tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70649405897252028722024-02-19T15:04:52.960+13:00See Me EverywhereSee Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.comBlogger517125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-49658325727792630522013-12-20T13:41:00.001+13:002014-01-07T08:40:38.428+13:00Pillow Love.<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/10nuih2.jpg" width="700" />
<a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/occasions/christmas-gifts/christmas-gifts" target="_blank">Shop for</a> Christmas gifts.
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<a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/gifts/by-recipient/gifts-for-women" target="_blank" >Shop for</a> women's gifts.
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<a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/gifts/collections/personalized-gifts" target="_blank" >Shop for</a> personalized gifts.
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We've had an incredibly busy start to the Christmas season, dividing our time between friends visiting from New Zealand, going to visit family in Brisbane and the big one, moving house! It's been a daunting but fun task unpacking our new home and decorating every room to match our style and taste.<br />
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One thing I think you can never have enough of, are throw pillows. You can swap and change, mix & match them between rooms to create fresh and interesting features. Christmas came early for me with these lovely animal throw pillows from <a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Goods</a>. A quirky and adorable set that now live in our bedroom and add a little bit sunshine and joy to our room. Don't they just make you happy??<br />
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With only days to go before Christmas, <a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/" target="_blank">Uncommon Goods</a> has an incredible selection of, as the name suggests, uncommon, quirky and funny gifts for everyone. Definitely worth a look!See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-46801224199093381132013-11-28T10:34:00.000+13:002013-11-28T10:34:15.310+13:00For Art's Sake.<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/11r59x2.jpg" width="700" />
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I've always been in love with art ever since I was a young girl. What's not to love? There are as many styles of art than what there are music genres, and always something for everyone. So I have been on the hunt for art pieces that would suit our home and our style. Always a hard thing to do with the massive range available these days! <a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/" target="_blank">Saatchi Online</a> is an online collection of art which you can buy (or even sell if you are an artist yourself!). Above are featured some of my favourite Pop Art pieces that I've discovered on there, with many other <a href="http://www.saatchionline.com/buy-art/prints-for-sale" target="_blank">prints available</a>.
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Make sure you head over to find some beautiful pieces for you own home!See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-27926391956746459792013-10-02T22:55:00.000+13:002013-10-02T22:55:05.930+13:00Manchester Press.<img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/11v1tzn.jpg" width="700" />
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Here in Melbourne, there is no lack of incredible breakfast spots to go and try. Neil and I have been making our way through a list of places that we've walked past, heard about or seen top rated on Urbanspoon. On the weekend, my dear friend, Soné from <a href="http://polliblog.com" target="_blank">Polli</a>, and I launched our Friday morning with girls' breakfast out. We made our way into the city to experience what so many others have loved and raved about, and that is Manchester Press.
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Tucked in at the back of Rankins Lane, we were greeted with the rare sight of a giant disco ball hanging high above the entrance, and fantastic illustrations. Inside it was busy and bustling but we managed to find a table where we were again, surrounded with gorgeous illustrations covering the walls. At the first glance of the menu, we both knew we wouldn't be able to go past their bagels, and I'm so glad we didn't! I cannot emphasize how incredible and filling this breakfast was (apart from a few sneaky macarons, we didn't eat anything again till 4pm that afternoon!). And not to mention the coffee was an art in itself. I don't know how the barista knew that I have a slight bunny obsession, but it melted my heart when I received my coffee with the sweetest bunny art on there!
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I will most definitely be bringing friends and family we have visiting before the end of the year, back here! Top choice :)
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Thanks Manchester Press!<br />
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<br />See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-80480760719933187622013-09-26T15:59:00.000+12:002013-09-26T15:59:10.610+12:00Tomorrow.<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2z8ycnl.jpg" width="700" />
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My brain has a way of working itself into overdrive A LOT of the time.<br />
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So much unnecessary time gets spent making lists of uncompleted tasks, dreaming up scenarios of things that can go wrong with a job (which 90% of the time, they never happen anyway!), and always playing the 'what if' game. If I get woken up at night and my brain starts processing worries that I have for the future, I cannot shut it down and it's so hard to fall asleep again.<br />
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That's why sometimes I have to remind myself of this very simple concept.<br />
<i>Leave tomorrow's worries for tomorrow.</i><br />
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Simple.<br />
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There will always be time tomorrow to think about it, troubleshoot a solution and problem solve till you get the desired outcome.<br />
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May this be a reminder for you too.See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-39382018456808582072013-09-18T19:40:00.001+12:002013-09-18T19:40:21.969+12:00The Weekly Update.<img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/xfc7yu.jpg" width="700" />
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Lately I feel like I've been living on Instagram more than any other social media network. There's just something about being inspired by photos from other like minded individuals, designers and illustrators, that motivates me to start my own projects or collaborations. I cannot say that I've posted much of the design work I actually do, but keep an eye out, that's all about to change soon!<br />
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Here's a little update as to what's been happening in my world lately through the eyes of Instagram.<br />
- Making the most of Spring time by brewing my own iced teas<br />
- Fresh flowers. Need I say more? <br />
- Exploring and revisiting some of our favourite local cafes (more on one of those later this week!)<br />
- Always trying to get the trending coffee shot to post on Instagram, however sometimes the husband just flat out refuses and insists we actually spend some quality time hanging out ;) I guess he makes a fair point haha!<br />
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If I am a bit quiet on here at times, you will most surely be able to find me on Instagram ;) (@ilana_mcmorran)See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-80281704916103413052013-07-29T19:35:00.002+12:002013-07-29T19:35:22.588+12:00A Geometric Affair<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2h6gaxg.jpg" width="700" />
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Geometric Dress / <a href="http://asos.com/" target="_blank">ASOS</a>, Denim Jacket / <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/index.jsp" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a>, Leather Chucks / <a href="http://www.converse.com.au/" target="_blank">Converse</a>, Bowler Hat / <a href="http://shop.dangerfield.com.au/girls/" target="_blank">Dangerfield</a> </div>
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Well after a busy time with family visiting last week, we had a bit of a low key weekend just to relax, spending some time together and get the house in order for our next load of visitors next week (feeling very popular with so many of our friends managing a trip over the ditch to come visit us!!!! Yay!!!).
