Sunshine Coast Cafe – Bohemian Bungalow, Eumundi

A recent birthday celebration for my aunt had the extended family coming from across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane to one of my favourite Coast towns, Eumundi for a long leisurely lunch together. Some of these uncles and aunts hadn’t seen me since I was a teen, so I had a lot of fun surprising them!

Bohemian Bungalow has become quite the institution already, with a famous Sunday session featuring an ever-changing roster of bands, duos and single artists from 2pm to wind down your weekend; and a gorgeously eclectic decor which will have you going for a stroll around the restaurant to check out their treasures.

I wore a favourite Passion Q split-sleeve dress from Whitehaven Emporium – these guys do the best boho-style prints ever – with Spendless Shoes Wisdom boots, an old French Connection belt and tassel necklace from Whitehaven Emporium. 

Such a cute and colourful place to catch up with friends or family

How adorable is my dad here, catching up with his nieces. He’s the cutest guy around. #biased

Even high above the kitchen, there are little vignettes to find – this race of handpainted horses was so quirky.
I know a certain BFF of mine who would’ve liked me to snaffle some of those antique biscuit and cake tins.

What’s a birthday creme brulee without a scoop of vanilla bean icecream and a candle?

We had such a lovely lunch here, the birthday girl has even popped back a few more times since then to enjoy the atmosphere.

Do you like your cafes quirky and unique? Any other eclectic places in South East Queensland worth a try?

Regional Flavours 2016 – the tastes of Queensland

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I recently experienced a gourmet’s ultimate weekend experience, heading to Brisbane for a 24 hour whirlwind trip of the city’s best food and then out west for another day and night to the Lockyer Valley to see where most of that food is produced.

As well as enjoying great food with exceptional company, I also faced that classic food blogger problem… my pants were too tight for me to try everything! So heed my warning if you’re planning to head to the Regional Flavours event on 16th and 17th July, elastic-waist trousers and loose dresses will be what those in the know are wearing!

My taste buds are already tingling as I start thinking about the delish fare which will be served up at Brisbane’s Southbank Parklands. The eighth annual festival aims to offer visitors a taste of the varied and quality produce Queensland has to offer, and educate consumers and home cooks on the benefits of eating food grown right here in the Sunshine State.

Celebrating our fertile soil and homegrown harvests isn’t exactly new,
this vintage tourism poster just screams ‘Eat our fruit’!
This year’s event will dish up a culinary delight, with the Parklands filled with cooking demonstrations by notable chefs, free tastings and stalls run by local food producers, restaurateurs and traders, food trucks, kid’s activities and live musical entertainment. Oh, and the whole weekend’s festivities are free too!

I’ll definitely be heading down for the weekend, and I’ve listed my favourite producers, providores and picks that I recommend you keep an eye out for!

A carnivore’s paradise, this family-owned butcher and delicatessen chain should be proud of its Plainland and new West End locations that follow the same formula for produce-to-plate philosophy – it’s worked for them for over 60 years! When I visited, my blogging companions and I were lucky enough to be given a tour of the premises by Alistair Macleod, well-known chef and tv host, and a proud ambassador for the Lockyer Valley. Offering a huge range that includes Yagaburne beef, Lockyer Valley veges and Granite Belt wines, Schulte’s is serious about quality and community.

Holmwood Produce

The trend towards locally sourced products doesn’t end with food, with many folks looking for regional herb and spice growers as well. I was fortunate enough to spend time at Holmwood Produce’s beautiful lavender and native food farm during my tour through the Lockyer Valley, and as well as having the friendliest donkey greeters, the fresh lavender and lemon myrtle used in the afternoon tea treats were so scrumptious that I fell in love with the property.



Bauer’s Organic Farm
Every now and then, you meet someone SO passionate about something that you can’t help but join them as an advocate. That someone was Rob Bauer, long-time Lockyer Valley farmer and convert to organic farming over 30 years ago, well before the current organic fad really took hold! Seated at a long table under the eucalypts and hearing Rob share stories about local farmers getting sick and dying from exposure to common chemicals used in farming, the entire table of guests began to think differently about the way we shop for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Bauer’s is a diverse property, supplying carrots, potatoes, corn, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin and beans, as well as numerous other smaller crops – all on one of Australia’s first certified organic farms.

