear Indian, Armenian, and pretty much every other language on earth (about 25% of Londoners were born in another country)

Trivia: Host city of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, London is also home to the Topshop’s Flagship store and hot mess Russell Brand.

How I got there: I flew from Brisbane to London on Qantas with a quick stopover in Bangkok. I left in the afternoon (Brisbane time) and arrived in the morning (London time) so jetlag wasn’t too bad. The flight was long…but movies, lollies and a good book made it bearable.

Where I stayed: I stayed in ‘Wapping Palace’, my friend’s flat in East London. Now it goes without saying that staying with friends in London is possibly the best and easiest way to save some money (this rule applies wherever you go). On other visits to this fabulous city I have stayed at hostels including: the relatively nice Palmer’s Lodge in Swiss Cottage and the decidedly average Phoenix Hostel near Edgeware Tube Station. Palmer’s Lodge had a decent breakfast and was close to the tube and the movies but the Phoenix was pretty rubbish (despite the included breakfast and the fact it is above a pub).

What I did: While my friends slaved away at their jobs I relished my unplanned days. I spent my time taking in the sights; walking to Tower Bridge, riding the London Eye, sunning myself (yes the weather turned it on for me!) on the grass outside Westminster Abbey and of course shopping the high street. In the evenings, we would have dinner together and watch Britain’s version of ‘The Apprentice’, occasionally accompanied by a cheeky cider or two.

Burrough Markets

It was easy to become accustomed to this new life of street wandering. Who wouldn’t enjoy gorging on brownies at Burrough Markets and browsing the stores and stalls at Portobello Rd or Camden? Indeed, in the rarity that I did feel slightly overwhelmed by the fast pace of the city, I would simply retreat to the grassy comfort of London’s many parks and gardens. Kensington gardens and Primrose Hill being two of my favourite spots.  

Camden

Wapping Palace proved to be a cosy home away from home and staying there gave me the chance to get a real feel for London life. This first taste would leave me wanting more. I soon found myself a tad obsessed with Girl’s Aloud and coveting the Topshop dress Fern Cotton wore to the Glamour awards. I would eagerly grab a free paper from the tired looking souls at the tube entrance, whipping my Oyster card out of my bag and swiping it with purpose. Yes I could see myself fitting right in here. It seemed like a much more vibrant existence - and so much more exciting! Fancy a week in Montenegro? Why not! A getaway to Egypt? They’re on special in TNT magazine! Not enough money to leave the country? No problem, there’s gigs, shows and bars galore! Yes, London had wooed me with her many charms. This was my kind of city.

Highlights: Now some of London’s most popular tourist attractions include Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Of course, you can’t leave without getting a picture in front of them all but let’s be honest here – they aren’t that exciting. So once you’ve taken your snaps why not check out he following:

Big Ben

• Marvel at the iconic Tower Bridge and visit the beefeaters at Tower Hill for one of London’s authentic tourist experiences.
• Portobello Road and Notting Hill – pretty, upmarket houses, delicious antique shops and overcrowded market stalls make for a fun, if not slightly exhausting day out.
• Camden is where music and art collide. Tattoo parlours, piercings and punks are all pretty common here. It’s renowned for its market stalls and amazing live music scene.
• Oxford Street is the main shopping street in London. Here you’ll find everything from Primark to Urban Outfitters, the Disney Store and Adidas.
• Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are two of the best public spaces in London. With roses gardens, lakes, and plenty of space for everyone they are beautiful and a great place to relax.
• Primrose Hill offers a great view of Central London and is a favourite haunt for many celebrities including Kate Moss, Jamie Oliver and Rachel Weisz
• Soho in the West End is the perfect place for a night out. Grab dinner before seeing a show (I saw Billy Elliott) and follow it up with drinks at one of the millions of bars nearby.
• The British Museum is a great place to spend a rainy day, and in and it’s free!



Westminster Abbey: note my worn boots...

• Of course Madame Tussauds is cheesy but it’s also one of my fondest memories from London. Where else can you get that close to Johnny Depp without being labelled a stalker?

