Zombie’s and Getting Lei’d…a typical Birthday Bash really

Birthday girls! B, Caz and I

We've been friends for almost 15 years...hopefully we'll celebrate many more Birthday's together

As you know it was my birthday waaaaay back on the 7^th of February, but it wasn’t until Saturday night that I celebrated the occasion alongside my fellow February birthday girl friends – one of whom is the beautiful B. 

I'm wearing the Gorman Cherokee Teadress (Christmas gift from my amazing boyfriend), Tony Bianco wedges from the Iconic and clutch from Colette by Collette Hayman. B is wearing a dress from Kitten D'Amour.

In previous years we’ve held parties at AllOneWord and Limes Bar but this year the call of Coconut and Lime Margaritas and Scorpion bowls of Jamaican Divorce was too strong to resist and we headed to the White Lightening Tiki Bar at Alfred and Constance to celebrate turning another year older. What a night it was.

I already feel like a regular at this joint despite it only opening up in the silly season last year -  I just can’t get enough of the place. I’m not even kidding when I say that if I could move in, I would.  Yes it is overpopulated with twenty-something hipsters which can be annoying for the rest of us, but the beauty of A&C is that you feel like you’re at the best house party you’ve ever been to.

Which isn’t really a surprise because it is essentially two old Queenslanders' converted into what I like to imagine Heaven is like.

It’s kitschy and cute with its tiki-mugs and Hawaiian-shirt clad staff but it also offers up delicious food, tasty tiki cocktails and an eclectic mix of tunes including all those 90s classics that people love after one or two cold bevvies… (‘Steal my sunshine’ by Len and ‘Jump’ by Kriss Kross proved particularly  popular on Saturday).

All in all our whole party seemed to have a great night at Alfred and Constance. We started early enough on the Tiki-deck to drink Pina-Coladas as the sun set over Brisbane then we danced the night away in our leis and shimmied out the door before the taxi queues becoming unbearable.

Although a fledgling on the scene, Alfred and Constance really is one of Brisbane’s best bars if you’re looking for a super fun and relaxed atmosphere – in my opinion two things that are key to having a great night out. I'd highly recommend stopping by for a cheeky drink or a bite to eat  if you're in the area...I guarantee you won't regret it!

I know you can't really see but on my nails I wore these nail stickers from Kit Cosmetics

I mean how can anyone have a bad night surrounded by their friends with a Zombie in hand and a bartender wearing a sailor hat?

My blogging partner Ina and I

The awkward crouch

Until next time you'll know where to find me xx Kirst

Fit Fashion...for Friday

I am OBSESSED with these tights that I just bought (after months of lusting after them) from Lorna Jane

Source: Uploaded by user via Kirst on Pinterest

It’s hard to believe it but the weather in Brisbane is getting cooler and the sun is starting to take that little bit longer to rise in the mornings …is autumn really on its way? 

Thanks to the change of seasons, I’m already starting to find it difficult to extract myself from the warmth of my happy place (it’s so comfy under the doona), and to get up and get moving.

Pinterest and Instagram constantly remind me that a ‘summer body is earned in winter’ and all that jazz about the importance of squats but when my alarm goes off at 5am and it’s cold and raining I sometimes just do not feel ready to jump our of bed and work out.

So what can I do to get me through this? To give me that little extra push to keep working towards my goals?

The answer my friends is fashion.

Now, I'll warn you, I am a pretty loyal devotee to Lorna Jane’s ‘Move, Nourish, Believe’ philosophy, I am that girl in the gym who has a different inspiration singlet each day and such an unhealthy attachment to her 'Amy tights' that I felt guilty when my boyfriend bought me a pair of these super cute and comfy leggings with neon pink details from Lululemon for my birthday (it still feels like cheating when I wear them). To me, workout clothes - or rather, looking good and feeling comfy when I work out - are a key element of keeping me motivated and on track and if that isn't enough, thinking of how much better my regular clothes will look and feel is a great reminder to roll out of bed and lace up those Nikes.