The Charming Squire
Southbank’s own microbrewery is probably the perfect weekend venue for discerning Brisbanites, with something for everyone. The talents of their brewers, who are constantly creating new beers, and the constant communication between chef and brewer showcases beer and food pairing in a new (to me) and exciting way! The tasting plates that were offered were beyond amazing, featuring such tasty gems as Woodfired Corn Cobs with parmesan spiced crust, puffed quinoa and chipotle butter; and my favourite, the Slow cooked beef croquettes with Turkish almond & tahini dip. If you’re looking for BB and I at Regional Flavours, you’ll probably find us propping up the bar at the atmospheric and moody pop-up bistro and bar The Hunting Club, where we’ll be working my way through the Charming Squire drinks list! Hosted by The Charming Squire and Target 100, this venue will also host the likes of Paul West, Alistair Macleod and Hayden Quinn.

Having experienced a ‘cupping’ session at Australia’s largest independently owned and operated coffee roaster, Merlo Coffee on my recent food adventure of Brisbane, I now feel that I have earned the right to call myself a real coffee connoisseur. Tony and Frith led us through 

a short history of coffee, sampling their current blends, using our senses to differentiate between blends and getting expert advice on making the best coffee at home, at Merlo’s Fortitude Valley Torrefazione. Possibly the best way to start my day, really. Interested in kicking off your own food adventure of Brisbane with a decent cuppa? Merlo hold public coffee appreciation sessions at various Torrefaziones in Brisbane.

Popolo – River Quay

Make sure you stroll all the way along the Parklands (you’ll probably need to, to digest all that food) to River Quay. This strip of fine dining establishments is home to Stokehouse Q, Aquitaine Brasserie, The Jetty, Cove Bar + Dining and my favourite, Popolo Italian Kitchen and Bar. I’ve dined at Popolo before and it’s right up there in my list of favourite Brisbane restaurants.

The menu walks that perfectly fine line between too simple and overly extensive, the food is fresh with a lot of emphasis on showcasing local produce, and the whole place has that classic Italian ambience. It’s casual without lacking in service or quality of food, but at the same time classy without being pretentious and stuffy. I’m going to get specific now, and tell you exactly what I’ll eat at Regional Flavours from Popolo, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll be stuffing these morsels in your mouth too. The crumbed Mozzarella with thyme-infused local honey is going to be the bee’s knees. (See what I did there?)

Could eat these all day, every day. The Bee One Third locally produced honey is also going to be available at Regional Flavours… my top tip is to get there early and try and snag your suburb, they sell out quickly!

Regional Flavours 2016 is a fantastic opportunity for local food producers, restaurateurs and traders to showcase their mouth-watering wares, and to show everyone that QLD is no longer the backwards banana-bending state of old. The event which is staged over two days at my favourite polace in Brisbane – Southbank Parklands – will definitely exceed expectations and appetites. I urge you all to put the dates in your diary and come along, as there will be something for everyone – whatever your personal tastes.

All the Regional Flavours stage presenters, stallholders, food trucks and vendors have been hand-selected and are definitely hungry-tummy-approved. Adriano Zumbo, Maggie Beer, Hayden Quinn, the Masterchef lads Gary, George and Matt, Miguel Maestre, Alistair Macleod, and River Cottage’s Paul West are just a few big names that will be hitting the stages, but check out the full program on the Regional Flavours website for more details. You’re going to want to start planning your eating agenda now.

I’m planning on being in Brisbane for the entire weekend, staying at Brisbane Marriott, so come hang with me. We can eat until our belts explode.

For stays between 14-18 July 2016, Brisbane Marriott Hotel is offering a special discounted rate of $199 a night if you book before July 1, 2016.

Will I see you at Regional Flavours 2016?

*I was a guest of Brisbane Marketing, the listed venues, and Brisbane Marriott for my recent foodie adventure through Southbank, Brisbane and the Lockyer Valley – they do great work showcasing this corner of the world, and I am incredibly happy to support them.

All images my own, or supplied by Brisbane Marketing

Another stripe dress – Surafina Sportif Grey Stripe

At least once a week, I find myself reaching for a striped t-shirt dress. I’m starting to amass a little collection of them and I have no issues with the fact that most of my friends now know that I’m likely to turn up anywhere wearing one. I even shared my love in this post.

My latest one started as a ‘Here, borrow this’ dress from Trainee Mama who was heavily pregnant with her twins and wasn’t getting any wear from it; and now it’s a ‘No chance am I returning this to you, I love it so much!’ dress. (Maybe I’ll buy her a replacement. maybe not.)

This is the perfect piece to throw on and head out the door in a hurry, but it’d also be on my list to take on holidays to dress up and down easily. Surafina has a few sizes left online in the grey stripe… hop to it!