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I've been meaning to get out and get some snaps of this dress. I would like to say it's a recent purchase, but no, I've had it for a few months now, just been putting it off getting dressed up for photos. Lately I've been enjoying jumping in my hoodie, old pair of jeans and my leather chucks and just be as comfortable and as warm as possible, but today felt like dressing up a bit :) I have a not-so-secret love affair with geometry and patterns, so this little number has become a favourite of mine for sure. Too bad it turned out to be a super windy and chilly today that I couldn't get much enjoyment out of it outside haha!
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Oh the things we do to feel nice ;)See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-5547791247952500392013-07-25T23:14:00.000+12:002013-07-25T23:14:00.756+12:00Love Locks.<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/n1pcg1.jpg" width="700" />
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Last week we had such fun hosting and entertaining our wonderful family that came to visit us for the week. It seriously brings out the tourist in me, and we planned trips all across Melbourne to make sure that our family could see all the wonderful 'touristy' spots.<br />
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One of my favourite events from last week, was discovering the Love Locks on the Yarra footbridge at Southgate. What a wonderful idea! Romantic couples are encourage to inscribe their intials and anniversaries on their 'love locks', lock it onto the footbridge and then throw away the keys. So equipped with our locks and keys, we headed over to the footbridge on Friday night. It was just our luck, but Friday also came with some pretty epic winds and rain but that didn't stop us! We were lucky to get a clear patch of weather when we snapped these photos, but you can tell that we've been rained on previously!<br />
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A cute novel idea to do if you're wandering the Southbank of Melbourne :)See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-1482559683504677552013-07-14T22:42:00.002+12:002013-07-18T09:53:48.708+12:00Colour Your Home.<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/14lm0xw.jpg" width="700">
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1. <a href="http://www.clickonfurniture.com.au/product/replica_hang_it_all" target="_blank" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Eames Replica Coat Hanger</a><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> from Click On Furniture. </span><br><div>2. <a href="http://www.mattblatt.com.au/Pendants/Replica-Mattias-Stahlbom-E27-Pendant-Light.aspx?p5655c0" target="_blank">Replica Mattias Stahlblom Pendant Lights</a><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> from Matt Blatt.</span><br>
3. <a href="http://www.stylecraft.com.au/Tag-Stool-product-1070.aspx" target="_blank">Tag Stool</a> from Stylecraft.<div>4. <a href="http://wocolate.co.nz/daria-candlestick-turquoise.html" target="_blank" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Candlesticks</a><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "> fro</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">m Wocolate.</span><br>
5. <a href="http://www.mattblatt.com.au/Clocks/Pictogram-Wall-Clock.aspx?p9738c410" target="_blank">Pictogram Wall Clock</a> from Matt Blatt.<br><div><font color="#000000"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">6. <a href="http://www.fentonandfenton.com.au/rugs/dhurrie-designer-series-harlequin" target="_blank">Rug</a> from Fenton & Fenton.</span></font></div></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">I know I've been posting a lot lately about home, decor and interiors, I thought to clarify that I don't intend on turning my blog into an Interiors blog, but this is just what has interested me more in the last six months. So why not share what I'm currently inspired by! And now that we've settled into our home, it's been awesome to let our style and decor reflect our personalities.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">So today I would love to show you some colour! I </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">love colour. There's no denying it. And I've totally embraced that part of me, it's just appeals to me most! And there are some pretty incredible colourful pieces that I would absolutely love to have in our home (I don't care how old the Eames coat hanger is now, I'm still in love with it as much as I was when I first laid eyes on it). These are all on my home wish list ;)</span></div>See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-23153894867855905862013-07-14T22:13:00.001+12:002013-07-15T09:55:44.459+12:00Corners of Our Home: The Awkward Corner<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2i0yezl.jpg" width="700">
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<img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2r5yzgg.jpg" width="700"><div><br></div><div>No matter how much I would like to say that we have the perfect home, where everything fits like a puzzle, that's just not the case. There are a number of quaint and quirky layout aspects to our place which has just not been ideal to work with, but I've come to accept that it's those things that makes our place unique.</div><div><br></div><div>There's one particular corner in our lounge which I've labelled the awkward corner. It's just a random little corner right by our front door that's been bothering me. We have to run the silly television cable up and around this corner, as the antenna plug is on the other side of the room by the dining table (like I said, there are some odd layouts in our place!), and I've been wanting to add something to that corner to disguise that cable. That's where my handy husband comes in! He's been a complete genius with making us pieces of furniture to match our home, so it was easy for me to convince him to make a piece to fit in this corner.</div><div><br></div><div>The results, well, I'm a happy wifey! With a little bit of paint that I added afterwards and a few favourite books put on display, we've finally managed to use this corner to it's full potential. Moral of the story, why buy when you can build?? Customise or start from scratch to create pieces to fit your own little awkward corners. And if that fails, let me know, I might be able to convince Neil to make something for you too! ;)</div>See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-6620565035029250422013-07-01T16:07:00.000+12:002013-07-01T22:14:08.898+12:00The Woodsfolk.<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/jb68op.jpg" width="700">
