this and that

New Space: Check Us Out On Wordpress!

2010-09-13T18:57:00.001+09:30

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deannastaffo/3269246813/

So we made the descision to mosey on over to Wordpress, we're still getting the site up and running so that it's just as perky and pretty as we love it, but we're pretty happy with it so far.

It'd be super fantastic if you'd keep following us over there! i.e. HERE

Farewell!

xx

Benefit's Posietint

2010-09-08T18:13:00.008+09:30

The Benefit Posietinit, what a beauty, beautetts. It's fabulous and after one of my University girlfriends asked me what my favourite Benefit beauty product was, well, I couldn't help but tell her all about this little baby.

Benefit Cosmetics is just marvellous, developed way back in 1976 by the Ford twins, it quickly became an internationally recognised brand. Loved by many beauty editors and writers (I know, I follow them on twitter and asked), this "frisky" luxury brand has endless "must have" unique products.

My current* favourite is, of course, the Posietint. It's a poppy-pink tinted lip and cheek stain that when applied properly, provides your skin with a light pink, luminous glow all day long.

All it takes is three little strokes on the apple of your cheeks, quickly blended with fingertips and voila! (I apply over a powdered blush - Benefit's CORALista is my current pick). And for your pout, dot onto lips and blend. For a deeper "pop" of colour, repeat. Easy. Right? Right. And if you prepare your face properly (I'm talking to you cleanser, toner, moisturiser and primer) before applying the product, it should last you all day long - albeit another application before afterwork cockatails with the girls.

The Posietint is honestly the cheekiest, girly flush you can get out of a bottle. You should try it, you'll love it (you can purchase it online for $28).

A few of their other wonder products that I simply cannot wait to wrap my beauty obsessed mitts around are the 'Benetint' (a rose-tinted lip and cheek stain), the 'Highbeam' (luminescent complexion enhancer), the 'Brows-a-go-go' and the 'My Treat' lippy. I'll let you know how they go...

Have you tried any of these products?

Are you also obsessed with Benefit Cosmetics?

What's your favourite beauty brand?

*I say 'current' with caution. As soon as I get another one of their delectable prodz in my hand I'm likely to declare that one as my favourite.

Comic Books, Video Games and Hilarious Lines! Scott Pilgrim - The Review

2010-08-23T23:03:00.001+09:30

So I went to see Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World the other day and I'd like to announce that I am well and truly in love. In fact this year has been big on movie love for me, first Kick Ass, then Inception and finally Scott Pilgrim. It takes a lot to drag me away from my sofa and 260 DVD collection for a $15 movie ticket (although truthfully berry Choc Tops help!) so this year has been full of a whole load of POW for me!

For those who don't know Scott Pilgrim is the character from a series of comic books by Brian Lee O'Malley. He's 22, dating a high schooler and bassist in a band. Things change when he falls in love with the striking pink-haired Ramona Flowers after she rollerblades her ways through his dreams.

Then Scott finds out that in order to date Ramona he has to first defeat her 7 evil exes.

The movie has hilarious lines and is highly recommended for anyone who likes comic books or video games.

(Sitting around during a band practice)

Knives Chau: So what do you play?

Yong Neil: Huh? Um... Zelda, Tetris, Metroid... It's kind of a big question...

Even for those who aren't big on those sorts of things, I hope people will still find it a hilarious film. I know I'm a little bit biased. While Michael Cera plays pretty much the same character he plays in ever film/TV show he's ever been in (except perhaps half of Youth in Revolt, which I'm still yet to see) and while I don't have a problem with this I think it leaves some of the stand out performances to some of the other actors. My favourites were definitely Mary Elizabeth Winstead who played the lovely Ramona Flowers and Kieran Culkin who plays Scott's hilarious hilarious housemate.

I get that Scott Pilgrim may not be everyone's cup of tea, but even if you're not sure about it go watch it anyway... because the more people that buy ticket to go see this movie the higher chance that they'll make more amazing movies like it so that me and my couch drift apart as I get a better relationship with the cinema. From me it's 5/5 Stars!

Have you seen it?

Did you like it?

What movies are you crushing on at the moment?

What movies are you waiting for? (If you say Deathly Hallows I love you, If you say Breaking Dawn... Erm... We'll pretend I didn't hear that!)

The amazing combination of Ben Folds and Nick Hornby

2010-08-17T23:56:00.000+09:30

(First of all... hi! remember me? I haven't written anything for aaaaaages, so I'm glad Roxy has been keeping you all entertained!)

So a while ago I heard some news that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end: Ben Folds (singer/songwriter/musician) and Nick Hornby (writer) were coming together to produce an album. Words by Nick, music by Ben. I'm generally a fan of Ben Folds' work, solo, with band Ben Folds Five, and side projects like the Bens (Ben Kweller, Ben Folds and Ben Lee) and his work with William Shatner. Basically I don't think this guy can put a food wrong.

So if you don't know Ben Folds used to be in a band called Ben Folds Five, who brought out some great songs most notably to me the haunting Brick about Folds' experience of having a child aborted when he was a teenager. I actually studied that song at school back in the day. In 2001 Folds went solo and has brought out a string of albums since then. He's worked with the artists already mentioned as well as others like Regina Spektor and Amanda Palmer.

Nick Hornby on the other hand is a writer with books like High Fidelity, About a Boy (Both made into films), How to Be Good and A Long Way Down. Hornby has been one of my favourite authors for quite a while. I can turn to his books when I don't want to put too much effort into a book but at the same time get a lot out of it. He also writes some interesting non fiction and so far there hasn't been a publication of his that I've read and haven't liked.

So for the last couple of days I've practically had "From Above", the current single from their soon to be released album Lonely Avenue, on repeat. It is a really beautiful song about us all having soulmates, yet generally we will never know them. Hornby's lyrics definitely bring something different to Folds' music, and it's something great. So give it a listen if you're at all interested!

Any songs that you've had on repeat recently?

Gritty Pretty's Benefit Beauty Giveaway

2010-08-17T17:40:00.013+09:30

Roxy: 'Oh, there you are 'This and That'! I've been looking all over for you, you hawt piece of internet space.'

This and That: 'Whatever. I've been here all along, you're a liar. So sod off, biatch.'

Roxy: 'Wow. Ease up on the hostility. What's the problem? I tres care about you. Okay, so you've discovered I've been cheating on you with the Benefit Beauty pack I won off wonderful beauty blog, Gritty Pretty. But, don't you still like me? Even a little?'

This and That: 'Asking me what I think about you is like asking a dog what he thinks about lampposts...'

Roxy: 'Oh look, this is ridiculous. I've come here to confess my recent whereabouts. I need to tell you about Mr Benefit. He's got a beautiful package, smells amazing... Look, we've been seeing each other for a while now but I've kept it quiet because I didn't want to get all up in your grill, but now it's time. Mr Benefit and I are officially an item...'

And it's all thanks to Gritty Pretty. Goodness me, I love this beauty site. It's the go-to for what's hot in beauty and fashion. Win!

Anyway, it was a couple of weeks ago now that Eleanor, the editor

of GP, announced an amazing competition giving away a Benefit Beauty Pack worth a staggering 400 big ones. I really, really wanted to win the prize and well, I did! Excited much? Seeing as I reside in a beach side town about 45 minutes out of Adelaide CBD, I've never experienced Benefit beauty prodz before (not because I live by the beach, but because Benefit is not sold in Adelaide).

So when this package arrived at my door only a few days after my name was announced on Gritty Pretty's blog, facebook page and over twitter, I couldn't contain my excitement. It was like Christmas, only better.

(Yes, I was so excited that I tore into the package before taking this picture. Many apologies.)

And my loot...

Look at all of my goodies. I'm one lucky girl, right?

Right now (literally, right now - a few of these beauty products are living in my handbag) I'm currently playing and experimenting with all of the products, so I won't go into detail about them just yet. For now, please marvel at their beauty, refrain from making any Roxy voodoo dolls and look forward to my succession of Benefit Beauty Reviews. Watch this space!

Life lessons and truths.

2010-08-07T16:39:00.004+09:30

I stumbled upon the above photograph while browsing wonderful tumblr account, 'These things we love'. I really like the site, love this simple yet thought provoking photo even more.

Beauty: MOR Little Luxuries Lip Nectar

2010-08-05T12:19:00.012+09:30

Thanks to the lovely ladies at PRIMPED HQ, I was one of 20 lucky winners to receive a MOR lip gloss valued at $18.95. The competitions requirements were simple: follow them on twitter (@PRIMPED) and RT I've joined the @PRIMPED Pack(man) and want to win a MOR lip gloss. Please. #PRIMPEDPack(Man). Too easy people.

After a week or so of stalking the postman, I am thrilled to announce that my MOR package arrived in the mail yesterday! Wee!

Isn't the packaging just gorgeous?

And the close up:

For a while I simply starred at the packaging, basking in its beauty; I couldn't bring myself to open it! But finally, I relented and oh boy, I was treated to one amazing lip gloss. A thick and creamy nectar slid evenly onto my lips and I was delighted to find that it was not at all sticky. It was a lovely light pink colour (not too flashy and perfect for daywear) and it stayed around for hours. I'm so pleased to report that this gloss is certainly tops and I'm terribly grateful for the win.

Do you love MOR lip glosses?

Do you use any MOR?

If so, what's your favourite product?

Fashion: Just quietly, the David Jones summer launch was amazing.

2010-08-04T22:26:00.014+09:30

Well, I can't exactly confirm that from personal experience (I think my invite was lost in the mail?) but the pictures I've seen on various news sites and blogs have certainly left me gushing and reaching for my imaginary platinum credit cards. Anyway, let's ignore my ramblings and focus on the fashion we were previewed to thanks to our mates at DJ's....

1. Erica Heynatz looked delightful in her frock. The beige does incredible things for her skin and the cut is classy yet sexy. And would you look at those amazing pins? Yeow! You go girl! (Now please return the dress to my wardrobe Erica, thanks lovely).

2. This is my perfect 'work/evening appropriate' outfit. The pink and black is tres cute and the blazer brings class right into the outfit. Not to mention the shoes. Oh the shoes! I'm also loving the use of the top knot - it really finishes the outfit. Aside from being obviously on trend, the 'do allows you to really appreciate the models outfit (you know, we don't have flowing locks distracting us or whatever). I'm impressed and envious.

3. I'm now massively crushing on Abbe Lee. Enough said.

4. I'm pining after this bathing suit (so cute), those unbelievable heels (amazing for summer) and the bod to match (if you don't mind!)...

Do you agree with my picks from the David Jones Summer launch.

Isn't Abby Lee a stunner?

Are you lovin' beige as much as I am for spring/summer?

Why not brighten your day with a cupcake?

2010-07-29T20:10:00.010+09:30

Not just because it's Monday, but because every once and a while you need to treat yourself. I'm a firm believer that it's important to remind yourself that you are special and deserve a naughty indulgence, you've worked hard so why not? Right?

Maybe your indulgence is going to the movies, getting a ultimately relaxing full body massage, or a glass of expensive vino and cheese. Whatever it is, I bet it makes you feel like you're on cloud nine, or ten or whatever. Well, my most recent indulgence was a disgustingly delicious cupcake from none other than BTS Cafe - Better than Sex. Yep, this stunningly gorgeous cupcake shop (pictures of the store itself to come) is so sure of itself that it claims to smash sex out of the water terms of the 'inducing enjoyment' factor. Quite a claim, eh? Well, they do not disappoint, that's for sure.

A lovely friend of mine, Jenny, agreed that it was time for a yarn so of course I sent her a simple but effective message: 'J - Babes, BTS, lunch break now x'

Pictured below are the glorious cupcakes we purchased on arrival.

Meet Carrie:

Named after our beloved Carrie Bradshaw, the Carrie cupcake is a delicious mix of butter-cake with a lemon curd centre and meringue atop. It's sophistication with a bit of zing - just like our favourite NYC sex columnist.

Meet Elvis:

This banana choc chip cupcake with crispy chocolate bottom and creamy vanilla frosting atop leaves a taste in your mouth that makes you want to belt out a tune like our old mate Elvis. Jenny says "it's a party in your mouth like no other."

Are you impressed, feeling hungry or drooling? Did I ask if you are impressed? Well, if their cute celebrityesque names haven't won you over then I don't know what will.

One day I'll be awesome enough to have a cupcake especially designed and named after me. Hmm I wonder what it would taste like...

Do you know of any amazing cupcake stores?

Favourite flavour?

What's your indulgence?

Are you stuck in a beauty rut?