Speaking of Nikes have you got a pair of Free runs yet? They are so comfortable and super cute...just look at this pair:

Source: mysportworld.de via Kirst on Pinterest

Perfect to wear with this LJ top:

Source: lornajane.com.au via Kirst on Pinterest

And for those brave enough you could try these tights as well...although I'm not too sure Lime green would be the most flattering on me :-/

Source: lululemon.com.au via Kirst on Pinterest

Are you looking for more fitspiration to get active?

What about this?

Source: Uploaded by user via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: thelondoner.me via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: noellebyogini.com via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: bestfriendsforfrosting.com via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: prettyfitbody.tumblr.com via Kirst on Pinterest

Source: fitspoholic-barbie.tumblr.com via Kirst on Pinterest

And if you're in Brisbane and looking for something to kickstart your weekend - why not try the FREE LORNA JANE YOGA CLASS this weekend at the Judith Wright Centre...no excuses girls!

Until next time xoxo

Colourful Wedding Adventures

In keeping with the name of this blog, I thought it only apt for this blog post to include my recent 'adventure in colour' in the most literal sense.

My foray into wedding planning has been challenging. Even with such an intimate gathering for those family members closest (we decided to invite immediate family only - much to the dismay of my blogging partner), it turns out the steps to get to 'i do' are the same as if the invite list was long enough to fill a mini football field.

Upon much deliberation and angst (well as much as you could have with choosing a colour scheme), MOC (the fiance) and I finally settled on a palette inspired by some of the fantastic creations of the crew at Dinosaur Designs. Long time lover of these guys!!

Images courtesy of Dinosaur Designs

Perfect I thought, on to choosing the dress. Could definitely dedicate a whole post to that epic experience. Followed by... the dress for my sister - the maid of honour, followed by my sweet niece and flowergirl (miss five year old going on 15 who loves accessorising with handbags, scarves, sunnies and the latest nail polish - who knew at that age?! I certainly wasn't that fashion forward at that time of my life).

Low and behold it's not that easy to find matching outfits on a budget, let alone ones that actually fit the colour scheme we'd chosen. All the trendy brights out this season are fluorescent. Not really appropriate for the upcoming nuptials.

Having recently seen colleagues' photos of family member's weddings I realised this definitely wasn't a road I wanted to go down. The daffy duck printed sleeves of the groomsmen and puffy taffeta bridesmaids dresses were awe inspiring - in the worst kind of way. Think the opposite of classic and sophisticated and you had it there in a couple of pics.

After the initial shock of the 80's wedding photos and the current selection of colours we could find, we've changed tact on the original colour intent and ended up with something much more subdued (and hopefully a scheme that we won't look back on and hide our photos at the back of the linen cupboard).

New inspiration for wedding colour scheme
Emma Waterfall dress by Forever New

Stay tuned for the results of such endeavours after the big day... less than five weeks and counting!

A leopard love

Some loves you just never let go of. They stay with you, close to your heart, and you're unable or unwilling to shake the off.

Such is my love for leopard. Or perhaps obsession? But why leopard print some may ask?

Since the dawn of time (ok perhaps the first half of the 20^th Century) leopard print has signified glamour and sex appeal. It’s eye-catching, chic, and fun and has the magical ability to transform an outfit in an instant. Personally, when I wear it I feel instantly sexier and more youthful, and I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. What's not to love?

Just look, Marilyn, Brigette and this semi-androgynous young model who looks a little bit like Liz Taylor all rocked it back in the day. 

Minxy and chic don’t you think? 

Now I know leopard print can have a bad reputation so how do you wear it without looking like a *ahem* lady of the night? 

There are oh so many ways! Just look. 

Source: mydailydoseofinspiration.blogspot.com via Kirst on Pinterest

I would die to own those shoes.

Now, I currently own a number of leopard print items including a dress, two skirts, some pumps, a jumper, a top, some flats and a scarf. So you can see, I really don't need any more - especially as my boyfriend TD is not a fan. To him leopard print falls clearly into Man Repeller Territory.  But I just browsed  the ASOS sale... and saw these HEAVILY DISCOUNTED leopard print dresses.

What's a girl to do? Stay tuned and you might find out soon.

Please note this post is an updated post from a previous post I wrote on my old blog.