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Don't you just love weekends?? Silly question, I know, but I was especially looking forward to this weekend just been, as we had so many exciting plans, including dinner at friends, breakfast out at a quaint little cornershop, movies at the old restored <a href="http://www.suntheatre.com.au/" target="_blank">Sun Theatre</a> in Yarraville, and I finally managed to make my way to the awesome <a href="http://thewoodsfolk.com.au/" target="_blank">The Woodsfolk</a> store.<br>
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After following the successful start and set up of their new store in Hawthorn on Instagram, I've been so anxious to visit The Woodsfolk myself. And what great timing to visit the cutest boutique of quirky homewares and accessories, than when there are upcoming birthday presents that needs buying! So Neil and I headed out there on Saturday, with ideas of what to buy for gifts. These ideas were scrapped as soon as we arrived...<br>
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The whole store is filled top to bottom with a range of stationary & books, homewares, kids gifts, jewellery and other accessories, that it soon became hard to decide what awesome products to buy our friends. In all honesty, I wish I was buying a few gifts for myself, but I am very pleased in knowing that at least the receivers of our gifts will be very happy indeed! With extremely lovely and helpful folk in store, I would definitely recommend everyone check out this little treasure for themselves!</div>
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See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-63735900943553690482013-06-16T20:17:00.002+12:002013-06-17T09:41:35.981+12:00Corners of our Home.<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/5vrre8.jpg" width="700">
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<div><br></div><div>As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I will be taking the time to document and share little corners of my home with you all. It's a fun journey to set up home (not that I think we will ever 'finish' it as our taste and style is always developing and changing, there will always be something else we will want to do or add to our home) and I'm happy to be sharing corners in our kitchen today.</div><div><br></div><div>There's something I absolutely love about being in the kitchen. I don't call myself a chef or the worlds greatest baker, but I do love trying new meals, exploring different tastes and textures and learning new tricks when it comes to preparing food and baking. I love spending time baking, even if it's only something simple like cookies (this weekend I tried my first batch of sugarfree, glutenfree cookies!). There are a lot of things i love about my kitchen (include loads of cupboard space, yay!), but one thing I absolutely love is my recipe books. I've only got a small collection of recipe books to start off with, but it's great when you have your go-to books to rely on for a new and interesting meal! I must say though, Jamie Oliver and Donna Hay is a must buy for my next recipe book!</div><div><br></div><div>I'm also a big lover of spices (it's possibly the South African in me!) so for me, I always make sure to have enough supply in my spice pots. I obviously ran out of my gorgeous labelled canisters quite fast that I ended up hunting down little glass pots with mini-spoons to use other spices. Very handy!</div><div><br></div><div>One thing I do recommend spending cash on, is a nice kettle and toaster. It's amazing what a difference to your kitchen a nice set will make! I don't know why some people don't want to invest a little bit more on a nice set, when really these appliances are still probably the cheapest ones you will have in your kitchen! But keeping in mind, you use them everyday, so it's worth the investment :) When Neil and I came across this gorgeous yellow Morphy Richards set, we couldn't walk away from it! Plus it didn't help that I have an unhealthy obsessions with yellow too ;)</div><div><br></div><div>So welcome to my kitchen! This is where you will always find a nice cup of tea or coffee (Neil loves his coffee and I love my tea), a fresh batch of baking and little memories we love to put up on our fridge (especially if they are letters from our nieces and nephews!). If you've shared your home interiors before, I would love to take a peek, so feel free to drop your link in the comments!</div>See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-3379126254576769132013-06-13T23:13:00.001+12:002013-06-14T01:15:25.319+12:00Life Lately.<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/9qgzua.jpg" width="700"><div>Yeow! What a great couple of weeks filled with adventures in the Yarra Ranges, new additions to our home, personal projects and of course new favorite eateries we've tried!</div><div><br></div><div>On Monday we celebrated the Queen's birthday with an awesome public holiday, so Neil and I decided to head for the hills and get out of town for the day. We headed out to the Yarra Ranges to find beautiful nature tracks. Everything about the day made me appreciate all the beauty that's in Victoria and very grateful for living in such a beautiful state! If you're familiar with any other awesome places around Victoria, do let me know so I can look them up and plan many more trips.</div><div><br></div><div>We've been looking at adding some new addition to our home every couple of weeks to fill up our house and we've been doing well so far! I'm absolutely loving the fact that our home finally has a bit of warmth in the form of a rug (despite the fact that wooden floors look super sexy, they aren't the greatest during the colder winter months....especially if you have high ceilings!) as well as some extra greenery around the place. And yes, I fully recommend succulents for those who can't look after plants too well (yeah...kinda preaching to myself over here!).</div><div><br></div><div>Oh and may I just add, if you've seen my recent Sugar Free recipe post last week, you will know that I'm on the road to killing sugar for good! It's been a rather good start to the week I must say (...with a few exceptions of course!) and I'm just praying that it will become easier to look away from the chocolate mint cookies left over at work, and resist the last slice of baklava left in the pantry from the weekend of entertaining (I managed to take them all into work and out of our house!!!! Phew!). </div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">Such an eventful and productive couple of weeks if I say so myself! </span>And although this was a short week for us, can I just say... I'm so glad it's weekend!!!!! Happy weekend all x</div>See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-8072937988232220312013-06-09T20:04:00.002+12:002013-06-09T20:04:44.882+12:00Lanes & Alleys.<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/ivicr6.jpg" width="700" />