2010-07-28T19:36:00.008+09:30

Because I was. Big time. You see, just over a month ago I started an internship at Adelaide's Sunday mail and it was incredible. I learnt so much and was lucky enough to be published in both the Mail and the TV Guide (this is a big deal for a budding writer still studying at Uni). Anyhoo, I then moved on to the East Torrens Messenger (a local newspaper) for two glorious, crazily busy and stressful weeks before being asked back to the Sunday Mail...

Uh-oh. 'Why the hell would I be interested in your working life? Aren't we talking beauty?' I hear you ask. Well that's just it, doll. My busy life has sent me spiralling into Beauty
Rutt Town, postal address: 666 Chapped Nails Drive, Me Crazy Avenue, 9110. To cut to the chase (all terrible jokes aside), I was working full time at a paper then going to my beloved part time job (Gloria Jeans Coffee shop aka supplier of liquid gold) both days on the weekend. Hello zero days off in over a month. O.M.G. I was stuffed and so were my nails and hair. Realising that I was going to completely loose my sanity if I didn't find myself some 'me time' I decided that before starting back up at the Sunday Mail I needed a manicure. Badly. So I promptly booked myself into my local salon, Ashleigh's Day Spa, for a quick 30 minute clean up. I wasn't quite sure what to expect as I usually visit a family friend for all my primping needs - but alas, she wasn't available so I excused myself from feeling like a cheating tart.

How was my experience? Well, I was more than pleased ackshually. First, the beauty therapist was absolutely lovely. She could see that I was a total tired wreck and politely made small talk before quietly getting on with her job. Second, she refrained from cracking any narky jokes about my unkept nails that had coffee grind stuck underneath (gross.). Nope, she just began shaping, cleaning, soaking and rubbing until I almost fell into a blissful sleep. I opened my eyes to see my nails looking tidy and healthy (awesome) and proceeded to offer my own polish for the therapist to use which she gladly accepted (none of this, 'oh no you must use our polish' business). I was especially pleased with the painting and walked away after an hour (only paying for half an hour). Fabulous!

The only thing I would improve about my manicure is that I quite enjoy when the flaked skin around my nails (my hands get incredibly dry from coffee making) is removed. It leaves an absolutely clean finish.

Final verdict: I would visit Ashleigh's Day Spa again, for sure!

What have you done to escape a beauty rut?
Favourite salon?
Vegemite on toast (go Aussie go!) or peanut butter and jelly?

How to secure your dream job

2010-07-14T10:58:00.007+09:30

As I'm about to embark on the final semester of my University degree I've been doing a whole lot of work expereince, internships (whatever I can get really) and trawling through careerone.com looking for possible jobs. Obviously it's a super competitative world out there and I need to get on it. So I've been thinking quite seriously about what the best way to apply for a job might be. Do I send out my CV to a bunch of papers, PR firms, media agencies and the like, do I contact them over social networking sites (become thier facebook 'friend'/twitter 'follower') or approach them face to face? You know, physically show them what I've got to offer.

I personally believe that this is a tough nut to crack (please excuse the cliché). Does anyone really know what the best option is when applying for a job? Well after some research I quickly found that someone actually does have a clear understanding of how to best approach a prospective employer. Who? 'The Chaser', of course! I've come across an amazing YouTube vid which demonstrates exactly how to secure your dream job. It's a winner, check it out!

Compliments of the loved 'Chasers':

Enjoy!

Toilet graffiti really grinds my gears

2010-07-12T20:30:00.009+09:30

Big time. I absolutely hate it, despise it even. What's more upsetting is that the worst place for toilet graffiti is my lovely Adelaide University.

Here is what Adelaide Uni looks like from North Terrace:

Isn't it's exterior lovely? Well, I wish I could say as much for the interior. Most specifically, the interior of the toilets. Now brace yourself because this is absolutely nuts:

Now come on fellow university students. I don't know about you but I can't say that visiting public toilets is my favourite thing in the world. It's sorta nasty. I'm always trying to avoid touching anything, alternating between squatting over the toilet bowl and layering the toilet seat with an abundance of toilet paper. Then, once I've finished my business, I get the hell out of there. Quick smart. There is none of this sitting around day dreaming or writing vulgar profanities all over the walls. I think that it looks really untidy, dirty and quite frankly it's just rude.

So every once in a while I do notice that someone has written something incredibly witty and hilarious and I actually catch myself cracking a smile. Goodness me! But this is very rare. Mostly people are writing really annoying comments about who is a skank or who will provide you with a bit of 'fun'. And then you get those people who write angry comments about world poverty and others reply with quite racist comments. And you know what - I don't enjoy any of this! It's a waste of ink, pencil, whiteout or whatever!

Okay, I am sorry about this ranting. but in our very first post Tash confessed that sometimes we complain (but only if something is really annoying. It's good to vent sometimes, get things off your shoulders). That's human nature right? And just in case you didn't read our very first post (naughty you!) this is exactly what Tash wrote:

'Basically, this blog will be about things we enjoy, things we discover, things that we just want to complain about and things we come across in the media.'

Well, until now I haven't done any of this and honestly, I hope I'm not doing it again any time soon. But for now, if you do understand the weird and ugly world of toilet graffiti maybe you can enlighten me. I just don't get it and next time I visit the loo I'll be imagining throwing mental spears at my fellow toilet visiting peer's head as I wonder if it was them who wrote the C-bomb on the toilet cubicle's wall.

So tell me, do you now a toilet graffitist?

Have you ever written on a wall?

Do you know what compels people to do it?

What do you think about it?

P.S I want to clarify that I can appreciate real, arty farty graffiti that you sometimes see put deliberately on walls. You know, when the council provides a specific location for graffiti artists to 'spray' (is that the right term?). I can dig that. It looks good! Actually, there is a really cool design on the back of my favourite brekkie cafe, 'Agathas Food Store' , created by a bunch of teenagers. I do like that stuff, in fact, I'll get you a picture of it so that you can appreciate it too. Good one!

Getting all Natural History on You!

2010-07-12T16:26:00.000+09:30

So today I had a plan of having a look at some of the shops in Adelaide off the beaten path of Rundle Mall. I was going to take some snaps and write up a blog. When I stepped off the tram and tried taking a picture I was met with the all to familiar sight of "REPLACE BATTERY PACK". Needless to say I changed my plans and decided instead to go for a little walk to the Museum of South Australia, accompanied by my good friends Belle and Sebasian, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Nicholas Roy.

It was a bit of a strange experience walking through the museum by myself with the music in my ears blocking out the screams of the children all around me. The museum opened their new Biodiversity section in February of this year, I've been excited to go see it because the animals are always my favourite part of the museum. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it all has a very Australian feel to it. I started off in the marine section with whales and fish and all sorts of strange creatures. There was multimedia screens all around the place and if you got up close enough it almost felt like you were actually swimming around the reef. It really ignited a desire to go diving again!

The whole section really flows, you move from under the sea, to beachside, to backyard, to outback. The thing I loved about the display is that it wasn't just about showing animals, you have to explore a bit to actually discover everything that the museum has done. One example was a display of nocturnal animals, I looked up and noticed that a hidden owl was looking down at me, when a little girl noticed me doing this she too looked up and was so excited by the sight. There were crawl spaces that only children could fit through so I don't know if these were just for entertainment or if there were even more things hidden here. One of my favourites was the "backyard" animals.

Doesn't it just look like a scene from Animals of Farthing Wood or something similar?

One thing I noticed was the strong environmental consciousness of all of the displays, this wasn't about showing you animals it was also about bringing attention to the fact that many of these were having their habitats destroyed, or that the animals themselves were the destroyers. There was a section for extinct Australian animals and I'll admit that I got a bit teary here. I did a bit of research into museums at university last year and whether they should be delivering simply information or whether curators should tell a story based on their own beliefs. I still don't know where I stand, but it was just so obvious to me today and it made me glad that they were trying to educate rather than just display. If you get a chance take the day off and grab some music and make your way through the museum in your own little world just like I did!

Highway to Uh... Where?

2010-07-11T21:48:00.000+09:30

So if you remember, a few weeks ago Roxy and I lay down this stupendous plan: Highway to Health was going to begin and we were going to be kicking some lazy ass! Unfortunately life got in the way. Roxy got the amazing opportunity to do an internship at the Sunday Mail where she was too busy attending fashion shoots and getting her name in print that she couldn't meet me for a gym sesh, and I was a bit too busy working 40 hour weeks at The Good Guys (My excuse is just as cool... right?). Well excuses, excuses we thought and we were rearing to start but now Roxy is completing another 2 week internship this time with the Messenger so unfortunately our traversing all over Adelaide to find our inner health gurus is once again on hold.

You know what, I'd even got all ready! I did what any girl needs to do in order to start something new, I went shopping! So now I'm armed with a new drink bottle and trackpants and a mere 15 hours a week and I'm itching for a gym buddy, so instead of discovering some healthy gems without my buddy I've picked up a new friend to help me see through these two weeks... Introducing: Wii Fit Plus!

Lame? Okay, so it's not quite the fanfare we wanted to begin with (we were planning on getting all hot and sweaty with some Bikram Yoga) but I figured why not review the games system that so many people are keen to try (I sell these things, believe me I know!). I'll be updating daily so, not wanting to overrun the This and That blog with posts, my daily posts will only be going up on the Highway to Health blog (Link in the side bar. Wow. saying that I feel like some sort of YouTube celebrity. Link in the doobly-doo. Nerdfighter jokes? No? Okay I lost you!) So if you're interested to hear if the whole Wii fit thing has any bang for its buck then check it out!

I'll be reviewing it for 2 weeks starting from tomorrow, at the same time I'll be trying to be a bit more careful about what I'm eating by using my trusty kikki.K meal planner, and I'll be braving the rain and trying to go for some more walks thanks to my new raincoat (Yes, even more shopping). This really has been a very hectic holidays, and it's really helped me realise how much life can get in the way of trying to look after yourself. After long weeks, overnight stays with my nieces and the biscuits and chips that coincide, and a bout of stomach flu and reflux I'm feeling the temptation of the Urban Remedy Winter Warmer Cleanse and perhaps a nice weekend away. Melbourne anyone? (hint: Roxy and I will be going to Melbourne in August! Weee!) So enough blabbering I've got to get some sleep for my Wii Fit sesh in the morning, and here are the lovely goodies I bought:

1. Camelbak Better Bottle $29.95, 2. Running Bare Tigerlily Soft Knit Track Pants $79.95, 3. Cath Kidston Navy Spot Raincoat $50, 4. NintendoWii Fit Plus $129, 5. kikki.K Meal Planner $9.95.

Beauty Review: Le Tan Fast Tan, just coz it's winter...

2010-07-06T12:32:00.010+09:30

So usually winter and I are not best pals. We don't hang out, go to the beach together and share our intimate girly secrets. However, I do have to thank winter for my discovery of Le Tan Fast Tan foaming mousse.

Now, just a bit of background on my relationship with Mr. Fake Tan before I go on. I am a self confessed fake tanning addict and that's because I'm not one of those girls who look lovely all white glow-in-the-dark-style (like Amanda Seyfried for example... See, look at her, the sexy minx).

On the other hand, when I am cold, my pale skin goes a lovely shade of blotchy purple and pink. Hot, right? And in summer I don't like to try my luck actually developing a real tan (First, it will never happen and second, my Gramps died of skin cancer so I'd rather fake it than bake it). So, I do fake tan 365 day's a year. Of course, I don't put too much on in winter, just enough to cover my purple edge.

My usual tan of choice is the St Tropez foaming mousse. It's a little tube of liquid gold and for $70 for 750mL you would really hope it to be. It never streaks, is a lovely natural colour (I have had compliments about how nice my real tan is. Ha! Suckers...) and I love that it's a mousse because you can instantly see where you are applying and you can do it gradually. Gradually is the key word here. You should always apply one layer first, then assess the situation the next day. Don't go overboard because no matter how fabulous the product is, you will probably come out looking like an extra from Willy Wonkers classic movie - an oompa loompa. This is also why I prefer gradual tanners over getting spray tans. Yes, sometimes they can look great but other times, not so much (unless orange is your thing, then you know, go for it!)

Anyway, seeing as it is winter I'm not using much tan and on top of that I'm not really cashed up (thanks to Uni - another great friend of mine). So, I decided I better opt for a cheaper version. I chose Le Tan Fast Tan and haven't looked back.

Boy, it's a beauty! This little puppy is quite inexpensive (around $12 a bottle!) and it does a wonderful job! The colour is nice and natural, I only need one light coat to get a desirable coverage and colour, it stays put for a good week (as long as I moisturise every day*), doesn't come off on my clothes, comes off my skin relatively evenly and did I mention that it's cheap?!

I'm so pleased with Le Tan that I'm sure that I'll use it come summer time and save my good old St Tropez for special occasions. Good one!