Another quick note; if you’re trying to choose between waiting in a queue for an hour with a bunch of high school students and paying too much for an activity? Look no further, you can get both of these on a visit to the London Eye! On a fine day you can get a nice view of the city but it’s nothing special. Save your pennies for an extra cider at the pub.

Getting Around: There are double-decker buses to take you home after a night on the turps and black cabs if you’ve got the cash, but the best way to get around? The London Underground of course (more commonly known as ‘The Tube’). Grab yourself an Oyster Card for £3, load it up with coins and swipe it to travel at a cheaper rate.

In my opinion there is no better way to see a city than to wander through its streets. London is no exception. Take advantage of a walking tour or simply grab a snack and head out on your own and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this lively city.

Street Art

Food: London is home to thousands of amazing restaurants and cafes but some of the best food I ate was from markets. Spitalfield Markets provided me with a heavenly Carribean Rainforest Rostis and free samples of fudge and brownies. Whilst, Burrough Markets has pretty much any food you would want to eat, 100% tasty and fresh. As most backpackers would agree: why buy lunch when you can sample for free?

Hummingbird cupcake

For the cake lovers, a red velvet cupcake from the infamous Hummingbird Bakery is a must on the London to do list. Of course the chocolate, vanilla, and carrot cakes are equally as delicious…why not try them all? After all, a slice of heaven has never been so affordable (or as adorable).

If savoury and spice are more your thing make tracks to Brick Lane. As much a cultural experience as culinary, this is the place for curry. Use your bargaining skills with restaurant staff and you can easily score yourself free entrees, wine and even dessert!

Mistakes and un-pleasantries: I didn’t pay enough attention to the overall geography of London when I was exploring it. This meant I ended up spending more on transport than necessary.

I was followed by a creepy man while walking along the Thames one day. My friends informed me that this was quite common in London and not to worry too much about it. I just jumped on the closest tube and made my way across the city…far far away.

Drink: It’s extremely easy to fall in love with English cider. Bulmers and Magners both do amazing apple and pear ciders which you may miss for months after returning home.

Nightlife: If you’re in the mood for a quite drink or a big night on the town, London is your town. I frequented Dirty Martini in Covent Garden with my girlfriends as well as a few cocktail bars in Clapham Common (2-4-1 cocktails on Friday arvos). There is also a huge number of homely pubs serving pints of beer and my beloved cider.

Biggest surprise: Portobello Markets was full of stores selling knockoff goods. I was expecting more individual and unique upcoming designers. Whilst there were some great designers selling their wares, they were vastly outnumbered by stores full of plastic sunglasses and cheap t-shirts.

Cute dress + stockings + cupcakes = HAPPY!

Don’t forget to take: Umbrella, A to Z of London (or a map), an ipod or book for travelling on the Tube, camera and a jacket (it can get pretty cool by the Thames even in Summer).

Where I shopped: I spent many hours trawling market stalls and shops at Portobello Road and Spitalfield markets (Spitalfield proving to be more fruitful for quality vintage scarfs). My main shopping took place on Oxford St at Urban Outfitters, Zara, H & M,

What to read:

• Weekly TNT Magazine: this is a magazine primarily targeting South Africans, Kiwis and Aussies living in London but you can find amazingly cheap travel deals, and news about what’s going on in London.
• Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl by Belle de Jour (fun and sexy it will leave you wondering about the secretive side of the city)
• One of London’s many free newspapers (in the loosest sense of the word). Because reading about Cheryl Cole’s new haircut and the infidelities of the English Football team are secretly very satisfying.
• Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, for a little bit of mystery.
• Have a peak into London’s past with anything by Charles Dickens (think Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of two Cities).

Portobello Rd

What to wear: London is no doubt one of the most fashionable cities in the world. However, thanks to the diversity of locals and the endless hoards of tourists; anything goes. My get up consisted of skinny jeans paired with ballet flat or flat boots, cute t-shirts, a blazer/jacket and a scarf. On the warmer days (of which there were luckily quite a few) I got away with footless tights and a summer dresses with a cardigan in tow. Oh and don’t forget sunglasses; mine were black Ray-Ban Wayfarers. On my digits I wore OPI’s Peru-B-Ruby and Rimmel Pro’s Blue Vogue nail polish.