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A year ago when Neil and I first landed in Melbourne, the places that really sold Melbourne for us was the incredible mix of urban lanes & alleys that are spread across the city. With an eclectic range of shops, services and eateries, there's so many places to explore and discover.
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Degraves Street and Centre Place are two of those little lanes that I cannot love any more. There's just something about the range of people (tourists and locals) that makes that place so loveable. Despite the fact that winter is now upon is with rainy and crisp days, it doesn't seem to affect the flow of traffic through these lanes, as it's cosy seating and warm atmosphere makes it totally worth the visit.<br />See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-50706032346714729522013-06-06T09:47:00.000+12:002013-06-06T09:47:01.001+12:00DIY Coloured Pot Plants.<img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2qtdd03.jpg" width="700" />
<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/9gv57n.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
One thing I've come to realize these past couple of months setting up
our house, is that home just doesn't feel like home unless there are
some plants in it, adding bits of nature, life and bursts of colour.
About 3 months ago I made the decision to add fresh flowers into our
weekly budget and I'm quite happy to say, we have diligently been buying
flowers weekly (except those weeks where my flowers just won't die, so
manage to keep then for a couple) and what a difference it's made!<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
I'm
still a little but scared of pot plants, as my track record with
keeping plants alive have not always been the greatest. But I am
determined and decided to start with something simple and easy
maintenance...the succulent! What awesome little plants these babies are
as you don't need to water them that much and they love the sun! So
last weekend I bought myself a couple and thought to add a but if colour
to the pot plants themselves.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Such an easy DIY
project to do to add in your home colour scheme and individualise items
that would seem somewhat generic. I've seen a few different ideas like
this on the interwebs and decided to give it a go!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All
you need is your pot plants, masking tape and your favourite colour
paints plus a paint brush. I used a fluro pink paint to match a frame
that I have in the same room. So mask away a pattern / shape / section
on your pot plant you DON'T want painted and get your painting skills on
the uncovered sections. After completing my two pot plants, I would
suggest using a base layer of white first to make your colour more true
to its original. Be sure to paint a couple of layers. Once the paint
has dried, gently remove the masking tape to reveal your beautiful
colour pattern! Voila!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Easiest DIY you could ever do to add some vibrancy and life to your pot plants!</div>
See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-1621682534642556552013-06-03T08:00:00.000+12:002013-06-03T08:00:01.434+12:00Sugarfree Raspberry Banana Muffins.<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2w54u4w.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/j79gur.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2v1w6tg.jpg" width="700" /> <br />
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Recently I read a very enlightening book about sugar, good ol' table sugar that you find in nearly every bit of food that you find on the shelves, in nearly every drink, and in every kind of dessert you can think of. But what we don't realise is just how damaging it is, not just in the short run with picking up weight but in the long run with some pretty horrific diseases that can be life threatening. I could make a pretty epic and long post summarising all this, but I suggest you read for yourself in the book <a href="http://sweetpoison.com.au/" target="_blank">The Sweet Poison</a>.<br />
<br />
In light of all this interesting information, I've been trying hard to cut back on sugars. So far, it's been easy enough to stop drinking sugars as I've never had too much soft drinks and don't like sugar in my coffee anyway. The thing I struggle with most is I haven't been able to bake as much, as I'm a sucker for home baking, and if Neil doesn't eat it fast enough, I will finish it off! So I've been on the hunt for recipes and substitutes I could use that would still allow me to bake and still enjoy some of my favourite treats. Which is why I thought today I would share a recipe that I've tried a couple of times now and adjusted it to what I believe is a pretty awesome tasting sugarfree recipe! This recipe is not from The Sweet Poison recipe book itself, but I
would like to get my hands on that recipe book to try some different
options.<br />
<br />
2 mashed bananas<br />
1 cup frozen raspberries plus extra for raspberry drizzle<br />
125g melted butter<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
2 cups wholemeal flour<br />
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda<br />
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon Stevia sweetener (you can add a bit more if you prefer it sweeter)<br />
Thickened cream (optional)<br />
<br />
<i>Directions:</i><br />
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees<br />
2. Mix together mashed bananas, egg, water and butter and then mix in flour, baking soda and baking powder until mostly smooth (it will still be a but lumpy from the bananas but that's all good). Add the raspberries in gently.<br />
3. Bake muffins for roughly 15min and until tops are golden.<br />
4. Put excess raspberries in a pot and heat slowly until raspberries become juicy and separated. Drizzle raspberry juice over warm muffins. A dollop of cream also makes for a lovely side.