So, do you use fake tan?

What's your product of choice?

Or are you one of those lucky buggers who looks amazing pale?

*Just a fun little tip: if you like to make the most out of your tan, put one layer of full strength foaming mousse (like Le Tan) on the first night (I say night so that you don't need to wait around for 10 mins to let it dry before dressing) and then every second day, exchange your usual body moisturiser for a moisturiser with added gradual tanner - my suggestion is Dove's Summer Glow (but in all honesty I haven't come across a gradual tanning moisturiser that hasn't done the trick).

K Stew goes red and I am in awe...

2010-06-30T18:43:00.007+09:30

Complete awe, actually. I'm excited to report that it seems Kristen has decided to ditch the 'if you take a photo of me I might transform into the mighty Hulk and rip your face off' look and, to top it off, she is rocking that red carped looking relaxed, comfortable, and, um, happy. The crowd goes wild, people!

And the transformation doesn't stop there. Yesterday morning I was quietly browsing my favourite sites on the train when all of a sudden I came across this shocking picture (and when I say shocking I mean mouth-open-in-a-really-unflattering-way shocking)...Wow. Kristen Stewart has died her hair a marvellous rusty-red hue and looks absolutely stunning.

This is her at the New York Premiere of Eclipse:

(This picture is courtesy of PRIMPED website)

I adore this colour on her so much; it completely complements her fair skin (which I might add looks absolutely flawless in this pic) and helps draw attention to her green eyes.

While I have always thought this girl was pretty, I now think she is a super sexy minx as this red instantaneously gives her an edge of attitude and makes her look cheeky. It's lovely.

Teamed up with the so on trend messy braid (which I am trying my damndest to master and once I do, I will be posting a pic and method), and the pinkish eye shadow (drawing even more attention to her amazing eyees - unbelievable right?), she is looking absolutely fabulous and making me feel proud to secretly be a twi-hard at heart.

She's fiery hot and it makes her eyes pop!

What do you think of the colour?

Love it?

Hate it?

Have any other celebs impressed you with thier awesome beauty endeavours?

Obsessions - Winning Things

2010-06-28T20:50:00.000+09:30

So I have a bit of an obsession... with winning things. I'm not claiming to be this lucky person who's winning millions left right and centre (although apparently I have won millions in plenty of overseas lotteries and the cash is just waiting for me to claim it with my bank details). Even if I'm not always winning things I sure give it a go.

My first taste of competition victory came at a ripe young age when I won a No Doubt CD out of a TV Hits magazine. I didn't even get to see the CD for months as I was in Vietnam and it was shipped straight to Roxy's house, but it started off a thirst in me. Over the years I've won a few things including a phone, some dvds, some more CDs, vouchers I even won a Sony Blu-Ray player thanks to my ace guitar hero skills at a Sony product night. It isn't really even the prize that gets me excited, but it's knowing that out of everyone else I actually managed to win. It could have been my eloquent skills with 25 words or less or that fabulous photo I snapped that covers just what the competition is about, whatever the winning entry is it's just nice to know that you did something that someone else considers fab!

My latest quest you ask? The Sony Make.Believe Experience Competition. I got through to the second round through some fantastically worded entry and some lovely votes from my mum and all her friends and now I just have to try and up the views on this video I made that will hopefully impress the judges. I find myself becoming a whole new person when I'm involved in a competition, I'm not the happy loving person I am usually but instead I'm a bitter competitive person who tries to clutch at any available shred of victory she can!

Do you ever enter any comps? And have you ever got lucky!
What is the best thing you've won?
Do you ever sit in front of your computer for hours on Win-Free-Stuff writing 25 words or less over... and over... and over again?

Adios Amigos!

Beauty Review: I have fallen victim to the allure of dry shampoo. Now I'm involved in a raging love affair..

2010-06-28T16:55:00.008+09:30

Sorry Rowan (my boyfriend) but it's true. I have been quietly getting it on with Mr. Batiste and honestly, it's been amazing.

What has spurred on this act of ultimate betrayal I hear you ask? Well, lately everyone in the beauty world keeps banging on about how wonderful dry shampoo is, so I decided I better give it a spray (ha!) and I've quickly come to realise why everyone is tres obsessed:

First, my hair is quite fine (although I've got a bit of it) and at the moment it is a light/caramelly blonde. Its fineness teamed up with its light colour means that on the second day after a wash my hair is rocking the grease. Not Pretty. But if I use dry shampoo I can draw out the next wash to three days. It's wonderful and I can see a change in my hair - it's more shiny and soft (basically, more healthy).

I've also found that dry shampoo is amazing for giving my hair extra 'oomph'. I simply lift up sections down the top of my hair, spray and viola! I have hair that is bodyluscious (although I do have to make sure to not apply too much down my 'part' because if I do, I'm in danger of looking like I've got a serious case of dandruff. Hot.)

Okay, so it's winter here in the southern hemisphere (boo!) and I don't know about you but I am really struggling to get out of my warm, comfy bed in the mornings. My cold, dark and evil bathroom is not somewhere I enjoy visiting at 6am in the morning. So, even if I wanted to wash my hair every two days, it's simply not an option because I don't have time. Mr Batiste, is helping me spend an extra 20 minutes in bed in the mornings and for that, I will love him for eternity.

So there you have it. I am in love with dry shampoo. And if you are not, I seriously recommend that you go down to your local DJ's, Myers or Priceline and purchase (If you're not a happy couple yet I'm assuming that's because you haven't tried it). And if you're a sexy brunette...Never fear! There is dry shampoo designed especially you. All dark and stuff. Hooray!

Do you like dry shampoo?

How often do you wash your hair a week?

P.S I need to sincerely apologise to this blog. Oh boy, I have been neglecting it big time lately. But I do have an excuse, I've been busy undertaking an internship at the Sunday Mail and spending way too much time with Mr Batiste, obviously.

Fashion: Kookai 50% Off Sale, Rad-elaide Chicks Go Wild

2010-06-18T10:13:00.007+09:30

And I'm not kidding, Kookai's Adelaide store was going 'off-tap' on Wednesday (the sale start date). Luckily for me (or so I thought), I had prior warning of this sale (via a twitter update) so I got myself in town nice and early, handed up my last uni assignment for the semester (huzzah!) and had my money bits all counted and ready to go.

When I arrived at Kookai, at a rather modest hour (11:30ish), I realised I was not quite early enough. The place was packed with excited ladies of all ages; hoards of teens, young women and the more 'mature', but oh so elegant ladies, were already clawing through the bundles of discounted clothes and trawling through the sale racks. It was EPIC (sorry, I don't often drop the E-bomb, but this occasion really called for it).

Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed, but like the Kookai loving trooper I am, I pushed through, selected a few items of clothing and headed for the devilishly long snake that was the line for the change room. I thought I was in for a long wait, but truth be told, I was in and out within 10 minutes. To my absolute delight, everyone was exceptionally considerate of their fellow fashionistas and spent as little time as necessary trying on their selected clothes. It was a lovely feeling. The serious and competitive faces we all bestowed when entering the massively awesome sale were merely a facade, we really did look out for each other (unless there was only one item left and a crowd of angry, fashion hungry chicks all wanted it. Scary stuff.).

Anyway, I limited myself to one piece of clothing because, as of late, I've been doing my best to save my pennies. I've also made the rule that I can only purchase, if, and only if, that purchase is job savvy. That is, I'm only buying clothes that I can wear to work (I'm graduating at the end of the year so it is time to get myself ready for the real world). What did I buy then? A lovely, coloured printed dress, with a black base colour reduced from $130 to $60. Awesome! This little number is fabulous, in moi opinion. I can easily make it winter wearable (with the addition of back stockings, a black blazer and heels (of course!) but it is totally summer-esque as well. Yippeee!

Another day, another find....So, the next day I had to pop into town with my darling mother and noticed three things. First, yup, Kookai was still going absolutely nuts. Second, the new Wollies had just opened (please don't underestimate how exciting this is for all the uni students/townies)...

And to top it all off, I found a pair of RMK platforms in DJ's that I had thought were sold out, but no, they were in fact reduced from $140 big-ones, to $83. Holymotherofgawd...I was so happy that I considered breaking out in song right then and there. Here are the sexy puppies:

Do you like?
Are you crazily happy for me?
Do you have any sale stories (found a total bargain, got into a brawl, pulled some chicks hair out)?

Introducing This and That's Highway to Health

2010-06-16T21:28:00.000+09:30

TASH: Don't you all just love Glee? If not... Really? Watch more and you will! That aside, getting physical is something that's been on our minds a lot over at This and That. Not just getting physical, but getting healthy. So as a tribute to this Glee and Olivia Newton-John mash up (not really) we've created what we like to call our Highway to Health. Tacky puns you ask? Why yes of course! Basically we're going to be spending out time eating better, exercising more and trying all that we can to keep ourselves glowing inside and out!

ROXY: So, what does the 'Highway to Health' Challenge (H2H Challenge) entail exactly? In short, Urban Remedy has inspired us to get healthier than we've ever been before. In an effort to do so, we are going to explore the healthy side of Adelaide. We want to find out where the best yoga studios are, which gym classes are awesome and why, if personal trainers are better to help you reach your peak fitness, where the yummiest and healthiest food is at and what beauty therapists can do to help us feel great. And of course, we'll be blogging about these experiences along the way - reviews about all the places we have visited, updates on all things Urban Remedy as well as some extra goodies (don't want to spoil the surprise but I'm talking video demonstrations...but shhhh, don't tell anyone!) will be uploaded every few days.

TASH: So why do this you ask? Well it sort of all leads back to some blogs we did a while back reviewing the Urban Remedy Juice Cleanses, they got us thinking a lot about what we do to keep ourselves healthy and what it is we're putting in our bodies. Sometimes it's not the best stuff (i.e. the other night I decided it would be a good idea to try ice cream mixed with peanut butter! good golly!) but in our defense, it's been a busy time for us lately, so we've slipped a little. We've both been glued to our computer screens (turning square eyed and what not) writing out our final university assignments for the semester. Fun? Think again. But now that we are finished up, we are determined to get back to (and even surpass) the sparkling balls of health that we were when we finished our Urban Remedy Juice Cleanses a few months ago.

ROXY: What does this mean for you? Well, what doesn't it mean for you would be the better question, methinks! Watch this space and you'll be given hot tips on where's best to eat and exercise. But wait, there's more. We can offer you 15% off Urban Remedy Juice Cleanses. 'WHHHHHAT?' I hear you ask. 'Pipe down please and let me finish,' I reply. The lovely Emma from Urban Remedy contacted us about helping her increase Urban Remedy's exposure around RAD-elaide and we were totes excited to help her out. So, as part of our H2H Challenge, we will be handing out 15% of brochures to all the venues we visit. Now, if you happen to desperately want a voucher (I would, if I were you), but you're not going to be visiting any of the venues that we've blogged about, just forward, erm, 28,485 schmackers to my account and we can sort something out..ha! I'm kidding, silly. Just comment us on our blog and we'll get you sorted.

So get involved! Let us know where we should go and what we should do! Challenge us! The more support we get the more we're going to be able to do and you never know it could mean more perks for you! ;)

Thoughts - Sex and the City 2 (In My Opinion)

2010-06-16T10:49:00.000+09:30

(SATC the TV show)

So the other night I went and saw SATC 2 with my sisters (my two real sisters and my housemate Kirby who's pretty much been adopted by my family). I was filled with apprehension. Reviews were not kind I tell you! I thought I was about to get punched in the face with a whole load of racist jokes, musical sing-a-longs and so many bad lines: the worst bit was I knew my girls were better than that!

Truthfully I can't say I thought the movie was as bad as half of these reviews were making it out to be. It may have seemed a little patronising at times but it wasn't racist. It went for a little too long (I felt like I was in the cinema for 3 hours), lines weren't great and the laughs were cheap... BUT I think my main problem with the film was that it seemed that it was a film that was casting aside long time lovers of the television show just to appeal to new viewers who believed that the girls were only about high end fashion and sex!

That was my problem with the film. It didn't make me cry. I cried in Osmosis Jones for christ sake! Films make me cry! During the first SATC film I was in tears as soon as the opening credits began and that theme music started. That would have been hard in this film as we were only treated to about 3 seconds of the SATC music at the beginning, and instead of rolling credits with it... They played Rickie Lee! The characters all seemed like empty shells of themselves, becoming characatures of themselves so that newcommers could pick who they were.

It also just made me angry the way that the girls/the film just fawned over popular culture. Miley Cyrus doesn't need to be in a Sex and the City film and neither does a tacky and tired dance number to All the Single Ladies (of which the only version I can appreciate is this). I admit it's a little hypocritical commenting on both of these inclusions when I'm endorsing a combination of both Disney star and Beyoncé... but while I may not be able to get over my love of the Jonas Brothers THE GIRLS ARE BETTER THAN THAT!