Ortiga

Ortiga is one restaurant that has been on my 'to do' list for a long time. I have heard non-stop rave reviews about it since it opened in 2010 but had never allowed myself to step inside for fear of temptation (let's just say I live on a 'beer budget' and expensive spanish restaurants don't often factor into it).

So it was with great excitement and surprise that on Friday night, my boyfriend spoiled me with an amazing Birthday surprise dinner, downstairs at Ortiga, accompanied by Ina and her man MOC.

The evening began with some champagne and cocktails at neighbouring Lady Lamington (they have jugs of Pimms people - jump on it!) before my companions tried to convince me that I got all dressed up in my fancy girl outfit to grab some cheap dumplings and beer here.

ALARM BELLS! I was not buying it. Dumplings, whilst tasty, are not really my thing and honestly after the boyfriend encouraged me to wear a pair of my ridiculously-amazing-but-painfully-uncomfortable-special-occasion shoes, I knew we were going somewhere a little more upmarket (no offence to the hardcore dumpling lovers).

Anyway, we ended up downstairs in a cosy little corner of Ortiga where we were greeted by our waitress who recommended we order either 8 small dishes between the 4 of us or 5-6 small dishes and one large dish. We went with the latter and ended up with way too much food so if you haven't been and are thinking of going perhaps just keep that in mind.

This is what we ate:

Small dishes

• Queso fresco de cabra con puerros – House made fresh goats cheese with leeks and PX. 
• Selection of Jamones: Jamón ibérico de Bellota, Paletilla ibérica de Bellota and Serrano reserva (20gm). 
• Conejo en escabeche - Escabeche of Macleay Valley farmed rabbit. 
• Croquetas (Jamón). 
• Kingfish, apple, fennel and vinegar. 
• Gambas with samphire, guernicas and hen’s egg. 

Photo courtesy of Ortiga

Ina's gluten free option while the rest of us chowed down on croquetas

Large dish

1. Whole slow cooked lamb shoulder with patatas a lo pobre and lemon puree 

Looks ugly, tastes superb.

Accompaniments to the lamb

Standout dishes for me were the croquetas, the Selection of Jamones, the Gambas (prawns) and of course the super succulent, melt in your mouth lamb. I will say that whilst not everything we ordered was memorable or perhaps lived up to expectations, all the dishes were beautifully presented and of amazing quality.

The restaurant layout is beautiful and relaxed with lots of exposed beams and an uninterrupted view into the kitchen (where the chefs all looked quite relaxed to be honest). It really is a beautiful space that allows for intimate dining and maximum enjoyment. Overall, the food at Ortiga was amazing, the service was attentive but not intrusive and the general experience was lovely.

Photo courtesy of The Courier Mail

It was a really special Birthday surprise and I hope that we will return...fingers crossed we win the lotto soon!

On a side note, if you are trying rabbit for the first time as I was, perhaps try the meat before biting into the liver...it was a little difficult for me to get past that...um..texture...and...ahh...flavour.

The Birthday rules

                                              

Today is my birthday.

I’m turning the ripe old age of 29 and I plan on having a blast doing it despite almost everyone reminding me how close I am to 30 and how it’s all downhill from there…

So how am I celebrating this year? I’m going for the birthday month which includes a family dinner tonight, some kind of social birthday surprise my boyfriend has organised for tomorrow and what’s going to be an epic party with two of my fellow Februarian’s (one of whom blogs here) in a couple of weeks’ time at Brisbane’s best Tiki-Bar.

Of course, when it is your most favourite day/month of year, one wants to look good and feel great and this is where I like to employ a few ‘rules’ (and I use the term rules loosely) to make it happen.

Let me prefix this saying you can follow these rules any day too if you want to feel special – it doesn't just have to be your birthday.

1.  Look your best. For me this means shiny, bouncy hair, a light tan, great nails (this year I went with OPI’s Polka.com) and spending a little extra time on my makeup even though I am just going to work for the day.

2.  Wear lipstick. I wholeheartedly agree with the fabulous Nikki over at Styling You – lipstick has transformative powers for every woman on earth (and some men too) and this is by no means an overstatement. If you pop on a cheerful coral, a hot pink lip or a bright red, I can guarantee that you instantly look fresher and more polished and your whole face will smile right back at you like you’re an undiscovered Victoria’s Secret model.