<br />
<br />
Well there you have it! It's a journey to becoming <strike>mostly</strike> sugarfree! You will notice this muffin is definitely not as sickeningly sweet as so many others, but it definitely satisfies the craving and the extra drizzle of raspberries definitely helps add a bit more sweet & tanginess to it. If any of you have any awesome sugarfree recipes or suggestions, would love to hear them as well!<br />
<br />
<br />See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-5982094069035580102013-05-28T08:00:00.000+12:002013-05-28T08:00:01.719+12:00Corners of My Home.<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/6od7jc.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/34reyhx.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/35bz5zt.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<br />
I am rather excited about starting this little series, <i>Corners Of My
Home</i>, with you today. As most of you would know, it's been a journey
this past year to set up and settle here in Melbourne and I feel like
parts of our house is finally starting to look like a home. It took a
while for us to get here, as it's a very expensive process buying
everything for your home again (we sold majority of our belongings and
furniture back home).
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So let's start with our cute little dining room. This beautiful
dining table we got when Neil and I first got married but so far it has
only served as decoration - we've never had dining chairs to use with
it, or it served as a computer desk in the tiny apartments we lived in
that didn't allow for me to get a separate table. So you can only
imagine my excitement when we added these adorable Jasper chairs
from <a href="http://www.clickonfurniture.com.au/product/jasper_w_side_chair_plastic" target="_blank">Click on Furniture</a> to our previously empty dining room. Finally,
dinners at the table can become a regular occurrence and dinner parties
(...okay perhaps just small dinner parties till we get a bigger table!)
is now a possibility! Exciting!</div>
See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-88312415225880912602013-05-26T08:00:00.000+12:002013-05-26T08:00:01.856+12:00Flamingo Fun.<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/1kjcz.jpg" width="700" />
<img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/eq71nm.jpg" width="325" /><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2w703fd.jpg" width="325" />
<img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/34rap78.jpg" width="700" />
<img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/30d8pja.jpg" width="325" /><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/1zbqm2x.jpg" width="325" /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jacket l <a href="http://urbanoutfitters.com/" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a>. Flamingo Dress l <a href="http://asos.com/" target="_blank">ASOS</a>. Boots l Wittner. Sunglasses<br />
Emporio Armani sunglasses c/o <a href="http://www.visiondirect.com.au/designer-sunglasses/Emporio-Armani/" target="_blank">Vision Direct</a>. </div>
<br />
Can I just say, I have flamingos on my dress. Flamingos! This for some reason is just something that makes me super happy! They just seem to be such happy and bright little things that's now splattered all over my dress and it absolutely, positively brightens my day. And a bonus was this weekend we had such lovely weather it was much easier to wear this out in the warm Autumn sun without layering up and covering up these pretty little birds. Making the most of these days before the rain hits us!<br />
<br />
In other news, this week marked our first official year living it up in Melbourne! In the blink of an eye this year has come and gone and I cannot believe we've been away from home for so long. To tell you the truth, it doesn't quite feel like it's been a year, as it's so easy to keep in contact with friends back home these days that some times it feels like I'm sitting in their lounges, enjoying a cup of tea and a good chat (thank God for social media sites and entertaining communication apps!!). We've been rather blessed as well to have had a handful of family and friends come visit so far, with a whole bunch still planned for later this year. Makes life so much easier knowing they are only a 3.5 hour flight away ;)
See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-50793082766228862782013-05-03T00:27:00.001+12:002013-05-03T00:27:23.411+12:00Life on Instagram.<img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/axedlt.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
Yeow! Okay, admittedly I have been rather quiet lately haven't I? But that's most certainly not what this post will be about, how quiet life has been lately, because it feels like it's been the exact opposite! Life is going at a hundred miles an hour and I'm freaking out because it's already MAY?! Say what! Who would've thought ;)<br />
<br />
Things are starting to cool down quite quickly now that we are moving into May and I've started piling up more layers and investing in some nice woolies to keep the cold out. I actually love this time of the year, as there's nothing more satisfying than heading out for a nice breakfast on a Saturday morning and warming up with some of the finest coffee here in Melbourne. As you can see, majority of my photos on Instagram lately have all been of hot drinks and cafes! I just can't resist a good hot drink! Some favourites include:<br />
♥ Coffee stop at <a href="http://www.kinfolk.org.au/" target="_blank">Kinfolk</a> on Bourke Street (an incredible not-for-profit cafe! Seriously, you need to go!)<br />
♥ <a href="http://t2tea.com/?v=1" target="_blank">Tea Two</a>'s Very Berry Fruit Tea<br />
♥ <a href="http://www.marketlane.com.au/" target="_blank">Market Lane Coffee</a> (very handy having this cafe just across from the markets!)<br />
♥ And of course cannot resist a cupcake and coffee from<a href="https://www.facebook.com/littlecupcakes.melbourne" target="_blank"> Little Cupcakes</a><br />
<br />