The current AW Sportif styles are black with white stripe, and an alternate white with black stripe – choosing is too hard, so I recommend both! But you don’t need any convincing from me, do you?

 
Would it be rude of me to ask how many stripe dresses you have? (Just to make me feel better?!)

*Dress gifted in the sense that I borrowed it from my bestie and am not returning it in a hurry.

Visiting China – first impressions

When you tell friends, family and colleagues that you are going to China, most get quite excited and then ask ‘Oh, what are you going to see?’

‘Are you going to the Forbidden City? The Great Wall of China? The Temple of Heaven, or maybe the Terracotta Warriors?
For BB and I, we couldn’t really answer this question. We didn’t even know where Shanghai was geographically within China! We were heading to Shanghai for 6 days with BB’s business clients, to check out a supplier in his industry (asphalt production and road construction, which I know nothing about), and had never even talked previously about travelling to China. We have such a long list of places we’d love to see around the world, and China was way down that list. Whilst we thought a little about not going, being hosted for six days by a company who wanted to impress us with their manufacturing business was too tempting and we organised a friend to house/puppy-sit, and we flew out of Brisbane last Thursday morning.
After a long day of travel (Brisbane-Singapore-Shanghai), we arrived in China’s largest city late at night, and our very welcoming host Joy helped us get through Customs, Immigration and even scarier… the taxi/pick-up zone at the Arrivals terminal of Pudong International Airport.
From this moment on, I took only a few photos. The combination of dodgy internet, no access to Gmail and Facebook (waaaaah), and recently deciding to spend less time looking at life through a camera lens meant that I only took a handful of snaps on the first few days.
Day 1 started with a Western buffet breakfast at our hotel, The Eton; and quite clearly, this was a hotel marketed to foreigners doing business in Shanghai and western tour groups. Whilst this made starting each day in such an exotic and bustling city a little easier, my teeth were definitely grating every time I heard an Aussie accent complaining about the lack of Vegemite for their toast. My pet peeve was that there were no spoons for my cereal or to stir my coffee, but once I started laughing at adding sugar to my morning cuppa with a fork, it became more amusing than annoying!

Joy (the funniest guy on the Asian continent, I’m sure), picked us up in his 7-seater Buick, and we hit the roads – me thankfully in the very back seat, where I couldn’t see too much of the utter craziness on Shanghai roads – to head south-west to Wuzhen. Wuzhen Water Town, known as the Venice of China, is one of the most famous ancient water towns in China and has a history of more than 1,500 years. Embraced by the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal, canals crisscross the two town areas, with camphor laurel and willow trees draping their branches in the water. Ancient residential houses, workshops and stores stand on the banks of the East Area canals, and attractions include folk performances. The West Area has been restored for antique-style accommodation, but authentic ancient elements are also easily found.

 

This area of traditional blue printed cloth hanging on giant bamboo drying racks was so beautiful, and evocative of an older era of craftsmanship. 

Our happy little travelling party laughed and laughed our way around Wuzhen.
Our first impressions of China were fantastic. Having a very friendly host makes arrival anywhere easier, and the city was 100% cleaner and greener than either of us had expected. For many reasons, it felt like a more organised, tidier version of any Shanghai portrayal I’ve seen in movies. Shanghai has the look of an old city undergoing renovation, and I particularly loved how so many shiny new modern buildings manage to coexist with old Shanghai – it seemed incredibly liveable.

As I discovered by accident on day 3 of our trip, my phone was using data even when I had it in flight mode… what the! so I ended up turning it off completely and hardly snapping any photos throughout the rest of our trip.

I’ll share more about our trip soon… I’m still catching up on laundry after so much travel in the last month!
Ever travelled somewhere you never thought you’d be interested in? What did you think of it?

Don’t forget to sign up to get Katy Potaty via email to go into my June subscriber draw to win a luxe Glasshouse candle!

