3(0) is a magic number

I am now 30 years old. AND DAMN IT FEELS GOOD!

Here are all my presents. Well not all of them! Lovely Laura gave me some Royal Doulton champagne glasses, which are to be featured another time!

Luke bought me this paella pan and accoutrements, we have eaten paella twice since. Who would have thought it was so quick and easy!

A favourite adult book, and two amazing kids books.

“Bernard, Bernard! I’m a prostitute robot from the future!”

I was very spoilt again, with this gift of my second Le Creuset! This cast iron pan will get plenty of work in years to come. And it’s orange!

After opening all my presents (thanks Mum and Dad for the knife, and my lovely in-laws for my spoils), and having my first solo bedroom dance as a 30 year old to Azealia Banks (language warning!), the squishy above took me out for breakfast to the North Carlton Canteen. Yummo.

I was lucky enough to share my day with my friend Lisa’s wedding day! So Lukey and I spruced ourselves up to get down to Lisa and Aaron’s wedding in the Carlton Gardens. The sun came out just in time for the ceremony, and all was glorious, as all weddings should be.

I kept myself relatively nice until my job as MC was finished, then I joined the others in some ridiculous dancing, champagne glass smashing (accident!) and general tomfoolery. Fun.

Hawt bride.

I was also super spoilt with our traditional birthday dinner later on in the week – Luke took me to La Luna!

It was a delicious, (ethical) meat filled, winey and yummy night, starting with an amazing charcuterie plate, then garlic prawns, sausages, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, roasted pork and ice-cream to finish.

Not to mention a wine or two with each course. Dirty 30s indeed!

Needless to say, a most fabulous time was had. Thanks to everyone for the fabulous send off up to the third floor!

Luke making friends with all the neighbourhood cats on the walk home from dinner ….

Why I love vintage

I have been an op shopper for as long as I can remember. My friend Stacey and I would scour the op shops in Launceston for polyester striped shirts, grandpa pants and crazy jackets. I am proud to say that I still wear some of the things I thrifted while I was a teenager.

MC Escher coat bought years and years ago at a Launceston op shop.

Maroon wooly from a hundred years ago (it’s the perfect cropped length), red and black wool pencil skirt from the Red Cross op shop on Brunswick Street.

While I find most of my pretties in vintage shops not op shops these day, I don’t mind. I still love the thrill of the chase, not knowing what I will find (and if it will be in my size and if I can afford it). I also like not being dressed the same as anyone else!

Asian Princess dress bought years and years ago at a Launceston op shop.

I like knowing that the clothes I love have been loved before, and that no factory (recently) spewed out noxious gases to make the vast majority of the things I wear.

Washed vintage scarves, all in a row.

I love my vintage dress collection, I now have over 40. I’m not sure whether to be proud or ashamed at this! I have a couple of early gems from the 40s and 50s, but the majority are gorgeous numbers from the 60s through to the 80s. I love them for their awesome bright prints and easy to wash and wear fabrics!

This 1970s number was bought at Clara Fox, found unworn, still with the tag on!

So my friends, go forth and hunt down some pre-loved bargains! The planet will thank you!

Festival of Holly

I am now 29. While this is a little concerning, I am determined to live this last year of my 20s in style. Which seems entirely possible, given the excellent start to my 29th year.

I was well and truly spoilt by my generous friends and family. Thank you all!

Luke and I have an excellent tradition of taking each other out to a surprise birthday dinner, to somewhere we haven’t been before (for Luke’s birthday in February I took us to the the Press Club). On Friday night, Luke took me to Flinders Street, where we boarded a train on the Sandringham line.

I had absolutely no idea where we were going. We disembarked at Ripponlea, and walked down the dark streets, until we arrived at … Attica. Oh my. The food was extraordinary, we played fancy grown ups and had the eight course tasting menu with matching wines.

Marron with leeks and mustard flowers, honey and thyme for second dessert, walnut appetiser, egg yoke with pyengana cheddar cream and almonds.

We finished with chocolate eggs filled with salted caramel and a cognac to share …

The food and service was gorgeous, the night was just perfect. I recommend saving up your pennies and visiting Attica, worth the weeks pay!

In my birthday party dress, kindly supplied by my darling sister.

Next up for the Festival of Holly … cocktails! Last night my gorgeous friends came on over for a party. We made lots and lots of traditional and not so traditional cocktails – old fashioneds, manhattans, whiskey sours, mojitos, cuba libres, and concoctions involving cinzano, brandy, pimms, gin and goodness knows what else! Sally found her old fashioned a bit too alcoholic, so added mixer to make a not in fashion. Classy.

My baker extraordinaire sister whipped up this chocolate minty delight …

… which was well and truly enjoyed by all.

The third instalment of the Festival is a trip to ACMI to watch Singin’ in the Rain this afternoon. Luke sure knows how to throw a gal a birthday weekend.

Love and thanks to all those who wished me a happy birthday, I’m lucky to have you all!

Lately …

Luke and I spent last Saturday night in, enjoying some good old fashioned fun. We played pass the pigs, cribbage and drank gin. I won cribbage, Luke won pass the pigs.

Luke joined me for lunch last week, on a lovely sunny day. Spring is slowly springing! We followed up lunch with ice creams in the park. I’m a biter, Luke’s a licker.