And I just had to throw in a cute little photo of my favourite little succulent plant that now lives on my desk at work. It's amazing how something so small and cute can just bring so much joy! If you can't tell, I'm a bit of a sucker for plants and flowers ;) <br />
<br />
<br />See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-89350599116318015762013-04-22T00:27:00.000+12:002013-04-22T00:27:15.017+12:00Auction Rooms.<img src="http://i34.tinypic.com/d7cbr.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
Yesterday Neil and I decided to stop at the <a href="http://www.auctionroomscafe.com.au/" target="_blank">Auction Rooms</a> for a breakfast date before heading out on our Saturday ritual of going to the markets. I've had many friends recommend this fantastic spot to us and we finally picked up our game and actually went. Set in the old WB Ellis auction house, this is a beautiful, quaint and very welcoming cafe. I must admit, I am <i>extremely</i> jealous of their incredible building and location, as the exposed brick, high ceilings and unique industrial PVC pipe lights are all things that's right up my alley of things to love in my future home.<br />
<br />
The cafe is actually much bigger than what I expected as well. Most of our favourite cafes around town are very cute and fantastic in their own ways, but a lot of the time, they can be quite small and you aren't always guaranteed a spot. Which is why I think that Auction Rooms is such a winner! With great coffee, incredible food (we both had poached eggs, chorizo and sourdough bread - a.mazing!) and fantastic atmosphere, these are all ingredients for a top spot that we will definitely be returning to!See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-32936015398932513052013-04-17T23:55:00.000+12:002013-04-17T23:55:07.284+12:00Mount Buffalo.<img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/34xkzrl.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/2a4qxar.jpg" width="700" /> <br />
<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/2vkyi3n.jpg" width="700" /><br />
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<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/1pbas6.jpg" width="700" /><br />
There's one thing I realise more and more...and that is I love camping!<br />
<br />
We went on our first camping trip in Australia last weekend and I have to say it was everything we hoped for. The incredible nature, the serenity and the epic views that just take your breath away. We drove 350km after work on Friday night to get to our destination: Mount Buffalo. We definitely weren't used to the distances between places, as in New Zealand, you probably only need to drive 2-3 hours to get to your destination ;)<br />
<br />
High in the peaks of Mount Buffalo, we set up site in the bush right next to Lake Catalina. With hundreds of hiking tracks within a 5km radius, there was plenty to keep us busy with. And not to mention, there's nothing quite like getting back to camp, starting a fire, opening up a bottle of wine and preparing for a night of feasting and cards.<br />
<br />
This is the joys of still being quite the newbie in Victoria, there is so much exploring to be done! I hope to share many more wonderful road trips like this one with you. <br />
<br />See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-88638331469683602002013-04-08T00:47:00.000+12:002013-04-08T00:47:49.891+12:00Finders Keepers Market: Recap<img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/adgcoo.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
This weekend past the all too lovely <a href="http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/" target="_blank">Finders Keepers</a> market came to town and of course, anyone who loves arts, crafts and handmade designerware was there! This has only been my second time going to the market since we've been in Melbourne and I must say, I'm a fan and will forever be a visitor to this great market.<br />
<br />
With an incredible range of stalls from homewares, jewellery, clothes, books, stationary and vintage finds, you are bound to find something to fall in love with! Neil and I headed over to the markets after work on Friday night, so I only managed to snap some photos with my phone. It doesn't do it justice, as the whole the look and feel of the hall was incredible and themed so well with the work of <a href="http://meeri-anneli.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Meeri Anneli </a>- there were the sweetest teepees and signposts around the place that really added to the experience.<br />
<br />
If you didn't manage to stop by the markets, or unable to go the next one in another city, it's a great idea to head over to the Finders Keepers website and browse through the whole directory list for some online shopping! These were just a number of my favourite stalls that's worth checking out: <br />
<a href="http://www.thatvintage.com.au/index.php" target="_blank">That Vintage</a> l <a href="http://askulkoffoxes.com/shop/" target="_blank">A Skulk of Foxes</a> l <a href="http://www.popplant.com.au/" target="_blank">Pop Plant</a> l <a href="http://www.itrammelbourne.com/" target="_blank">I Tram Melbourne</a> l <a href="http://www.crayonchick.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Crayon Chick</a> l <a href="http://stampelstudio.bigcartel.com/" target="_blank">Stampel </a>l <a href="http://www.dan300.com.au/" target="_blank">Dan300</a><br />
<a href="http://www.birdmeetsbliss.com.au/" target="_blank">Bird Meets Bliss</a> l <a href="http://www.ableandgame.com/" target="_blank">Able and Game</a> l <a href="http://www.inkyco.com.au/" target="_blank">Inky Co.</a>See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-39599374494804618442013-04-03T23:38:00.000+13:002013-04-03T23:38:21.318+13:00Adventure Time.<img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/vg7j9z.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