What I wore: Port Douglas holiday part 2

If you’ve only just stopped by, you might like to click back to this post, it’s Part One of What I Wore: Port Douglas holiday… this one is a little more pictorial, because I’ve been busy and working hard, and have no words left.
Now, it wouldn’t be a tropical holiday for me without some poolside relaxing. Yes, we have a pool at our home, but it’s nowhere near as relaxing lounging in the water when you have a houseful of chores just metres away. I love laying by a pool that is a LONG way from my dirty laundry and a dishwasher that need stacking, so holiday pool time is my favourite.
I love swimsuits. For a curvy girl with bumps and dimples in all the wrong places, I give little thought to how people see me when I’m on the beach or lounging by a pool. I hope that never changes. (That said, outside of a watery environment, I’m crazy-insecure about my body. Go figure.) This gorgeous new Capriosca Cancun Twist Bandeau One Piece* with the moroccan tile-inspired print is probably my favourite one-piece of ALL. TIME. SERIOUSLY. The team at Sequins and Sand are so helpful too, you can email or call Anita and the team and get so much great advice on sizing and fit, which is so useful when buying swimwear online.
I adore the glam print, the ruching, the DD shelf bra that actually does what it’s supposed to, and most of all, the removable and adjustable straps. I mean, you guys surely know how I feel about tan lines. I was so hesitant to take the straps off, because there’s nothing cute about hauling a bandeau top up over and over again by the pool, but the shaping of the cups means that I didn’t even need them! And that means I can wear this swimsuit under so many of my strappy, strapless and off-the-shoulder beach and pool dresses. Hip hurrah!
On our actual wedding anniversary, we had a super-relaxing day of strolling around Port Douglas. I wore one of my favourite off-the-shoulder tops (of course I did, I’m original like that) with super-tropical-cute palm-print shorts from Witchery. These shorts are brilliant for Summer holidays, because there’s no ironing required, and they wash and dry so quickly that you can wear them more than once… which I obvs did.

When on holidays, wear no makeup and let your hair air-dry. Please, for the love of relaxation, do it.

Speaking of relaxation… my husband enjoyed his first pedicure ever! I’d been telling him for ages just how relaxing they were, and my dad (who doesn’t exactly has attractive manfeet) has been waxing lyrical for years to BB about the pleasures of someone else attending to your feet, and I finally managed to persuade him to give it a try. BB has quite nice feet, I think, so I knew he’d have nothing to be self-conscious of.

And now he wants to get one at least monthly. Can we just say ‘I told you so’ already?

By the second last day of our trip, I was all but forgetting to take photos of our holiday, I was just in full-blown vacation mode. It wasn’t until I saw other people snapping away on the Cairns-Kuranda SkyRail that I remembered!

Kuranda Scenic Railway Station is flipping adorable. It’s just like the railway stations you imagine from the books The Railway Children, but with excellent coffee available. Nawwww.

This lame tourist photo at the railway station features pretty much the exact same off-the-shoulder top and shorts situation from a previous day, albeit with the coral version of the Katies top. What can I say? When I find a good thing, I stick to it.

Taking the obligatory arm-out-the-window photo as we rounded the bends of the Barron Valley meant that I had quite the conniption as BB risked the life of my iPhone.

Food, food, food. One of the highlights of any trip to Port Douglas for us is dinner at Bucci Italian. The blue cheese and cauliflower arancini were a hit, and the roast pumpkin gnocchi (below) served with little dollops of the most delicious goat’s cheese… I can’t even.

After all that cheese, I was feeling VERY cheesy and loved up. (You knew there was a bad cheese pun coming, admit it.)

Apparently I’m going through an off-the-shoulder phase. Who knew?

What it’s actually all about for me. You can take away the sunbathing and afternoon cocktails, the excuses to wear tropical-print clothes, the food (although please don’t take away the food), and my anniversary trip to Port Douglas is really just all about spending time with this silver fox. 
Happy Anniversary, BB. You’re the cheese to my pasta. 
* Thank you so much to the team at Sequins and Sand, for gifting me this gorgeous swimsuit, and helping me find my perfect style and fit. Big big love.