I started watching this show when I was 10 years old, and for 10 years it's been in important part of my life. I'd shut my eyes during the sex scenes and cringe whenever my parents would walk into the room but at the same time the movie taught me a lot about accepting myself and my body and my and being able to feel comfortable and powerful, not despite being a woman, but because I was a woman. Sure they had amazing clothes and they lived in an amazing city and they had amazing sex, but that wasn't what made them who they were or what made them stick together. I think the film tried to emulate the bond that the girls had and tried to hone in on some of the things they've helped women accept, but I feel it fell very short of the mark. I'd probably watch it again and I'll probably buy in on DVD, but I know that if I need some advice about life or dating or if I need some guaranteed tears the film will stay on the shelf and I'll be pulling down that lovely box-set, season 1 through 6.

5 Reasons Why I'll Be Rocking The Bold Lip Tonight

2010-06-12T13:52:00.014+09:30

At my boyfriend's gig, that is. I'm thinking I'll do a nice, bright coral. Like this Lancome lip gloss (no. 66)...

My second pick is Revlon’s high-pigment coral and magenta (from their new colourburst range). It's a winner (and comes in lovely, Chanel inspired packaging).

Here are the reasons:

1. I'll be at a bar where my man will be wooing a crowd with his superstar-esque guitar playing. He'll be doing this while smiling politely at the random single lady who decides to step up as one of Jesus disciples and wipe the sweat of his brow (thanks hunni, that's not what I'm here for. Now move along, enjoy your night and I wish you a years worth of bad hair days) . So obviously, I need to look good. Or at least feel good, and one way to feel done up, fresh faced and lovely is a bright lip, don't you agree?

2. Yeah it's winter here in the Southern Hemisphere, and although we usually associate the colder months with darker colours, like, erm, BLACK (and deep purples, greys etc.), I think it's quite nice to throw in a bold, bright lip here and there. Mix it up a bit, brighten your day/afternoon (no pun intended!) with a splash of colour.

3. Zoe Foster, a confessed lover of the bold lip (and the big boss of beauty website PRIMPED), explained that you can wear the bold lip two ways: Hollywood glamour puss/vintage or totally modern. The vintage look (what I'll be doing tonight) involves black mascara and little liquid eyeliner. The modern look, a plain face with brown mascara. Too easy! What a winner, ta Zoe.

4. I'm sick of doing the 'baby doll' pink lips or the nude with the brown smoky eye. Yes, I realize that it always looks good, works with most outfits and is generally a no brainer. But come on, you don't make friends by always rocking the same look or with salad (said Homer Simpson). I think that's a lie though. I like salad...

5. A bold lip is every mans drug - they'll get hooked on you. If you're after a guy (or you're like me and want to keep the attention of your own boy) whack it on and they will come running. Literally. With flowers, magical calorie free chocolates and the latest 'Robert Robert' platforms. Okay, I'm lying. But the bold lip will make you look hot. I promise.

Huzzah! Five good reasons why I'll be rocking the bold lip tonight.

Are you a lipstick girl or a gloss girl?
What are your favourite colours? Brands?

Eateries: Agathas Food Store do BIG Brekkies....

2010-06-08T11:04:00.009+09:30

My mouth is watering, people. Just reminiscing about my Sunday breakfast at Agatha's Food Store is enough to kick start the cravings. What an incredible taste bud delight it was! I cannot stop thinking about it (and wishing myself back there)...

Agatha's is a tiny (in size, big in bite) restaurant situated down the coast of Port Noarlunga. They are open 7 days for breakfast and lunch. Unfortunately, they don't stay open for dinner (which is a massive bummer), but I can cut them some slack becuase it is a family run business, so they need some downtime from the flood of hungry foodies constantly demanding their top quality service. And wozers, do they bring it? Yes they do (I should know, I'm a regular)!

I could tell you about all of their yummy dishes (like their home-made dips and pita bread, or their smoothies (todiefor), but today I'm going to focus on just one...Their 'Greek Yoghurt Special'. And it's a good one too! What you are looking at is an enormous glass full of all natural Greek Yoghurt, mango, a selection of fresh berries, walnuts, honey and toasted muesli. Are you drooling yet?

Honestly, this is the best breakfast I've eaten anywhere and you know what, it's pretty healthy too (it may be a little bigger than one needs but hey, live a little! Right?). For only $7.90, it is the best thing since I first learned how to make cupcakes and frosting.

The end result:

A job well done, me thinks!

Are you drooling right now?
If not, why not?!
I'd love to hear about your favourite eateries!
Did you know that if you try squeezing the two ends of an egg as hard as you can, you won't break it? Go on...Try it!

Review : L'Oreal Paris Youth Code Collection

2010-06-07T15:39:00.012+09:30

I was one of 20 selected Primpettes to act as a guest reviewer for beauty website PRIMPED. Excited much? Oh yes, I was. What did we test? L'Oreal Paris' new skin care Youth Code Collection which included a face cream, eye cream and anti-wrinkle concentrate....

Just quietly, I love receiving packages in the mail. It’s so much fun, doncha think? So, obviously, receiving THIS beautified package sent directly from Jesus himself (no, I’m kidding, it was Primped, silly!) was a treat. And it wasn’t just my ‘package receiving induced excitement’ that got me all giddy inside, it was the added fact that I’d been scraping the bottom of my Clinique eye cream for too long. L'Oreal couldn't have come to the rescue any time sooner.
First up, let’s talk about eye creams, baby (cos it was my favourite). The L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Rejuvenating Anti-Wrinkle Eye Care is a winner. While I cannot comment on its wrinkle reducing effectiveness (I’m only 20, gosh!), I can tell you that after just one application your skin becomes visibly smoother and feeling great (although, I understand that this collection is about preventative measures against wrinkes, so it is designed for a younger audience) . The eye cream acts as a wonderful primer for your eye makeup (it helped to create a smoother application of concealer and made it feel so great that it agreed to stick around all day long, good one!). PLUS, it’s pink colour (a result of it being slightly tinted to illuminate your eye contour area and restore radiance to the skin) is just lovely. Anything that helps brighten the area under my eyes is tops, and L’Oreal Paris, you did it! For just $35.95...It’s love!
The L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Rejuvenating Anti-Wrinkle Day Care proved to be an excellent up-grade from my lighter, more summery suited moisturiser. Its thickness helped to give my skin the added hydration that it has so desperately needed lately (However, I did only use it sparingly, especially around my t-zone, otherwise, I woke up with some gnarly, uninvited pimples). I liked how it had a hint of citrus scent - it kept me feeling fresh, but not like I was plastering a tonne of perfume on my face. My skin felt silky smooth after application and I have noticed an enhanced evenness in my skin tone (bonus!).
The L’Oreal Paris Youth Code Rejuvenating Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate contains all these mattifying particles that makes your skin oh so soft to the touch. It has a relatively thick texture, however, it is fast absorbing. GASP! The concentration contains beeswax and shea butter, this is why it practically dissolves into the skin instantaneously. This is something that I loved about this prodz. But wait! If you decided to rush out and buy it, make sure that when you apply, you do rub it in quickly, otherwise, it wont spread evenly cos your face is greedy and will want to eat it all up and not share with your neck. Naughty face.

I’m loving that the creams are packaged in a classy and more importantly, THICK glass jar (because I’m tops at dropping things). Phew.

Overall, I’m one happy Primper and will defs be purchasing the eye cream again.The Day Care?I’d be happier if it included some form of sun protection, but for now, my skin is loving it. The anti-wrinkle concentrate is good, but I'm not sure if I will buy it again. I'll get back to you on that one.

Will you try L'Oreal's new Youth Code Collection?
What's you skin care regime?
Did you know that an eyelash lives about 150-200 days before it falls off? Holymotherofgawd! That's ages.

The 'Hero Of The Day' award goes to....

2010-06-05T14:34:00.004+09:30

This guy:

What a winner! If I was a man, gosh, I would aspire to becoming as awesome as this guy. He's got the moves and I want to steal them. STAT.

An awesome Lynx advertisment making my study time a little more exciting (I am currently writing an assignment about commercials for the beauty and fashion industry. This is my headlining ad. No, I am not kidding).

Awesome Interviewes - Susannah Bailey

2010-06-02T10:28:00.007+09:30

I've blogged before about the radio show I co-produce at Radio Adelaide (called 'Y'). Well, now that's all wrapped up for the season. Finito, done-and-dusted (Boo!). Before you get all emotional too (ya know, jump off your comfy couch and run for the tissue box), KILL THE MOTOR DUDE. I've got good news. Working on this program provided me with the opportunity to interview some fabulous people (including Yasemin, the Editor of my fav beauty website PRIMPED - awesome!). However, the gal I'd like to bang on about today is none other than the inspirational Susannah Baily; a student at Colour Cosmetica Academy in RADelaide. This pink little lady (no kidding, she rocks fluro pink hair but boy, it looks freakin' cool on her) is incredible. She is currently undertaking Colour Cosmetica's 'Diploma of La Moda' (meaning: diploma of the fashion) which she tells me is a unique course that is the equivalent of four or five beauty and fashion courses put into one. Good one!

So people, this is some of what I found out about the one and only, Susannah Bailey...

Roxy: Firstly Susannah, Wow. I've seen some of your work and you are one talented chick. Can you tell me a little bit about some of the things you have done to try show off your talent?

Susannah: I've done so much. I've worked on fashion parades, photo shoots, films and plays. I've also being involved in running events for the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Also, Colour Cosmetica was heavily involved in running the Arcade Lane Venue at Fringe, which actually ended up winning best venue, so that was really exciting. Pretty much, this course means that the sky is the limit. You know, you can do anything you want to.

Roxy: Sounds like you've already had some incredible experiences - I'd love to zoom into 2020 right now and see what your future has in store for you. Unfortunately, I don't have my time machine handy...What a bugger! So instead, I guess I'll have to ask, where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years time?

Susannah: I see myself everywhere! Also, Tokyo. I'm a bit obsessed with Japan. I want to have my own fashion label - I'm actually in the process of staring that up now. I also want do do freelance work - in particular, hair, makeup and styling for other companies. I want to do visual merchandising, photo shoots, films and writing for magazines too. However, my primary focus is my own clothing label - I'd like a couple of them actually. This is why I came to Colour Cosmetica, because I have so many goals and this course is teaching me enough to do pretty much anything that I want to do. When I graduate I'll be prepared for anything and everything!

Roxy: Goodnessgraciousme, how exciting! Keeping in mind all of your previous experiences, can you give any other aspiring fasionistas (who are trying to get exposure) any advice?

Susannah: Just be positive, be yourself, be creative but also understand it is a lot of work. I don't have much of a life at the moment, it's a huge commitment [the Diploma of La Moda] but it is so rewarding, the experiences I have had make all the hard work definitely worth it.

Roxy: That's great advice Susannah, cheers. So one last thing before we finish up, please tell me about one of your favourite pieces of work?

Susannah: One of my favourites (I have so many) is called 'Clockwork Harlequin'. It is based on a very similar time as Alice [in wonderland], the real 'Victorian Morning Clothes' but also, the Commedia Dell'Ate (Italian comedy and theater) Harlequins. So, I had a black shirt that had all these amazing layers and layers of extravagance built up and the head piece I made out of broken clocks, glass, wires and peals. So much fun to make.

Roxy: It is an incredible piece of art! Thanks so much for your time Susannah and good luck with everything in the future - although I'm sure you wont really need it!

Said 'Clockwork Harlequin'....

Awesome handiwork, right?
Are you impressed?
Do you know of any talented beauty/fashionstas?
Has Susannah inspired you to work hard and achieve your goals?

Thoughts - Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend

2010-05-31T20:14:00.000+09:30

So I've been thinking about diamonds and engagement rings. Before you get all excited and start congratulating me, STOP. I'm not engaged, gosh I'm not even in a relationship but lets just say that from a tender young age I've loved weddings. So naturally I've looked into engagement rings, and this baby here is one that I designed earlier today on the Adiamor website, it's a pair cut diamond on a white gold setting with four prong set diamonds and 28 pave set diamonds. But the thing that's really been making me think is... I don't actually want a diamond!

Building engagement rings is almost as fun as hopping on the Apple website and building yourself a Mac Pro, I managed to make one ring with a $250,000 diamond and even the cheaper ones are still about $4000. For me, it seems excessive. Don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go at the ladies out there that want a genuine rock on their finger but its just not for me. There are a few reasons for this.