Well my friends, tonight has been a very exciting evening. After years of wishing and dreaming, the husband and I have finally bought our flights to New York City! For as long as we've been married we have been hoping of one day visiting New York and it is finally happening. What makes it even more special and incredible is that we will be visiting over Christmas! *gasp* PLUS we will be stopping over in San Fransisco for a week!!! I am actually so jealous of myself (is that even a thing??) I can't quite believe it's all happening ;) Both cities are in my top cities to visit in the world, so it's pretty surreal to be able to visit them BOTH in one trip!<br />
<br />
We've already been looking into some places for accommodation and different attractions and sights that will be on our list of to-do's, but it can be a bit overwhelming as there's just too many places to look through! This is where I need your help friends...WHERE SHOULD WE GO? What should we do? Any recommendations on places or areas to stay? Have any of you visited either of these beautiful cities? It's all good reading reviews on the net, but I don't know, I seem to appreciate advise more when it's from someone I'm familiar with!<br />
<br />
The months of planning will be quite exciting and I know it's still eight months till our trip, but I am already counting down the months ;) Also, a shout out to Hannah from <a href="http://www.nellieandoliver.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Nellie and Oliver</a> who has so kindly already passed on her awesome knowledge of New York so far!See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-82478366857089909272013-03-30T01:53:00.002+13:002013-03-30T01:53:28.502+13:0030 Before 30.<img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2d0xg7q.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
Today is my 25th birthday (woohooo!!) and if you can't tell, I'm rather
excited about it all! Turning
25 has made me realize now how close to 30 that is! And with that comes
flooding in thoughts of all the things I still want to do before I am
30, so I thought of making a list and consciously try to achieve these and with that starting my <i>30 Before 30</i> list (saw this idea a while ago, check out Tabitha Emma's fantastic list <a href="http://tabithaemma.com/30-before-30/" target="_blank">here</a>!).<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>30 Before 30</i></b></div>
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♥ Visit New York</div>
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♥ Have a white Christmas</div>
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♥ Run a race</div>
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♥ Attend a market as a seller</div>
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♥ Plan an overseas holiday with friends</div>
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♥ Organise a dinner party (a REAL dinner party...think 1920's dinner party)</div>
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♥ Renew our vows</div>
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♥ Buy a bike</div>
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♥ Get a bunny again</div>
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♥ Get a tattoo</div>
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♥ Have a couple's photoshoot</div>
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♥ Start a business with Neil</div>
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♥ Sell a painting</div>
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♥ Go to a cooking class</div>
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♥ Stay up all night</div>
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♥ Knit a blanket</div>
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♥ Make a quilt</div>
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♥ Go to a ballet</div>
<div>
♥ Visit Queenstown in the winter for the snowboard season</div>
<div>
♥ Shout someone's flights to come visit us</div>
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♥ Climb a mountain</div>
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♥ Go to the airport for a spontaneous trip and buy tickets on the first flight out</div>
<div>
♥ Go blonde</div>
<div>
♥ Try spearfishing</div>
<div>
♥ Conquer my fear of heights (whether it be skydiving, bungyjumping, jumping in a hot air balloon, or going on a zip-line</div>
<div>
♥ Get a pedicure</div>
<div>
♥ Plan a holiday with my girls, no boys allowed!</div>
<div>
♥ Be a part in a play (or even better, a musical!!)</div>
<div>
♥ Sew a dress<br />
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♥ Have a baby</div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
I know some of these will be easy to physically do, but they are just
some things that I've been 'planning' for too long and never done (can I
get a holla from anyone else??) so want to make more of a priority to
do them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have a list similar to mine and
would like to share, pop them / a link to the post in the comments,
would love to see them! I'm sure I'm not the only one who makes lists. Well I am off now to go enjoy the birthday celebrations! Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Easter :)</div>
See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-28768521349246784442013-03-20T23:49:00.004+13:002013-03-20T23:49:50.266+13:00Hello Sailor. <img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/k12k1v.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/35a25u9.jpg" width="700" /><br />
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<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/293aip0.jpg" width="700" /><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Striped Batwing Shirt l<a href="http://rstyle.me/ad/gmg8ri6w" target="_blank"> ASOS</a>, Boyfriend Blazer l <a href="http://rstyle.me/ad/gmg8ri6w" target="_blank">ASOS</a>, Skinny Jeans l <a href="http://www.justjeans.com.au/shop/en/justjeans" target="_blank">Just Jeans</a>, <a href="http://rstyle.me/~wt/cUvP" target="_blank">House of Harlow </a>necklace,<br />
<a href="http://au.nixon.com/womens/" target="_blank">Nixon</a> watch, Emporio Armani sunglasses l c/o <a href="http://www.visiondirect.com.au/" target="_blank">Vision Direct,</a> Double Chain Bracelet l <a href="http://rstyle.me/ad/gmg8ri6w" target="_blank"> ASOS</a>, Kenji Black Heels l <a href="http://www.myer.com.au/" target="_blank">Myer</a></div>