What I listened to:

·         Bloc Party, Pnau, Jamie T, Sia, Empire of the Sun, Andrew Bird, Born Ruffians, Katy Perry, MIA, Santogold, Britney (she was on her comeback tour or 2009).

A quick recap of some of my weekend activities.

Saturday: spend hours at the Finder's Keepers Markets at the old Brisbane Museum. Pour over thousands of amazing items. Buy nothing.

Sunday: Spend roughly 30 minutes at Suitcase Rummage. Walk away with a brooch, a pair of earrings and an amazing 80s style jacket which I am going to transform into something even more amazing. WIN!

Purchases :-)

On Sunday I also went to the Brisbane International Film Festival and saw a Finnish film called Rare Exports. t was excellent (not least because of the Silver Fox who played the main kids Dad - see below). Amazingly, this film combines a creepy storyline with heartwarming humour and it practically guarantees that if you watch it you will never look at Santa Claus in the same way again.  I would highly recommend it!

Silver fox and son

It's set in Finland

Creepy Santa Elf

That's all for now. Go and see it.

K

Getting Naked - don't you know people write blogs about bands like this?

I discovered The Naked and Famous a few months ago. They are from New Zealand and sound a bit like a cross between Passion Pit and MGMT. I instantly fell in love with their song 'Young Blood' and have been flogging their album constantly on my iPhone ever since. Lucky for me I saw them on Saturday night at the Tempo Bar for just $15! Yes, a small and dingy venue it was but all the better for a more intimate gig...and I can tell you that the lead singer has hair as amazing as her voice. 


If you haven't heard them. Download them now. I'm not kidding. On your way now.

Not the best photo but just look at her hair and outfit!

Bitch in the Kitch

I did it. Yesterday I made possibly the best dessert the world has ever seen. Raspberry and Coconut Slice. Amazing. I am not even joking when I say this. I would never, repeat NEVER joke about such an important thing as dessert. My masterpiece was in fact so delicious that we all had to have seconds. It tasted as if it was made in a fancy restaurant. Nigella would be proud...maybe even a little jealous.

Behold, the Winner of 'Best Slice in the Universe 2010'.

Delicious

People's reaction to deliciousness

Close up of deliciousness

Yup. There you have it. A drool-worthy and decadent slice of heaven. There's plenty more where that came from.

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...

Daily life

Eastside Gallery, Sept 2009. Longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall.

I guess we should start with a few things I'm interested in at the moment. Firstly I'm reading a fantastic book by Serge Schmemann on the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Soviet Communism. Berlin is quite possibly my favourite city and my love for it goes hand in hand with a deep fascination for its history.

Schmemann, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist was in Berlin the night the wall fell and he offers a really great overview of the moment that 'changed the world' and how it contributed to the fall of the iron curtain. I can't imagine what it would have been like to witness such a moment in history and this book is helping me to understand even more about the checkered history of Deutchland's capital.

Speaking of Germany, it's been almost a year since I was indulging in bratwurst and bier at Oktoberfest during the last month or so of my 4.5 month adventure around Europe. Oh how I can't wait to return to Europe next year.

Yum yum yum!

In other news I'm looking forward to Friday night dinner at Simpatico in Paddington and maybe drinks afterwards at The Lark . I've wanted to go to both for years and never actually made it there so I say let's bring on the tapas and cocktails. Hopefully they'll also be playing some decent tunes...some naked and famous, delphic , two door cinema club and The Drums certainly wouldn't go astray! I heard this song on Triple J this morning and downloaded the entire album within minutes! Some more new music to fall in love with...and one another musical note; Sunset Sounds tickets are going on sale soon! Can't wait to hit the Riverstage and Botanical gardens to dance my butt off to rad tunes.

Until next time xo