Firstly it is because of the bad side of diamonds. The people who die to bring mine them and the military powers that they fund. Now this isn't all diamonds but if something has the potential to contribute to this, and it's something that I don't really want, then I'm quite happy to say no thanks!

Secondly, I struggle to see the value in a diamond. I don't really wear jewelry and as long as something looks nice I'm not really worried what it's value is. This is why I want a cubic zirconia, if there is a decent reason to want a diamond it's going to be lost on me and therefor I see it as a bit of a waste of money. I don't have a problem with people who like diamonds, but I think I'd be happier if a bit of that ring money was saved and went towards something that was more me.

So what is your opinion? Are you a diamond girl?

Would you settle for anything less?

Have you secretly picked out your ring?

Sex and The City's star, SJP, rocks a massive hair piece. Does the crowd go wild?

2010-05-31T10:30:00.012+09:30

Sex and the City is everywhere right now. Yep, these ladies are all we can talk about. Firstly, because Sex and The City 2 is finally hitting our shores (yippee!), but also because all four of the starlets are shining beacons of hope, showing us that we too can look amazingly stunning when we reach our 40's/50's. Awesome gals, I say.

Anyway, this morning I was reading up on the SATC 2 London Premiere on my fav online beauty website PRIMPED. What was the hot topic? Not the fabulous makeup and hair dos' but the crazily huge, 'halloween-esque' hair piece sitting quietly (ha!) on SJP's head! Now at first I was shocked, you know, mouth hanging open in a really unflattering way, shocked. But after a while of staring, I've come to terms with it. It's SJP's thing, she rocks the weird and wonderful and does it, well, awesomely. She is an incredible style icon and just quietly, the amazing black frock with split-design tube and matching shoes is to.die.for. Probably the best dress I've seen all year. Big call I know but I'm making and will stand by it. Overall, SJP looks gorgeous, me thinks.

Here is the pic. Crazy huh?

Don't the other ladies, Cynthia, Kristin and Kim look beautiful? I'm also lovin' Kim's gown, Cynthia's blonde highlights (apparently blonde is her natural colour) and Kristen is forever stunning. Two words. Bomb. Shells.

How about you just marvel at it for a while?
What do you think?
Hate it or lurve it?

Things I do - make damn good coffee (too much?)...

2010-05-29T15:38:00.012+09:30

Ha! I think my coffees go alright. But to find out if they really are as 'damn good' as my title suggests, I guess you better ask my caffeine addicted regulars. They'll tell you what they think, doncha worry bout it, y'all.

So here is the thing; I was at work this morning (at a Gloria Jeans Coffee shop located somewhere down the wondrous coast line of South Adelaide..) and I realised that I have never, ever blogged about my job. Not that it is all that important, it just brings in the dough so that I can go spend it all on the things I love, like beauty products, shoes, clothes etc (and a little bit of saving too. Of course!) But I thought I should give that part of my life some credit. Right?

I only rack up about 15 hours a week at Glorias (I struggle to find heaps of time in between university and my radio show) but having said that, it's generally a pretty fun 15 hours. Most of my customers are ubercool and I'm going to be quite sad when I graduate and hopefully get a job in the media industry (then maybe I can actually call myself a writer and not be stretching the truth! good one!).

To be perfectly honest, I am not the biggest fan of coffee. Yup, I do drink it (probably too much of it), but I'm a total sobby, coffee tart and only drink esspresso (none of this instant stuff, thanks!) and I don't like it strong. Ew. However, I do enjoy making the coffee and now that I've made 40328837 of them, I think I'm alright at it.

Latte art is quite fun:
Caramelatte anyone? Yum!

I'll try and do a nice 'heart' in a latte next shift. But you know I won't be able to, 'cause I'm trying...

Just quickly, I'm going to spiral off onto a beautified tangent; working at a coffee shop is not awesome for my skin. I get really dry hands from all the coffee and frequently washing them. It sucks. Big time. So, I'm quite obsessed with hand cream at the mo. My hand cream of choice (because I have abnormally dry hands) is QV Intensive Moisturiser. It's Jesus in a tube; really softens and soothes the skin and it is water free so it doesn't sting when applied to inflamed or cracked skin (which mine often is). It has quite a thick texture so it doesn't wash off too easily (and I don't have to reapply constantly. bonus!) but, it does take a little while to rub in properly. I also love that it is fragrance free, becuase sometimes the ones that contain perfume sting a little when applied (if I didn't have really dry skin I'd be lovin' the smelly ones becuase gosh balls, some of them do smell wonderful. Like Endota Spa's Organic Hand Cream. Amazing!)

QV is also quite inexpensive, yay!

How nice is a coffee on a freezing cold, windy, rainy day (like today!)?
Are you a coffee or a hot chockie person?
Or maybe you like tea? I don't like tea (maybe I'll grow into it? Maybe not. Probably not...)

Now I better make like a guillotine and head off!

Randomness - Does the colour of ones umbrella really matter? I think, yes.

2010-05-28T20:45:00.013+09:30

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. Or not. How about you just don't come at all? No. Scrap that. Please come again because I do understand that our planet Earth does appreciate a good ol' wash every now and then but honestly, while I'm walking to my lecture. Is that really necessary mother nature? She thinks yes. Obviously.

Now this usually would not be a problem, getting rained on that is. And to be completely honest, I can't complain too much because I did have an umbrella stashed away in my Uni bag (along with my readings, Cosmo and Vogue mag, three lip glosses, hand cream, comb, mini mascara...yah it's a big bag). 'So why are you complaining, doll?' I hear you ask. Well, the thing is, a while ago I decided it would be amazeballs to purchase a baby blue umbrella. Turns out that was not a top idea. Not.at.all. Every single time I pull this puppy out I think to myself 'gosh Roxy, the colour of this umbrella really doesn't compliment your outfit. Silly, silly girl'. And it's true. Sigh.

So I think it's safe to say that I've learnt my lesson. I will never purchase a coloured umbrella again, unless it is this Burberry one:
Isn't it just gorge?

(just incase you are wondering, nup, my uni budget will not allow the purchase of this baby anytime soon...)

You know what, if I came across an umbrella that was a lovely shade of deep purple, I'd consider buying that too. But only because I wear too much black in winter (something I am working on) and deep purple looks goodo with black, me thinks. For now, I think I'll just invest in a black one. Problem soaked. Wait solved, problem solved. Wow, I'm sorry, that was bad (even for me).

Wouldn't it be great if the rain came only while we are happily snoozin' away, dreaming of summer dayz?

Have you got an annoying/entertaining rain story?
Do you own a fabulous umbrella?

Beauty - Home Pedicure Of The Year Award Goes To...

2010-05-27T12:44:00.011+09:30

On Monday my toes had a sever case of finger envy. Why? Okay, so I was lucky enough to get a
free manicure at Colour Cosmetica, it was divine. My hands were in heaven and I came out with this gorgeous shade of deep red making me feel all elegant, but you know, in tune with the wintery weather. Good one!

So, while my fingers were feeling super excellent, my poor toes were hating life, all naked and unkempt. It was most distressful and I realised quite quickly that I needed to undertake some serious at home pampering. Even though the weather in RADelaide lately has been damn gross (rainy, dark, windy...) and my toes have mostly been tucked away in socks and boots, I really don't like having gnarly toes starring up at me (cursing my resentment) when I get home and start shedding my footware and clothes (my mum severely hates the cold so our wood fire is usually cranking out some serious heat by the time I get home). So, here are a few tips that my beauty therapist gave me to ensure my toes are properly groomed and lurve me again:

1. Always remove the old stuff. If you don't do this, your pedi will always look average. Not a good look, me thinks.

2. Cuticles must be attended to if you want a nice clean finish. Soak your feet in warm water and then rub a cuticle cream (I used The Body Shop's cooling foot lotion) to help soften those cuticles before you push them back with an orangewood stick and trim with nail clippers.

3. Before you paint your nails (if you're wanting colour on them, which I think you should do) apply a clear polish for strengthening because not only will it improve your healthiness, it will make sure any darker polish you apply will not stain. No staining allowed! Oh, and make sure your toes are separated (obviously) and apply two coats of coloured polish for best finish (making sure the coats are not too thick, otherwise it will prob chip easily...no thanks). To finish up, a top coat will help resistance and staying power. YAY!

What colours should you use? Well, on my finger nails I'm loving Chanel 505 Particuliere or a deep red. But, for my toes, I quite like a brighter, happier colour. OPI have some lovely pinky, corally shades that I'm loving right now (my faves, Mod-ern Girl and Most Honorable Red). So fun and flirtatious!

Or check out these Chanel pastel colours (Jade and Jade Rose). Fab right?

Now, hurry up and get to pampering your toe nails. They'll adore you for it. Promise. Even my cat Duchess is getting involved! Cute.

Check out how relaxed she is after her pedicure. This could be you:

Food - Masterchef Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs

2010-05-25T19:39:00.007+09:30

Pay attention all you foodies out there! I have a very special announcement: First, my mum is at the very top of my 'coolest people' list and second, MasterChef's recipes (ya know, the cooking competition that's on Australian TV every night of the week) are the shiz.

My very own MasterChef kitchen was going off this evening as my mum, Jude, recreated a fabulous MasterChef creation - Sticky BBQ Pork Ribs. And when I say fabulous, I mean fabulous. Ohmygoodnessgraciousme there was a party in my mouth and all of the spices in cupboard were invited. These ribs were packed with so much flavour that when I took a bite, I had physically stop chewing for a moment while a tasty bomb exploded in my mouth. Chilli, orange rind, bay leaves, cinnamon, paprika, mustard powder, ground cumin, oregano leaves were all on included, just to name a few. Yes, there is a lot of ingredients involved which can be a bit scary, but honestly, the result is an amazing balance of flavours (just the right amount of spice contrasted with sweetness and smokiness). To add even more pizzazz to the meal, mum whipped up (literally ha!) a homemade mayonnaise and some crispy squared potatoes to side. Good one!

There is something magical about eating pork ribs in the comfort of your own home - you can get all messy and really enjoy the flavours.

BBQ Pork Ribs, you are my new favourite meal. AH-mazing.

There is a how-to video on the MasterChef website - I'm currently trying to embed it into this post, so hopefully it will be up soon. Otherwise, click here to watch if ya just can't wait. I would struggle, this is seriously good stuff.

What's your favourite dish?
I've got so many, gosh!

Beauty - GHD: Green With Envy

2010-05-25T02:27:00.000+09:30

So I'm going to attempt to write a blog right now, but I'm kind of lost for words. In fact I can't write a blog because all I would end up doing would be rambling on about how in love I am with this sexy green machine. So instead I'm going to leave it here for you to stare and enjoy.

Things - iPhone Apps I'm Loving

2010-05-23T21:50:00.001+09:30

So when I first heard the name "Four Square" I instantly got images of the childhood game I always dreaded (although in Vietnam we called it handball). After checking it out I realised that Four Square is definately not something to dread, but something really fun!

Four Square describe themselves as "part friend finder, part social city guide, part nightlife game!" Basically when you go somewhere (anywhere) you 'check in'. You can write reviews of places, add new venues and check out what your friends are doing. The best bit about it is earning things: you earn points every time you check in somewhere and you can compete against friends, you can earn badges after you complete certain milestones and after you visit a place more than anyone else you become mayor!

I love finding out about interesting ways that people decide to use the internet and similar platforms like smart phones. I've got Four Square on my iPhone and I've currently got a bit of a competition going on with my housemate Kirby because she's become mayor of our house! Hint hint, Roxy jump on the bandwagon!

The other app I'm loving at the moment is the Ethical Shopping Guide Shop Ethical! I'm not crazy about following boycotts and choosing ethical products and most of my shopping is based on my wallet and my stomach as opposed to my head and my heart. I think that for anyone it's important to know about the products you are buying, whether you choose to make decisions based on these facts is up to you. You can check up on almost any grocery products to find out which are the most ethical brands to buy based on human rights, animal rights, environmental policies and how much these companies lie. Some of these profiles are enough to turn you off that jar of Milo!

This app isn't free unfortunately, but I think that anyone in charge of their own grocery shopping should download it. I probably wont be revamping my entire shopping list straight away, but it'll definitely help me make some more informed decisions while cruising the aisles.

Have you used any of these apps? Have I convinced you to download them? What are your favourite iPhone apps?