What I wore: Port Douglas holiday part 1

We have returned last week from our annual anniversary holiday to Port Douglas, and I’m almost finished the holiday laundry pile! (It’s always the very first thing I get started on the minute we get home… because if I don’t, it can take months!).
I say annual, although we hadn’t been to Port Douglas for three years prior to this trip. After BB proposed on Four Mile Beach in 2011, and we got married in 2012 in the beautiful beachside Rex Smeal Park and held our wedding reception in Harrisons Restaurant (the only hatted restaurant in the region!), we decided that we’d love to come back for every anniversary. Late April is a gorgeous time to visit Far North QLD, and it’s never Easter or school holidays, so we’re able to snag some pretty good flight and accommodation deals. After enjoying a relaxing PD holiday for our first anniversary in 2013, we were persuaded to join friends on a cruise trip for our second, and then our third anniversary fell right when BB was unable to take a break due to a really good work opportunity. Whilst I certainly wasn’t upset or mad, we were both disappointed, and when we booked the trip for this year, we were both super-excited to head north and celebrate anniversary number four… until the realisation that we couldn’t take our puppy Stevie sunk in.
We have had short breaks away from Stevie since she joined our family in January last year, and she accompanied us on our Outback QLD trip in Winter; but neither of us knew just how hard it would to be say goodbye to her for a whole week. We were confident she’d have a wonderful time visiting her grandma and grandad (my parents), but GAWD we both had to reel in the emotions a few times when we started missing her. 
I’ll try to blog about our holiday chronologically, but let’s be honest, I always forget to take photos when I’m on vacation, and sometimes we were just having way too good a time for me to start snapping away! Maybe I’ll just share some highlights for you all…
Our first full day on holiday in Port Douglas, and we started our morning with a long (almost 8km!) walk before freshening up and getting changed to hit Macrossan Street for a stroll and lunch. I wore Suzanne Grae off-shoulder top (this Florence Broadhurst-inspired print is so fun), Jag chambray shorts, Harris Scarfe sandals and my favourite Louenhide crossbody bag (now on SALE for $29!). Oh, and PINEAPPLE earrings because QUEENSLAND
Shopping in Tommy Bahama is pretty much the only time I join my husband shopping – he always knows what he’s after, and rarely needs my help – but in Tommy Bahama, I love to bring him the brightest Hawaiian print shirts and crazy Bermuda shorts. The change rooms are always freaking awesome too… like a little tropical corner of George Clooney’s house in The Descendants.

On day 1, we hit Port Douglas’ newest bar, Barbados Port Douglas, because I’d been salivating for weeks in the lead-up to our holiday over their signature cocktail menu. The Weniki Tiki cocktail I chose didn’t disappoint – house-infused Belvedere Vodka, Passoa, coconut cream, pineapple juice and shredded coconut made for the perfect tropical welcome drink!
Overlooking the beautiful waters of Port Douglas, Barbados Port Douglas will fast become the go-to bar for locals and tourists alike. The bar’s lime-washed timber furnishings, navy and white stripe awnings and umbrellas, and the small touches like embroidered canvas coasters are reminiscent of a Queensland-style beach house, but with a luxe Hamptons twist.

Even though this was ostensibly a romantic holiday for BB and I to celebrate our anniversary, we managed to get a little social and head out for dinner with our friend Jemma, who recently moved from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns. She drove up the coast road to Port Douglas and we enjoyed a beautiful meal at Star of Siam (probably the best Thai restaurant in QLD), even though Jem and I dared BB to eat the whole chilli garnish on his plate… sorry honey! I wore a stunning and oh-so-comfy Passion Q off-the-shoulder dress* from White Haven Emporium, with Samantha Wills earrings and a necklace purchased on our last visit to the fantastic Port Douglas markets. 

This dodgy-as photo does this frock NO justice… I blame the cocktails and beers that BB and I enjoyed at dinner. I really should start remembering to take outfit photos before dinner, shouldn’t I?

The following night we dined at Watergate Port Douglas, where the duck pancakes are possibly the world’s greatest entree; and I wore a dramatic print dress from Sequins and Sand. This Achilleas dress* is a showstopper, there’s no ironing required (a travel requirement for me!), and the Greek design and draping fabric really shows off the striking print to perfection. It’s so new that it’s not even featured on their website yet… but keep an eye out for this stunner!

I’m a big fan of white cotton off-the-shoulder frocks, and this new Iris Dress* from local resortwear designer Anannasa is the perfect transition piece for me to wear one of my favourite styles in Autumn. It’s a little longer than most white cotton dresses, which means that you can belt and blouse it nicely, and the longer sleeve is super pretty. This style was SO easy to throw on over my togs to go downstairs to the pool, and is definitely cute enough to dress up and wear out for dinner – the ideal holiday frock, really!

I’ll share a few more outfits in my next blog post, and you might just spot a trend that I obviously can’t let go of!
*Super-awesomely gifted. You should really know by now that I won’t wear anything I don’t love, so consider these pieces fantastic!

So are you like me, already planning next Summer’s holidays?Do you have a holiday tradition like we do?

Mother’s Day gift guide – Barkly Basics kitchen accessories

What do you get for the Mum who has everything including the kitchen sink?

Easy – tell her you’ll do the washing up! Don’t feel wishy washy about it though, I’ve found a bunch of super-cute dish tools tools that turn the drudgery of a full sink into a daily happy scour!