<br />
Mail days are the best. When the darling postman turns up with a package that's got your name on it, it turns that day in to the best one of the week! Lucky for me, that day was yesterday and I got treated with some new additions to my wardrobe. And while the weather is still pretty nice here in Melbourne, I snapped at the chance to get some photos this afternoon. I have to admit, stripes reminds sailors a bit, but I thought, why not dress it up with the blazer as well - which is rather perfect as you can keep it casual or spice it up depending on the occasion.<br />
<br />
On a side note, it's my birthday next week (wink, wink) and I'm still not too sure what we are doing for my party...all I've done so far was get everyone to save the date! And since it's my 25th and first birthday away from home, I want to do something a bit special.... So if anyone has any bright ideas, shoot 'em my way please! Would be forever grateful :)See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7064940589725202872.post-68001850604906015702013-03-20T00:31:00.000+13:002013-03-20T00:31:30.648+13:00Beach Day Out.<img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2w49wtw.jpg" width="700" />
<img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2i7uubn.jpg" width="700" />
<img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/otkp3k.jpg" width="700" />
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<br />
I know I'm doing a bit of overkill on the photos on this posts, but I actually couldn't help myself! I thought it time to share with you some of our favourite beach spots around the Mornington Peninsula. We've tried to make our way around and go to as many beaches as possible, both on the bay side and the ocean side. I truly would not be able to tell you which one either of us favoured most, as each one of them had a bit of paradise.
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So let's start at the top! Sorrento has to be one of the sweetest little seaside towns, with an equally awesome back beach! I would suggest starting off at <a href="http://beachsafe.org.au/beach/vic268" target="_blank">Sorrento Back Beach</a> - it has incredible views and also a lovely cafe/restaurant which is rather handy on those hot days when all you need is a milkshake or an icecream to help cool you down! A couple of kilometers along, down a hidden private road you will get to a beautiful secluded quiet beach called <a href="http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/mornington-peninsula-national-park/things-to-do/diamond-bay" target="_blank">Diamond Bay </a>(all the locals might kill me for sharing this little beauty, but it is a gorgeous little place to relax) and well worth the visit if you're in the area. There is actually a track that runs from Sorrento Back Beach through to Diamond Bay, so handy to park on either side and walk along to the next beach. The beaches on the ocean are more dangerous, so do take care and choose the beaches with patrol, or don't go in deep if you're not a confident swimmer. <br />
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Further along is <a href="http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/mornington-peninsula-national-park/things-to-do/london-bridge-car-park" target="_blank"> London Bridge</a>, which got it's name from the rock outcrop that sits to the side of the beach that's had a giant whole cut through the middle from years of waves pounding against it's hard face, and leaves the impression of a bridge. This again is around Port Sea / Sorrento area and has the most incredible rock pools with amazing spots to go snorkeling! We know for next time to definitely invest in some snorkeling gear because it was like most of the people that were on the beach that day came to snorkel in the rock pools. I know from the photo above, it doesn't seem that big, but it's a decent size and gets deeper further in. A great little place to explore and wander through the rock outcrop as well.<br />
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The last two places we stopped were both on the bay side of the Peninsula. First up was a spot that I wouldn't have a clue what it's name was (or if it even HAS a name?!). When you drive along the bay side from Mornington through to Mount Martha, there are walkways all along the road that take you down to the water. There really isn't any signposts or typical parking spaces, so you just have to be adventurous and stop at any place where you can see a track leading down! The water was as calm as could be and we ended up spending over three hours in the water. Would most certainly recommend these spots if you are after some peace and quiet as it didn't seem like there were too many people there, and obviously as it's not well posted, not many tourists would know about it either.<br />
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Our last stop was the picturesque <a href="http://www.travelvictoria.com.au/mountmartha/" target="_blank">Mount Martha</a>, which is the photo right at the top of this post. Bright and colourful beach houses spans across the stretch of sand along the beach and you cannot help but feel like you are in some exotic country! We were quite lucky to get to this beach during the week when everyone was back at work / school, as I can only imagine how packed this place can get on the weekends and holidays! It's just one of those places you have to make a stop by, even if it's just to snap a few photos of the all the lovely beach houses.<br />
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Wow, okay, so I realise this is a novel compared to the posts I usually write, but these places were just too incredible not too share. If you are ever in the area, I hope these little recommendations helps you out planning your trip through Mornington Peninsula :)See Me Everywherehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12329890276680858110noreply@blogger.com3