Health - Urban Remedy Juice Cleanse

2010-05-22T18:21:00.019+09:30

Where the hell have I been all of your life? Not sitting at my laptop writing my review of the Urban Remedy Juice Cleanse, that's for sure. Yes, I know that this blog is way overdue, and yup, I do understand that the fact that I've just survived (with minor battle wounds) a hectic week signed, sealed and delivered from Satan himself, is not a good enough excuse for my blogging absence... Actually, while it is true that I've been really busy this week, it may be melodramatic, drama queenish even, to suggest that it was hellish. I've actually done tonnes of fun stuff, like interview the marketing coordinator, Ashleigh, from Colour Cosmetica and gone to my BF's (Rowan) nephews modelling grad (so cute), but more on that later. Let's talk about Juice, baby.

So, early last Thursday morning, Rowan and I were woken up by a telephone call from my mum. She called to inform me that two Urban Remedy deliveries had just arrived. Awesome. Both Rowan and I were totes excited. So the cleaning began...

Just to make things easy (and because it was a totally rad idea worth borrowing) I'm going to use the same format that Tash did for her Cleanse review.

So...what were the juices like?
Okay, what attracted me to the cleanse was the fact that recently, I'd been finding myself lacking energy. You know, feeling very tired early in the evening (I usually run most days but that 'most day' was morphing into an ugly 'once a week, if ya lucky') and, well, just not my usual zesty self. Unlike my lovely co-blogger, I am not a juice person. I'm a water person who prefers her fruit and vegetables whole, thanks. So to say that I was a little bit nervous about the fact that I was about to consume only juice, water and herbal tea for three whole days is a bit of an understatement. But, I was so keen to give this cleanse a go, especially after all the amazing reviews I've read from Yaz, PRIMPED editor. I refused to let my nerves get the better of me. I told them were to go and shove it, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Juice #1 did test my will power. At first it made me feel all vomity inside mainly because the celery was crazy strong and I didn't love that. BUT, by day two, I did enjoy it actually. True story. It's kinda the same for all juices, at first I was a bit like woe man, this liquid vege thing is not my cuppa tea, but by the end of the cleanse, I was sad to give them up. I do miss them now even. Especially juice #6 (pictured in the photo above along with the adorable esky that is included with every Urban Remedy purchase. Sweet!). #6 is an amazing blend of coconut milk, raw cashews, cinnamon and vanilla bean. It is so yummy and really helped to fill me up before bed time. I'd drink that juice everyday if possible.

Before I move on, I just want to give a special mention juice #4, the purple juice. If you haven't guessed already the main ingredient in this juice is beetroot. Now, #4 is hard-core proof that these juices contain only what is written on the label. It literally tasted like I'd taken my shovel out into the garden, dug myself up a big, juicy beetroot, washed it off (obviously) and taken a huge bite out of it. So raw, but great.

So...were you ready to eat your hand off by the end of it?
I can honestly tell you that I was never hungry while on the cleanse. The juices kept my hunger police off duty and I made sure that I kept myself very busy during the day so that I didn't have time to sit around daydreaming about food. Glorious food. That's not to say that I didn't miss food at all. Oh boy, I did miss food. I missed the texture in my mouth, I missed chewing, I missed the prettiness of food, but most of all, I missed the taste sensations. However, what this cleanse did teach me that I do not need to eat nearly as much as I do. This experience made it shockingly clear how accustomed to eating I have become. I've learned that eating muesli with fruit and yogurt for brekky, followed by more fruit and a big salad sandwich for lunch, a tasty treat and a hefty sized dinner is not necessary, not necessary at all. Thank you Urban Remedy for helping me see the light at the end of the food obsessed tunnel. I haven't reached the end yet, but I'm getting closer!

So...how did it make you feel?
Day two was hard. I was grumpy because I missed food and I had a gnarly headache. Why did I have this headache? Well, I rarely drink alcohol, I only indulge in sweets when I'm catching up with the girls (or if Tashy bakes me something delish) and I eat plenty of fruit and vege. However, I probably eat too much red meat and I drink about 3 to 4 cups of coffee a week, which is very naughty. Caffeine is bad news people. If you are not addicted now, stay away. Not only is it crappy for your insides, it is expensive to buy at a cafe (and I always do because I work at a Gloria Jeans Coffee shop which makes me a snobby coffee tart..none of this instant stuff for me, gross). Anyway, I'm certain that the headache was a result of my coffee drinking.

Day three comes along and it's pretty much gone and by the afternoon I'm feeling awesome. I'd had two amazing sleeps the nights before and I felt empty. But not empty in a bad way, empty in a good way..I didn't feel bloated. Ever. Huzzah!

Sunday was my first day after the cleanse and I had so much energy. I was motivated to go for a long bike ride along the beachfront with Rowan (he felt awesome too). Monday comes along and I'm up early and running a quick 5Km before Uni. I've found my zesty self again! Where was she? Stuck way under all the dirty toxins that were busily hating my insides. Not anymore toxins, not.any.more.

Like Tashy said, this detox was not a diet and we did not starve ourselves for three days. It was simply a great way to give our digestive system a break from dealing with all the solids we usually consume. What a great opportunity to do a damn good cleaning! Would I do it again? Yes, when I can afford it. Unfortunately Urban Remedy don't deliver one day cleanses to Adelaide and I can't really afford to do the three day again (uni budget is somewhat restricted...), but I'll be doing it again after Christmas (which is also around the time of my 21st), at the very latest.

Thank you Urban Remedy for the detox and all of the supportive and informative emails you sent me during my cleanse. It was totally worth it.

Have you done a cleanse before?
Would you consider the Urban Remedy Juice Cleanse after our happy reviews?

Beauty - Jen Lindley (AKA Michelle Williams)

2010-05-19T22:30:00.001+09:30

You see that gorgeous blonde bombshell on the left, that is definitely not the Jen Lindley that I used to know... and hate! For anyone who is thinking what are you on about? That's Michelle Williams! Yes. Yes it is. But before she jumped back into the scene for Brokeback Mountain and as Heath Ledger's baby mama, she was most well known for playing Jen Lindley on Dawson's Creek. Oh and yeah, I hated her. I think that it was just because I didn't like Jen that I transfered my hatred onto Michelle and it took me a while to get past this.

Then I came across this picture, which is being flaunted across the Internet on sites like Primped and also the IMDB homepage and I decided to relinquish any hatred I may have felt towards her. She looks amazing and like a completely different person. To me she channels Jean Seberg ala "New York Herald Tribune" in À Bout De Souffle, that perfect mixture of class and cool. She has me yearning for that perfect blonde colour that I haven't been drawn to for such a long time and I'm craving that fringe. I don't think I would ever consider a pixie cut but I'm considering heading to the hairdressers (something I haven't done in almost a year!) and keeping my hair length but getting me a fringe like that! We'll see how my wallet feels about that.

I'll be staying away from the peroxide for now though!

Adios!

Health - Urban Remedy Cleanse

2010-05-17T08:32:00.000+09:30

So the last post I did was about me starting the Urban Remedy Cleanse. I didn't die, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. It's just the last day of the cleanse was one of my best friend's birthdays, so since then I've been a bit busy. As Roxy has just finished her cleanse I thought I better jump in quick and write up my cleanse experience so she can get her two cents in now.

So... What were the juices like?
The first thing that attracted me to the cleanse was not that I wanted to cleanse my insides and feel new again, it was that I wanted to spend three days drinking juice! I'm a bit of a juice nut, and I'm always on the look out for new tasty juices to try. Juice #1 was perhaps a little strong for me, but I still enjoyed it. It was probably the celery but it was a bit of a vegetable overload. But at the same time I felt so clean and healthy drinking it that it always managed to make me smile inside and out. Juice #2 was my absolute favourite. Pineapple, mint and apple. I wish I could find this one on my supermarket shelves, but instead I think I'm going to have to invent my own substitute. I didn't have too many opinions about juice #3 and juice#4, their main components were carrot and beetroot respectively. I love beetroot, but at times it could become a bit too sweet, and the carrot one just reminded me of normal V8 juice so that was tasty enough. Juice #5 scared me a bit. Lemon, water and cayenne pepper. I loved it. I was worried it would be too watered down, but the amount of lemon was just right and the cayenne pepper added a bonus oomph to it that gave it a bit more of a kick but also helped warm you up a bit (which was something I desperately needed!). Lastly finishing off with juice #6 was a great way to end the day. It was thicker than the other juices, with blended cashews and coconut it was almost like eating a meal! It was delicious and I would happily sip away at it while my housemate munched away at her dinner.

So... Were you ready to eat your own hand by the end of it?
NOT AT ALL! Surprisingly I wasn't hungry at all throughout the cleanse! The juices are all fairly thick and you almost feel like you're eating when you gulp them down. Obviously there isn't any chewing involved but you swish it around and it's a bit like having a meal. I was satisfied the whole time, but that's not to say I wasn't craving things! Suddenly food felt like this holy grail, I didn't need it but I wanted it. If I can give one tip for anyone doing the cleanse, don't watch Masterchef! I didn't miss any other restrictions like no coffee or no alcohol. I recently cut back the amount of alcohol I drink by a lot, and so I can't say I was reaching for the bottle by the end of it, and I also don't drink coffee so I had no problems with that. I felt satisfied the whole time, but I can tell you having a picnic with friends while they pass around birthday cake and you sip on your juice is a real test of willpower.

So... How did you feel?
Even before I started the cleanse I was pumped full of energy! I made sure I got a good nights' sleep the night before and I jumped out of bed full of excitement to crack open my first juice. I was feeling pretty flash through the whole day, buzzing with energy. By about 8:00 I was always a bit sleepy so I made sure I got to bed early and always woke up with a buzz. I also felt empty, not in that horrible soul wrenching longing way, but like if I jumped into the air I would float down like a feather. I felt like I could do anything because I was just so clean and healthy! It was a great feeling! I loved being on the cleanse and I love giving it a try. At the end of it the hardest thing wasn't the not eating or trying to get to bed early, it was dealing with other people's reactions. By the end of it I was sick of people giving me that look saying "oh you know this is just one of those fad diets?"

It isn't a fad diet. It's not a diet. I probably got more nutrients through those juices than I would get on any normal day even if I tried to eat super healthily. I felt great and I wasn't just starving myself for three days. Roxy asked me if I would do the cleanse again and my answer was: maybe.

If you've seen my other blog at all you'd know that I'm planning a massive trip in 2012, and a smaller one in 2011. As I am shocking at saving money I really need to put all of my efforts into that so forking out almost $200 for three days of not eating heavinly juice drinking, is very unlikely. I'm glad I gave it a go though because it made me feel fantastic and it made me feel like finally I was giving my body a much deserved break.

Over to you Roxy!

A Cosmetic Adventure Anyone?

2010-04-30T23:47:00.014+09:30

Tonight I did a silly thing and drove all the way into the city (and dragged Tash in with me) to go to an appointment that I didn't have. It's actually next Friday. Wow. What mad intelligent skills I have. Or not... Anyway, it turned out to be a super awesome fun night because we decided to explore the cosmetic level in David Jones. Always very fun. Gosh, I don't know about you but beauty products just make me happy because the packaging is always so pretty. Agree? Yes. Righto. Good. Mooving along now. So sitting here at home, reminiscing on all the lovely smells, the smooth textures and the overall brilliantness of all the powders, moisturisers, perfumes and lipsticks I found, I decided to create a virtual wish list.

So here it goes:

Item No. 1: Hissy Fit Saving Face Tinted Moisturiser

Okay so this product is a winner. I've already tried a sample and adored it. When wearing this product foundation is not necessary (in fact, you can't wear foundation with it anyway) but the point it that it provides a great coverage and a nice glow. And it has an SPF of 50+ which is great for those of us who want to protect our skin from the Sun's naughty UV Rays. Love it. It's only $55 shmackers so I'll be purchasing that one soon.

Item No. 2 Hissy Fit Lip Service So I've also sampled this product and my lips just loved me while using it. It helped them to stay nice and healthy looking, no chapped pout thanks (it has a SPF of 50+ too so no burnt lips. Oh yeah.). I actually like to use my creme blush on my lips and then applying the 'Lip Service' over the top as a gloss. It works quite nicely. I want more of it.

Item No. 3 Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Illuminating

Yaz, the editor of beauty website Primped gave me the splendid idea of teaming this moisturiser up with the Hissy Fit Saving Face. What an awesome idea, thanks Yaz! These products together give you more of a glowy look which I think is really quite nice, as long as you don't go over the top because that's not a good look you know. Ever since Yaz's blog I've been lusting over this tinted moisturiser. It's a good one!

Item No. 4 Bobbi Brown's Intensive Skin Supplement

I had my makeup done at Bobbi Brown the other week and they (the makeup ladies) are amazing and their products aren't too shabby either. This 'Intensive Skin Supplement' is full of vitamins so it's fabulous for your face. Once you've applied it (after you've cleansed and tonned) you feel like you've got a layer of protective goodness all over your face. It feels rad. Really rad. You can just feel it doing your skin a world of good and I want it. Now. But at around $110ish (I can't remember the exact price) it's not your everyday beauty purchase. I'll have to wait a little while for this baby....