Here I am channelling the 1970s in preparation for seeing Germaine Greer as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival. Germaine was fabulous, and spoke intelligently and eloquently on a huge range of subjects from gay marriage (she’s anti all marriage, gay or otherwise), the health of Australian rainforests and how women need to stop being obsessed with cleanliness, and stop cleaning our houses so often! I love her.

Luke and I recently took ourselves out for date night. We started with a date night Old Fashioned. Delicious. We followed this up with date night paella, date night sangria and date night pints. Needless to say we ended with a date night hangover.

I hope you have a lovely week!

Grace Kelly in … Bendigo?

Last Saturday, my good friend Sally and I road tripped it to Bendigo to see the Grace Kelly: Style Icon exhibition.

How embarrassing! Grace and I wore the same colour! Almost.

Castlemaine Court House

We left buying out tickets a bit late and the exhibition was almost sold out, the only time we could get in was for 6.30pm. So we made a day of it!  We left Melbs at midday, then stopped to have lunch and a cheeky red in Castlemaine. Before we hit the road for Benders, we had a peruse of the Restorers Barn, a treasure trove of gorgeous and odd.

Prince Charles wears many hats. Literally and figuratively.

Jugs and matching glasses are my weakness, but I resisted.

There was an entire room full of cups and saucers!

We then popped back on the road to Bendigo! Hurrah! We had time for a quick wander around before we went in.

We did not stop here, instead we found place to have a champagne and cheese platter. Much better.

Now. On to Grace. Isn’t she divine? The pink shirtwaist dress below was my absolute favourite.

There were so many gorgeous dresses! The exhibition started with dresses from her film career in 1956, then moved to when she met Prince Rainier and became a Princess, and finally her later years as a ‘style icon’. Unfortunately the majority of the dresses in the ‘style icon’ section were kaftans. Well, it was the 1970s.

Grace Kelly images from The Daily Mail.

All in all, we had a lovely day out in the country. Thanks for driving Sal!

One should always be a little improbable

Some of the crazy that has burst out of my wardrobe lately …

Teal dress given to me by Luke’s nan, she wore it to his parents wedding. I doubt she wore it with magenta tights from We Love Colors though. Or with desert boots!

Vintage silk dress from Moscow, tights again from We Love Colors.

Sixties shift gifted to me by my friend Nadia, it was her Great Auntie’s. Angora cardi from Sheila Vintage, you most likely can guess where the tights are from.

The crazy part of this outfit is my new Dr Denim maroon jeans! Love them and expect to be wearing them lots this winter. It’s cold! The pussybow shirt is from an op shop in Frankston, and the maroon knit vest is a million years old, most likely from an op shop somewhere.

Maroon Melissa shoes, red tights again from We Love Colors, checked pencil skirt from the Red Cross op shop on Brunswick Street.

What crazy have you let out this week!?

A guide to a good day

I think that if you can achieve four of these in one day, it can be declared a good day. More than four, well. Congratulations are in order.

1) Get up early enough to see the sunrise. Exercise.

2) Eat a good breakfast.

3) Wear something outrageous to work. Or red lipstick.

4) Take a long lunch break and read a good book. In the sun if possible.

5) Cook dinner with a loved one. Give them the best jobs. Wash up in the morning.

6) Smile when you feel like complaining. Think of Mary Poppins. Congratulate yourself.

I wish you well making today a good day.

Oh my!

Jeepers! I haven’t blogged in over a month.  Not sure how that happened, I guess due to the combination of a having a new job, an addiction to reading The Hunger Games and watching Battlestar Gallactica.  I’ve also been busy as usual with my Girl Guide volunteer jobs, running a Unit with Bilby and doing my best as a member of the Girl Guide Victoria Executive and Finance Committees.  And I’ve been holding up my end of house duties and actually cooking dinner, not eating eggs every night, hurrah!

Autumn has well and truly hit Melbourne, with gorgeous leaves falling and long afternoon shadows.  I’ve been enjoying getting the woolies out and rugging up!

Feeling very autumnal in teal stockings from We Love Colors, vintage silk shirt dress from Moscow, and vintage MC Esher coat.

Dr Marten’s pink boots, gold knee-highs from Myer, aztec inspired vintage dress.

My blogging break may also be due to my new found love of playing Draw Something with Luke.  I’ll leave you with some of my favourite drawings!

What to wear?

Here are some of the outfits that I have graced the world with lately.

My favourite 1940s blue number from Clara Fox.

Tan and teal.  This dress is turning into a firm favourite, found for $30 at Frippery on Smith Street.

My favourite MC Escher coat.  Found years and years ago at an op shop somewhere in Tasmania.  Currently (sadly)  in for repairs with Miss Karlee at Golden Age Vintage.

Lacy and spotty.  From the Red Cross oppy on Brunswick Street I think.

Babushka scarf from Moscow an a final moment of blond.

Brunette again thanks to Carmen the bestest ever hairdresser at Fur Brunswick Street.

Toodle pip!

 

Charm School

Many thanks to the lovely Thread Den ladies for my portrait!

A few weekends ago now, I attended the Lindy Charm School For Girls at Thread Den.

I learnt the importance of red lipstick, keeping ones stocking steams straight, good underwear, and that I simply MUST curl my hair. Some lessons will be executed, others merely noted.