Barkly Basics kitchen accessories – the snazziest things in my kitchen! (My Musq handwash is a stunner too!)

Enter Barkly Basics. A monochrome and ontrend collection of sponges, scourers and dish brushes that will have your sink smart enough for Insty photos… seriously! The newest product in the range is a dishwashing liquid which smells just like a freshly-made mojito, and if that doesn’t get you enthused to wash dishes, I don’t know what will!

Gift box includes Dish Wash Detergent (500mL), Chevron Scourer Kitchen Sponge (2pk), Black and White Scourer Sponge (2pk), All White Natural Cellulose Sponge (3pk), Round Ergonomic Scourer Sponge (1pc), Dish Stick (1pc) & Refills (3pk) – $76.80 (inc.GST)
I know you’re wondering who the genius is that got the kitchen sink in on the latest interior design trend, so I asked Natasha Malkov, Director of Barkly Basics to give us a little of the Barkly back-story.

What do you do? What do you make/sell?
I am a scientist by profession with a P.h.D in Molecular Biology and had various jobs in science before having the light bulb moment and becoming “The Sponge Lady”! I now design and sell designer kitchen sponges.
I was washing the dishes one morning and looked down at the bright yellow ugly sponge and thought to myself “This sponge is so ugly!” “Why hasn’t anyone modernised it to suit our beautiful kitchens?” and I guess that is when I had the light bulb moment!

Why and how did you sell your first product?
I would have loved to manufacture the kitchen sponges in Australia, however, I couldn’t find any manufactures that make the cellulose material, so I had no choice but to make them overseas. My Sweet Citrus Mojito dishwash detergents that have just launched are manufactured in Melbourne which is great.
I initially sold my products online and then started selling wholesale to boutique supermarkets and boutique homeware and gift stores around Australia, New Zealand and internationally.

Who was your key support during the fledgling stage of Barkly Basics?
My partner was my key support in the early stages and still is. He is my investor, co-director of my company and my life partner. He is a barrister at law and always points out what can go wrong and keeps me on track!

How do you manage your time so well?
Working for yourself is great, but you need to stay motivated and manage your time wisely. I plan my days as much as possible, try and stick to a routine that works and at the end of the day try and have some “me time”.

How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
It was quite easy to distinguish my products from other products on the market. It was a simple colour change and package design that really made the difference.

If you could have given yourself a piece of knowledge or advice when you started what would that be? Be careful who you choose to manufacture your products. Not all manufacturers have the same idea as you when it comes to quality control. I often have to re-check products before sending them out. This takes extra time and effort. You want to avoid double handling as much as possible.

Which opportunities should you have followed?
I have had many ideas over the years and in hindsight, I should have followed most of them! Seeing others making your idea a reality is the ultimate confirmation that your thought process and your instincts are on the right track. It’s having the courage to follow them through is the hard bit.

How do you conquer any moments of doubt that threaten to stop your great ideas? What pushes you through?I have had many moments of doubt. It usually occurs during the “development phase” as it can take quite a long time. For example, the sponges took over a year to develop and during this time, I had a lot of time to overthink the whole concept and started doubting myself. The key is to work on other projects/ideas in the meantime to occupy your thought process. This usually works well, especially for me.  Also, having a support network that believes in your ideas and your ability to make it happen also helps a lot!

Righto, time for some fun stuff.
What is your ‘uniform’? What do you wear more often than anything else?Anything in black! I love black. It makes me feel sophisticated, strong and slim all at the same time! Jeans and shirt are my workwear staples. My work is quite physical. I pick and pack and deal with boxes full of products on a daily basis. Not at all glamorous!

What is your favourite thing to wear to make you happy?
I love dresses. One piece that is so quick and easy to wear. I like to dress feminine but I am a real tomboy at heart.

Thanks so much Natasha, for sending me such a gorgeous box of kitchen goodies to play with, and for taking the time to share the secrets of your success!

How fab are those monochrome Barkly Basics pieces? And how much does loving your cleaning gear make a difference to the drudgery of cleaning?

Sunshine Coast High Tea at the Silva Spoon, Cotton Tree

I’m sure that most of my lovely readers will know by now that my bestie Peta of Trainee Mama is pregnant with twins. She’s already done the baby shower thing prior to giving birth to her son (and my fave squidgy human) Ned, so when I asked what she’d like to do to celebrate the twins’ impeding arrival, I wasn’t sure if she was up for a big ol’ styled-dessert-table situation with nappy games and all that jazz.