Item No. 5 DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom

This one is for Tash. You see, I already own this perfume (because my darling Tashy gave it to me for Chrissie, good girl!) but now she wants it. We just love, love, love it. It is such a fresh, gorgeous fragrance. It's really perfect for daytime. Nice and soft but delicious (I'd usually wear something with a bit more punch for nighttime). Next time your in DJ's (or Myer or whatever) try it out. It's delightful!

END OF WISH LIST.

Any products there you're already obsessing over?
Any you want to buy now?
What's on your wish list?

Films - Forest Gump

2010-04-30T22:53:00.004+09:30

I absolutely adore the film Forest Gump. It is the most inspirational, emotional and brilliant thing that I've ever seen. If you haven't watched it, you must! Go rent it now! Well, not right now silly, go after you have finished reading this blog and watching this trailor:

Now how moving was that? And that's just it, this film has its terribly sad moments but overall, it is about living your life to the fullest, accepting the crazy things life throws at you, being happy and comfortable in your skin (Forest burps in front of the American President so maybe that's a little too comfortable but entertaining nonetheless).

Whenever I'm feeling uninspired, I can chuck on good old Forest and afterward I feel like I can take on the world, or at least be the founder of a national shrimping company, the brains behind the bumper sticker 'shit happens', or, and it's my favourite, become the World Champion Ping Pong player (that takes mega skill you know).

The most awesome quote from the film: 'Jenny, I've got you some chocolates... I ate some...'

Classic.

So, so so good.

Do you love Forest Gump as much as I do?
What's your favourite film?

Food - Urban Remedy Clense

2010-04-30T15:54:00.001+09:30

I wasn't sure what to call this post. After all, food isn't really the right word considering I wont actually be eating anything for the next three days. In fact, this is what my fridge looks like:

I'm doing the Urban Remedy cleanse after reading about Yas' experience with it on Primped. Basically I'll be spending 3 days drinking a lot of juice and giving my body a break from all of the other stuff it's eating all the time. I've tried a detox before. In fact me and Roxy did one together one. It Summer and it was before either of us had jobs and we were bored so we went on one of those 10 day detoxes where you drink something that tastes like mud, take foul smelling tablets and cook food that consists mainly of steamed fish and cabbage (okay I must admit that fish and cabbage are two of my favourite foods!) You can imagine that we weren't impressed with it. We lasted about 6 days (if that) and half way through that we even stopped taking the tablets.

I like that Urban Remedy is different from that. For starters the juices look amazing! The cleanses last either 1, 3 or 5 days (although I think we can only get the 3 day cleanse in Adelaide). They aren't ridiculous expecting you to fast or change your eating habits to something ridiculous for 10 or 14 days like some detoxes do. Urban Remedy also isn't about weight loss and it doesn't pretend to be. They give no promises about losing weight, even though it is a possibility, it's just about getting some good healthy stuff running through your body.

I shouldn't talk too much about it now as I haven't even started, but expect some updates once the juices begin!

Food - Buttermilk Pancakes

2010-04-30T03:44:00.000+09:30

So today I had this really important book review to write. It was for one of my subjects and I'd been putting it off because writing book reviews reminds me too much of year 12 drama and having to write reviews and just wishing I could get back to the acting! So obviously at 1:30am I was doing everything but writing my book review when I got the genius idea to whip up some pancakes.

I had some left over buttermilk from a banana cake that I'd made earlier in the week and some eggs that I'd got off my sister earlier that day, so all I needed was to chuck them together with some flour, sugar and the frozen berries and I had (almost) instant post midnight snacks. I admit that at 1:30 my cooking skills weren't perfect and they were a little burnt at times but for a recipe off the side of a milk carton they were pretty good.

A pointless post I know, but do you have any food that you whip up for late night study sessions or all nighters?
Or any recipes that you love that you picked up off the 'serving suggestions' of a packet?

Food - Healthy BUT Tasty Snack

2010-04-27T15:31:00.006+09:30

I just want to start by saying WOW Tash, look at all those colours! Those watches are fabulous. Are they not? But I think for me, I'll stick with my simple, silver DKNY watch (a birthday girt from the one and only Rowan. My Bf). Awww! How sweet.

Anyway, today I'm talking about food, again. And, I'm going to be banging on about the Bimby (thermomix), again. Sorry, but it is important.

I was peckish after a morning at Uni and I simply couldn't find anything in the fridge that was remotely interesting. So after a long while of aimless searching I decided I needed to create something. Fast. Then I rememebered the brilliant snack that my Aunty Sue told me about a while back... A tasty mix of Apple, Almond, Coconut and Pitted Dates.

How do I make it? Easily. I chop half a granny smith apple into four quarters, grab a handful of dates, shredded coconut and pitted dates and chuck it into the Bimby, press the 'pulse' button a few times and BAM, I've got a really yummy, healthy mix that I can nibble on while writing this blog. Awesome.

Honestly, it was goood.

Do you have any amazing yummy creations?
Are they healthy?
Or a little naughty?
Whatever it is, I want to hear about it.

P.S This mix doesn't necessarily reqire a Bimby, if you've got a food processor it is equally easily and will taste just a great. I assure you!

Things - Triwa Watches

2010-04-26T16:34:00.002+09:30

Welcome to Triwa. These watches just reinforce my love for all things Swedish (see also kikki.K and Ikea). I haven't owned a watch since I was about 10. I had a habit of breaking them all the time and then my dad bought me a brand new Swatch Watch that was very special. I was swimming in P.E. and even though the watch was waterproof when I was being pulled out of the pool during a swimming medley I banged my wrist against the side of the pool and the watch cracked and got water damage. I haven't had one since and I haven't really needed one. When I came across this blog post I fell in love and suddenly found the need for a brand new watch. I want the Turquoise Flamingo one (the second watch) and the are released in Australia on Wednesday. It's definitely on my wish list!

It's like being in a candy store!

Things - Inner City Garden

2010-04-25T20:22:00.000+09:30

I love coming across things like this, especially in Adelaide. It's called Garden and it was created by Hiromi Tango. I came across it the other day when I got a little bit confused about the Festival Centre and the Convention Centre (a very silly thing to do as I've had multiple events at both!), I took a short cut through the Adelaide Train Station and came across this curious glass container filled filled with bright colours. On closer inspection it's still hard to work out exactly what it is. There are little notes scrawled over the glass walls as well as exquisite pictures and inside is littered with origami, paper flowers, bird cages and other bits and bobs. It's just nice to see something filled with so much colour and care amongst all the usual things we see in our day to day lives.

Obsessions - Chanel 505

2010-04-20T17:07:00.005+09:30

I am obsessed with Chanel's 505 Particuliere Nail Polish. I think it is beautiful. It's a lovely taupe colour with a hint of red that I find really compliments almost any outfit and is great to wear as we head into the colder seasons. It looks especially fabulous with backs, browns and greys but then somehow, looks equally amazing with a lovely red or purple ensemble. Good one!

The bad news... It's currently sold out Australia wide. I've been on two waiting lists for a couple of weeks and am thinking of putting myself onto more (apparently the next lot is coming all the way from classy France so it might be a while yet...). Lucky for me, I am currently donning this amazing shade as a lovely lady at a Chanel counter let me use her tester bottle. On all of my nails. Yay.

The good news...My understanding is that 505 is not a limited edition so we will be able to get it eventually, and, OPI does a great rip of called 'Over the Taupe' (but good luck finding that one, it also appears to be sold out everywhere...so I guess that's not really good news..sorry!)

Anyway, I recommend that all the nail polish obsessed ladies out there try Chanel 505 out. It is a winner!

Internet Things - Flattr

2010-04-20T15:36:00.000+09:30

I love coming across things like this one the Internet. I'm someone who believes in giving credit for things. I buy CDs and DVDs as opposed to downloading them. I do watch TV shows online sometimes, but they are shows that I still buy when released on DVD. I find that there are a lot of people who put a lot of time into what they do on the Internet, while there are some ways for them to get money such as things like adsense and becoming a partner on YouTube there aren't often ways to truly show your appreciation. I think something like this is nice because it allows people to make some money from what they create, but it also doesn't rely on advertising. It purely relies on the quality of what you are producing and how much people appreciate that.

Things - Thermomix/BIMBY

2010-04-19T12:18:00.005+09:30

Okay, here is promised blog about the Thermomix (the amazing kitchen appliance that I mentioned in my last blog) which is also known, more affectionately as, the Bimby. How cute.

So the Bimby is fabulous. Apparently it is the most advanced kitchen applicance on the market today and is without rival - and I've got one (well, my mum has one which is just as good. Right?). Oh look, here it is in all of its glory:

Honestly, the Bimby is sensational. It cooks, kneads, pulverises and mills (all grains, wheat, barley and what not), minces, whips, crushes (ice and with the addition of fresh fruit, it makes sorbet which is todiefor), and steams (yummi vegies, fish whatevz!). The bimby makes me amazing bread, gorgeous dips, pasta, risotto, cake mixes, ice cream. Well, I could rant on forever and if you're not impressed now I don't know what classifies as impressive?!
Unfortunately, these machines are not cheap. But, they are really an investiment - especially if you're into all natural, no preservative cooking.
The Bimby is perfect for a new, young couple who are setting up there kitchen. Oh, what lovely thoughts to end this blog on.
What do you think?
You like?
Hmmm, I think I'll go make some dips for lunch now...
Jealous?!

Food - Brekkie Smoothies

2010-04-14T08:45:00.005+09:30

A kick ass brekkie smoothie. Seriously, I can't think of any better way to start the morning. But that's just me... I love smoothies and while I could tell you all the good places around my area to buy them I'm not going to. I'm going to tell you all about the smoothies that I make because I think they are pretty amazing. They are quick, easyand best of all, they are cheap! You know, who wants to pay a whopping 6 dollars from a Boost Juice (or whatever) when you can make one that is equally fabulous at home...and I promise you, they are fab.

So, here's what I do:

1. Get my Thermomix all preped and ready to rock and roll (if you are wondering, 'what the f*** is a Thermomix', it's what I use for a blender. And what an amazing blender it is. It's so good that I'm going to dedicate one whole blog to talking about it. But more of that later. It's Smoothie time)

2. I put a handfull of ice cubes, one frozen banana (this is crucial, a frozen banana makes the texture of the smoothie much thicker and infinitely better), a couple of frozen raspberries, about 50ml of Orange Juice and 100ml of skim milk all into the Thermomix bowl. I turn the Thermomix up to full capaxity spin and BAM. We have a smoothie.

3. For the finishing touches, I sometimes add a teaspoon of honey for a little bit of extra sweetness. Yum.

Honestly, they are incredible and super healthy. No bad stuff, it's all good. So good that I'm off to make one right now.

Do you make any amazing smoothies?
If you do, please tell me about them!

*Kick Ass - note the reference to Tash's previous blog! Yes, I did that on purpose!

Films - Kick Ass

2010-04-13T08:42:00.001+09:30

On Friday I went to go see the much talked about movie Kick Ass, and it was awesome! Unfortunately it's mainly been talked about due to the fact that parents don't think it's an acceptable movie for their children highlighted thanks to another Mel and Kochie crusade, to that I say: well done! The classification board agrees with you, that's why you shouldn't be taking your children to an MA15+ film.

My favourite character in the film is quite obviously the character of Hit Girl, played by Chloe Moretz who has also been in Dirty Sexy Money and (500) Days of Summer. She was insane! The 10 year old version of The Bride from Kill Bill. The film had the perfect amounts of comedy, action, gore and heart felt moments and if it does convince any 10 year old children to become homicidal super heros then at least they'll be doing it in style.

Much of the controversy lies around Hit Girl and the fact that she is taught by her father to kill people in quite gruesome ways, apparently this is going to be teaching our children bad lessons. I suppose that is why the classification board doesn't recommend you taking little kiddies to the film (obviously), I think they realise that people over the age of 15 should have the capability to see what I feel is the true meaning behind a film that is also simply visually stimulating and enjoyable: that regular people have the ability to stand up for others when bad stuff happens rather than just walking by and ignoring it. If I was a film critic I would give it 5 stars!

Eateries - Zambrero, Fresh Mex Grill

2010-04-08T10:49:00.000+09:30

I meant to write about this a little while back when Roxy and I popped in here for lunch the other week. We were supposed to be going to this little vegetarian restaurant that we keep meaning to check out. It's one of those hole in the wall places. Just a yellow door that leads up a flight of stairs to a very small and over crowded room that apparently does very excellent food. I say apparently because it's only recently that we managed to find the place, and when we finally got up there it was way too crowded for us to get a seat and we were in the middle of a lunch break so we couldn't stand around waiting.