3.  The outfit. I’m lucky enough to work in an office that has no real dress code, in other words, I wear pencil skirts while others have been known to rock up wearing shorts. Thankfully this lack of rules means I am able to wear almost anything I want to work on my birthday. So today I have chosen my Birthday dress from last year. A beautiful tea dress that I sewed with my mum from a free Gorman pattern. It’s floral and summery and quite clearly not that appropriate for Brisbane’s weather today but I do not care because it makes me feel FAB! You can check it out on my old blog over here if you wish.

I highly advise you ignore the rules on your birthday and wear something from your wardrobe that gives you that extra special feeling. Whether that’s a sequin cape, a pair of skyscraper heels or even your favourite jeans, just embrace it. Your birthday is the one day of the year that no one can say anything

4.  Cake. Just eat some already. I don’t care if you’ve gone ‘no sugar’ or if you’re a hardcore vegan  if someone goes to the trouble of getting or making you a cake. You bloody well eat it and enjoy it. Calories don’t count on your birthday! While you’re at it, throw back a glass of champagne. You’ve got something to celebrate!

5. Last but not least, spend some quality time with the people you love and let them know just how thankful you are for their birthday texts, the lop-sided red velvet cake they spent 2 hours icing and/or their super thoughtful and amazing gifts. Everyone loves a party and seeing their loved ones enjoying themselves. It’s the gift that gives back…as cheesy as it sounds.

So that’s it, 5 rules to follow that will make your birthday just the little bit more fun.

Now, I’m off to find that champagne xx

Image sources: Source: lemonsandanchovies.wordpress.com via Kirst on Pinterest, Source: Uploaded by user via Kirst on Pinterest 

Firsts

First house. First brand new car. First wedding (and last - hopefully). First blog post... Ever.

It certainly has been a time for firsts.

For starters, I need to begin by apologising to my fellow blogger and dear friend Kirst as I have been tardy in getting my first post up and running. But, there is good reason for this!

All this property searching and purchasing business is very time consuming, not to mention emotionally exhausting. Then add to that finalising the planning of a wedding! Is it wrong for a girl to feel a bit overwhelmed?  The good news however, is that I now have the perfect focus for my upcoming posts, as I begin to explore all the fabulous furnishing and decorative possibilities for the new abode.

Not wanting to jump the gun, (as our contract is yet to go unconditional on the property front) so this will mean that there will be a good 14 days of research before commencing the posts dedicated to this. Very much looking forward to sharing an assortment of styling ideas.

Here are a few little tidbits to pique the excitement:

Courtesy of Ici et La

Courtesy of Jardan Australia

Courtesy of Jardan Australia

Sourced Grocer...

This morning we ventured a little further afield than we normally do to get our Sunday breakfast fix. We jumped in the car and headed to Teneriffe for our first visit to what is essentially Mecca for hipster breakfast goers: Sourced Grocer.

Both a cafe and grocery store/deli, Sourced Grocer stocks amazing local produce and serves up fresh, simple and healthy meals.

We ordered an ice-coffee and flat white, some Middle Eastern Fruit loaf and the popular Breakfast Trifle and our friends has some delicious looking bagels.

The food was good but I wouldn't call it out-of-this-world amazing. The menu is quite limited as there there isn't really a 'real kitchen' and the cafe obviously has to cater for meals you can easily eat while perched upon a milk-crate chair or the stairs. But what they do do, they do well.

We enjoyed both the fruit loaf and the stewed stone fruit and yoghurt in my 'trifle' and the relaxed atmosphere was the perfect way to start a lazy Sunday. The service was friendly and quick and the cafe and deli are a treat to look at too.

Middle Eastern Fruit Loaf

My main gripes were Ina having to pay an extra $3 for a gluten free bagel (a tad extortionist no?) and the regular occurrence of circling the streets of Teneriffe for a park.

Overall, I think we will return to Sourced Grocer but probably not for a while. If I lived in the area I've no doubt I would frequent it often but I just don't feel that it impressed me sufficiently to make it a regular in my cafe book.

An adorable fellow breakfast goer

Some of the amazing deli items on offer 

Until next time xx