Fortunately, Peta is of the less-is-more attitude when celebrating, and she’s particularly not keen on any kind of party where someone has to slave over stoves and tidy up and clean up afterwards. (See why I like her so much?) She suggested just a girl’s day out, something where we could just turn up, have a little fun, then head home for naps and Netflix.
Enter The Silva Spoon. Thanks to Facebook and the wonders of social media, I recently won a giveaway on Mrs Tink’s blog, and my prize would make an EXCELLENT mini-baby-shower event – a High Tea for Two at Silva Spoon in Cotton Tree.
A sunny Saturday before my crazy month of travel commences and before Peta gets too close to her due date was the perfect chance for a ladies day out, and BB was away at a Bachelor party on the Gold Coast too, which made for a very girly weekend for me! After going for a long walk with BB and Stevie in the morning, then seeing my husband off (with stern words to STAY SAFE), I had a little time to change into my dress.

Dress (similar White Haven Emporium), Siren heels, Target straw and silver clutch (a few seasons old)

I picked Peta up from her temporary home (an apartment overlooking Maroochy River, check out her current reno and moving story here), and then it was time for tea…

This was my first high tea and I had no idea what to expect, but I certainly wasn’t expecting it to be as filling as it was!

We sat down at our Reserved table for two, beautifully set with Cristina Re tableware, and perused the tea menu. 

After asking a few questions (because I definitely have more experience drinking coffee than tea), we chose the Irish Breakfast tea and a Matcha Latte. 
Is it just me, or is serving two tiny portions of food WAY more appealing than one larger portion?

Peta and I had thought that we might need to head to a cafe for a sandwich on the way home, because the meal didn’t look that big, but we were full before we’d finished our little cheesecakes and cupcakes!

Confession: I only ate the frosting! 

I had a really lovely and relaxing afternoon with Peta, and the whole no-washing-up thing at the end was brilliant. If I was in the business of taking my Mum out for tea-type situations, this would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift!
Thanks to Mrs Tink for the great prize, I can highly recommend The Silva Spoon High Tea for a lovely afternoon on the Sunshine Coast.

This was my first High Tea, but it won’t be my last. Tell me, where’s your favourite High Tea?

Wardrobe favourites – Typographic tops

Who doesn’t love a good slogan tee to pair with denim shorts or jeans? They’re the perfect conversation-starter!

Having worked in activewear, I wear a lot of tanks and tees with slogans of an inspirational ilk printed on them. Even plenty of my non-Lorna-Jane tops have some sort of memorable motto emblazoned all over the front. What can I say? I like to make a statement.

Here are some of my current favourites that I’ve found floating around online… maybe one of them says exactly what you’re thinking.
Love the grey and peach in this.

Perfect for gymwear, yoga, and also denim and cocktails, because that blue is too pretty to ignore!

I’ve felt this fabric instore and it’s a luxe as it looks. And aren’t we all Francophiles really?
Perfect with leggings and flat boots for travel, I am SO buying this baby. (Because this is exactly what I want to wear flying to Asia next month. Nobody at Singapore Airport will be able to guess where I’m going!)

This exercise tank is a no-brainer – it’s in my favourite colour, the fabric is super-lightweight and breathable, and that back cut-out means that I can wear a regular bra (instead of t-back)!

Well, sometimes we need a little Monday Motivation, don’t we? And it’s way prettier in real life – that dark charcoal marl cotton is soft and the pale pink font print gives it a preppy spin.

Because we can’t celebrate Monday a little without celebrating Friday a lot! Those cap sleeves are lovely, too.

Not exactly a typographic tee, but the silver gilded detail on this washed cotton blend tee is really cool.

This lightweight sweatshirt with raglan sleeves is ideal for the Australian Autumn – khaki is really ontrend right now, and it’ll be sweet under coats through Winter too.

I can’t showcase slogan tops without including a few from Torrid. This plus-size brand REALLY knows how to do slogans well, and this Cowboy Up tank is a fun spin on those uber-cheesy Texan shirts that country folk wear non-ironically! Also, the longer-length is a win for everyone.

You’re welcome for putting this song in your head. (You know it is, don’t deny.)

Pink with vodka scrawled on it? Did they just steal a tee from my 21-yr-old self’s wardrobe?

So forget Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, let your tees and tanks do the talking this season. Is there a slogan you wish you could find on a tee?


Bonus slogan tee find! This Ruby and Lilli XO tee has been in my shopping cart for a while, and it’s on sale, reduced from $45 to $20. Time to make this cutie mine, I think!
On sale, hurrah!

Wardrobe favourites – Earn your stripes

Whether they’re vertical, horizontal, diagonal, mixed or matched, stripes will forever remain the best looking lines in the whole wide world.

They’re the BFF that has it all: cool enough to wear during a casual day out running errands, polished enough to take out to dinner, relaxed enough to join you for a Netflix and chill session (and let’s all agree that this takes on a very literal meaning when you’re married – like, we actually watch Netflix whilst chilling). They’re also right there for you when you need a little confidence, making all the difference in a basic striped T-shirt, or crisp button down shirt.

Ever since Brigitte Bardot wore striped tees and shift dresses in the 60’s and 70’s, everyone with a fashion clue has resorted to this simple style. It carries a little French allure, and a lot of international cool.

I wear both vertical and horizontal stripes year-round, and whilst I once worked with a delightful human who thought it her right to remind me that ‘bigger girls shouldn’t wear horizontal stripes’ almost once a week, I feel like everyone’s grown a brain, and it’s finally fashionably acceptable for everyone to wear stripes of any direction!

Here are my top picks for stripe dresses, shirts and tees, heading into Australia’s Autumn/Winter season:

A striped dress is perfect for workwear, or almost any occasion when jeans and a stripe tee won’t cut the mustard. It looks so polished and sophisticated, but you ‘re just there feeling all comfy because you’re in the softest of fabrics!

Hello hi-lo, I love you.

Bonds Besties Tank Dress in Black/White Stripe
This scoopneck is flattering on anyone, and adding a blazer is all you need to take this from the beach to the office. Such a fan.

Billy J Amber Stripe Maxi (currently on sale)
For a maxi version of the classic stripe tank dress, I love this Billy J style. The high-neck and splits to the knee make it smart enough to wear to the polo with a hat and pair of towering wedges, or to the beach with sandals.
Well, this is just charming, and I would rock it long and hard during Winter over tights and boots.

A striped button-down shirt, in either a breezy linen or a crisp cotton is the perfect addition to every possible outfit, especially at this time of year. Throw over your togs when you move from the pool to the bar, or slip one on with a darker denim for instant attitude.

I’ve seen this instore, and it’s as cute and comfy as you’d like it to be, without being bulky with this chest-pockets. Well-played, Sussan. 
Again, the chest pockets had me all worried, but I’ve tried it on, and I can’t for the life of me remember why I didn’t buy it! It’s a classic, and I hope Target repeats this style in a few other colourways this season. (Navy or pink , please and thank you Mrs Target Designer)

Of course, I’m saving the best for last – striped tops and tees. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a lifelong member of the stripe tee club (I believe our 2016 #teamstripes President, Veep and Secretary are Brooke of Blonde Ambition, Melissa of Suger Coat It and Peta of Trainee Mama… we convene regularly on social media!), and I am always looking for another perfect addition to my stripe tee shelf (which is now two shelves, but don’t tell BB, please).

Regulars here will also know that Winter is my least favourite season, and I only manage to get through July and August each year without depressive bouts of Seasonal Affective Disorder because it’s a great opportunity to wear stripe tees with jeans and blazers. Almost my favourite sartorial situation ever.

The tiny little leatherette detail on this means that I consider it dressy enough for dinner out, just add dark skinny jeans and a flat riding boot. Because 3 inches of leatherette will always dress me up. 

Rockmans Rib Stripe Top (currently on sale)
Channel your inner Jen Lindley and pop a funnelneck stripe top on before you wax lyrical about all the important issues for teens in the 90’s. #dawsonscreekforever

This is another style that I’ve checked out instore, and it’s a luxe-looking tee. The white bias on the neckline is super flattering, and I can imagine this being uber-cute in Spring too, with denim shorts.

I have this tee in it’s previous incarnation (navy/white stripe with silver spots) and I love it. The cap sleeves are the perfect length, and it looks adorable with coloured jeans or shorts.

My navy/white/silver version of the Suzanne Grae tee

The over-size drape of this tee makes for ultimate comfort, and would be perfect for travel (note to self, remember this when planning capsule wardrobe for upcoming Asia trip).



Well, this cotton knit is just all kinds of fun. Suede elbow patches and a wide v-neckline make for a nautical version of the classic Breton. V. v. cute.

Do you see any stripe must-haves here that you’re loving this season ? I’d love to know if you’re #teamstripes too, use the tag on Instagram next time you pop on your stripes!

   

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