Instead we went to a new Mexican place on Rundle Street called Zambrero. I'd walked past it on my way to the vegetarian and it caught my eye (in case you haven't picked up on it, I love Mexican food of any kind whether the genuine or the tex mex sort)

It was a really interesting place, similar to burp in the way that you choose your meat, choose your fillings and then eat an incredibly overstuffed burrito but there were some interesting things about it too. For starters the tortillas were different, I'm not sure if they were more of a traditional style tortilla or not but they seemed to be more like roti to me. Not that this was a problem, they were delicious and freshly made as well. The ones at burp (not that I'm complaining, I'm just still a bit sore over the whole guacamole fiasco) seem just like the ones you get out of the packet. They're tasty but they don't have that fresh taste to them. The chicken we had was also interesting, once again I could almost taste Indian flavours to it. At the end they also offer you a choice of sauces which helped add a bit of zing to the whole thing.

There were only two dissapointing things about the whole place. Firstly there was so mango salsa and I love having mango salsa on my wrap at burp. Secondly they make you pay 50¢ extra for guacamole, that was all a bit too subway for me. Although speaking of quacamole, I did love this:

At least I know that they think guacamole is a very important addition to any burrito, and maybe the extra 50¢ I pay them will go to ensuring that I never end up with a guac-less burrito.

(Their website is also very cute, they even have a game where you shoot flying tacos, burritos and corn chips!)

Stuff I Do - Radio

2010-04-06T16:04:00.003+09:30

As part of my Uni degree I signed up to be involved in a radio show. That's right, every week I get together with a group of 8 other awesome uni students and we plan and produce a really rad radio show. It's called 'Y' on Radio Adelaide 101.5. To sum it up briefly, our show profiles Generation Y - so we bust the myths surrounding the generation, talk about what we like, what we do etc etc. Anyway, the show is on Wednesdays, at 3:00pm on 101.5 (Yes, I did just shamefully plug my radio show on my blog!). I know you want to listen in... right? Come on!

Y. Wednesday. 3:00pm. Radio Adelaide 101.5

So valued readers (I hope you exist!), do you listen to radio?
What programs?
Are they a commercial or community station (Radio Adelaide is Community so no ads...yeeha!)

P.S If you really want to listen in but don't have a radio handy, listen online.

Obsessions - Prams

2010-04-04T08:06:00.002+09:30

So I talked a bit in our first blogs about obsession, so I thought I'd share a little something that I'm a little bit obsessed with. It might seem like a strange thing, considering I'm only 20 and I definitely don't have any bubs of my own, but there is just something about prams/buggies/strollers that I love. These are a selection of some of my favourite ones. The Quinny Zapp, the Cath Kidston Maclaren, the Stokke Explory, a Phil & Teds double buggy, the Bugaboo Chameleon and then a Mamas and Papas Skate. I know most people wont get the obsession side of things, but I think everyone should be able to appreciate that these all have some really nice design elements. I love it when companies get designers such as Cath Kidston (Maclaren) or Paul Frank (Bugaboo) to do designs for them, and I love that all of these have such clean lines and such interesting designs compared to the $24 pram you can pick up from Big W.

So does anyone else appreciate these prams, or do I just seem insane? I'm obviously not going to go out and buy any of these, but like with anything when I see a nice price of design then I can't help but like it.

Look Book Gift Bag - Want Proof?

2010-03-30T17:54:00.005+10:30

A further update on the Look Book instores Gift Bag. Just in case you didn't believe us about how huge it was. Here's proof:

This is the pile of stuff we were given... for free (minus a few bits and pieces that I'm already using and some that I so kindly gave to a few special friends to try!) And a happy snap of myself with my two favourite items:
Oh.my.goodness these two items rock my socks. I've already talked about the Kora Body Lotion but on the other side we have HissyFits Protect.Renew.Perfect range - it includes a great tinted moisturiser (no kidding... it's so wonderful that I don't need foundation), a lip balm with SPF 30+ and a hand cream with sunscreen. It's so important that we protect our skin and this fab new range is the perfect answer. yay!

Oh and in relation to Tash's Valentines Cupcakes... If I have anything to do with it she will have them mastered waaaay before next Feb. In fact I think I'll call her now and get her on to it.

Adelaide Life - A Week in Review

2010-03-29T00:25:00.002+10:30

I would like to add to Roxy's post to say that the Primped Look Book session was amazing, thanks o Roxy I went along although. Unfortunately we went on different days and so there I was looking like an absolute goof dressed up ready for a pub crawl surrounded by these lovely looking ladies and of course the gorgeous Zoe! I felt a little out of place to say the least. I'm also a bit jealous of Roxy rifling through her goodie bag, because I'm yet to see mine as I had to leave it with a friend who works at David Jones before heading out on the annual engineering pub crawl. I'm very much looking forward to going through it after uni tomorrow.

In other news I'm currently feeling very inadequate. These cupcakes appeared in my tumblr today at I am yet to work out how to make them.

They call them Valentine's Day Cupcakes, so watch this space. I'm determined to have perfected them by next Valentine's Day.

I've also been enjoying a little bit of the French Film Festival. Not nearly half as much as I would have liked. I did manage to see two films that were absolutely delightful. They were Nueilly Sa Mère! and Micmacs à Tire-Larigot. Both were funny but also sweet, Micmacs is made by the same guy who directed Amélie so it has that same sort of peculiar aspect while also having quite a charming story behind it. Nueilly Sa Mère (Nueilly Yo Mama in English) was hilarious and it was pretty funny hearing jokes about the Jonas Brothers, iPhones and Sarkozy all in one film. I would recommend both of them, and I'll definitely be sourcing them when they come out on DVD along with a long list of Wong Kar Wai I'm attempting to get my hands on.

It's been a fun week in little old Adelaide.

The day I fell MORE in love with Primped (and David Jones)

2010-03-28T20:12:00.003+10:30

It has been way too long since I last blogged... Thanks Uni... But on a happier note, my blogging drought has officially ended after I was inspired over the weekend. So what got me so excited that I had to jump onto the computer and blast my opinion out into the virtual world? Primped Look Book instores, that's what.

Okay, lets start from the beginning. In case you didn't know Primped is a beauty website - they actually sum it up really nicely themselves in their website's header: "Primped: the go-to for the how-to in beauty". So, it's super awesome and has tonnes of great tips to help us mere mortals get the newest, hottest look. And I just want to quickly say, if you are sitting there rolling your eyes at the sheer vanity of this all then please hold up: sometimes a nice new polish or a new product that helps your hair not friz on a humid day just makes you feel happy. So there. It's nice to feel happy.

Anyway, Primped do a Look Book every season and it's filled with a quick summary of the new trends and the best products. It's really cute and its free from all David Jones stores. Recently, Zoe Foster (the Editor-In-Chief) ran sessions in David Jones stores around the country to promote the Look Book and wow, it was fantastic. I learned so much got the most incredible gift bag. No kidding, there was about 20 products in the bag. My personal favourite: a 200ml bottle of Kora Body Lotion (Miranda Kerr's new organic skin care range) - it smells so good and my skin loves me for using it.
Jealous much?

Adelaide Life - End of the Festival Season

2010-03-18T10:55:00.002+10:30

The 14th of March signaled the end of the Fringe and the Adelaide Festival, and just like every other time it comes to an end I find myself wishing I'd gotten more involved. This year I actually went to more things than I ever have before. I saw Adam Hills, Josh Thomas, Josh Earl and Ross Noble. They were all great and very funny but they were only the tip of the Fringe iceberg that I could have experienced. So here is a list of the things I wish I had seen.

The Garden of Unearthly Delights
I did go to the garden, twice, but I spent my time lined up to see Josh Thomas or Adam Hills. I didn't go trawl through all the hippie stalls. I didn't buy corn on the cob (delicious, delicious corn). I didn't go through the freak show tent. I didn't sit down and have a drink and take in the beautiful place that the garden is transformed into. This is one of my favourite things about the Fringe and I'm kicking myself for not spending a night just to take it in. Especially since Kirby has never been before (except for our line experience) so that would have been a great excuse to go!

The Northern Lights
Once again, something I've already seen before but stuff that I can always go again. I didn't actually see the lights until Tuesday night when we were driving past the festival centre and I noticed them on one of the buildings. So apart from witnessing the giant black boxes out the front of uni I really missed out this year. The lights completely transform the buildings on North Terrace and while they aren't too exciting it would have been nice to just take some time out and have a look at them.

Plays
I don't even know if there were any plays in the Fringe that I would have wanted to see in particular, but the Fringe is a great excuse to go see some acting and I didn't even bother. My goal in general is to go see more theatre productions but I going to see some during the Fringe would have been really great.

Writers' Week
I did go to writers week, for the first time ever, but I just wish that I'd seen more writers. I missed out on Richard Dawkins and Irvine Welsh and lots of other authors I'd never heard of but who would have probably been interesting to hear speak. It's a lovely atmosphere just sitting on the lawns listening to people speak, so next year I'm definitely filling up my writers' week schedule!

Format Festival
I've never been to the Format Zine Shop, but I think I'll have to get there soon, and truthfully I don't know a lot about what they do but I really wish I had gone to something to try and get a better idea. This is what Format say about themselves "We put on arts events in and around Adelaide such as the annual Format Festival (including the Academy of DIY, Adelaide Zine Fair & the Street Dreams urban art festival), the art show Big! and Renew Adelaide. We are now also running the Format Zine Shop in the centre of Adelaide city." They sound pretty cool right? Well I just wish I'd had a look and seen what they were all about rather than just constantly getting updates on facebook telling me that I really should be checking out what young creative people in Adelaide are doing.

Rundle Street
It's not really a particular even of the Fringe, but I just wish I'd spent more time down there. It's a completely different atmosphere down there when they close off the road to the lower half and it's almost impossible to move along the sidewalk. It's just really exciting being amongst so many people who are in town at night not to get drunk but to have coffee or gelato or to eat tea or just to go see a show and it's something that you don't actually get to experience in Adelaide very often.

So that is my list, and there are probably more things. I just wonder does anyone else find themselves at the end of festival season wishing they'd gone to so much more?

Life - Sick Days

2010-03-14T22:58:00.001+10:30

I've decided to declare my love for sick days. For spending the whole day in bed, snuggled up with a blanket or a quilt. For staying in pajamas all day. For being allowed to forget about cleaning the house or buying groceries. For being allowed to not think about work or university or anything else and for just being able to do nothing.

I'm not saying sick days don't have some downsides, the obvious one being that you are sick. Being sick is pretty sucky, and it's usually filled with many undesirable symptoms that not only make you feel pretty lame but also make you a very disgusting being to be within two feet of. But this is also one of the things that makes sick days so fantastic, you are allowed to wallow in the self pity of your sickness rather than feel like you are supposed to pull yourself together and try and continue on with life.

In case it isn't noticeable I've spent the past week in a blur of sickness. It all started with a head cold that kept me in a painful and snotty stupor until I managed to get my hands on the holy grail, Codral (with my favourites pseudoephedrine and codeine). Suddenly the skies cleared and I could think, and breath and swallow and sleep. This was until I spent a day walking around feeling like my legs were about to fall off and my stomach was about to jump out of my mouth due to some lovely side-effects and I stopped taking my Codral and have since then been left feeling pretty horrible. Thankfully I spent today sleeping so I'm feeling slightly better, although this has been dampened by the fact that I have a bazillion pages of readings to do.

Darn!

Media Talk - Google Italy charged and convicted of privacy violations

2010-03-09T15:57:00.003+10:30

Yes, it is true, the Italian court has convicted three Google executives of pricacy violations because bullies posted a video online of an autistic boy being abused. Wow.

Now, I'd like to say that I know this becuase I'm a super dooper trustworthy news maven but then I would be fibbing. Truth is, while I am upto date with Australian news, I'm a little shabby with overseas stuff, so I only know about this becuase I had to find a really good story for a Uni assignment. But anyway, how I came across this sad story (which is sad on many levels) is not the point, the point is that it's really interesting. I won't go on about the in's and out's of issue in detail but I will say two things: First, those evil, evil bullies that abused an autistic boy are in my bad books for life - how could someone do that? I don't think I'll ever know... Second, how is Google at fault? Apparently they took down the video as soon as it was brought to thier attention, and they provided infomation on the people who uploaded the video so that they could be brought to justice. I'm confused and slightly worried about the future of freedom on the internet and platforms like 'Blogger' and 'YouTube' if more cases like this occur.

If your interested check out the Official Google Blog's post (a really good read) on this issue.

Crazy stuff.

FYI, if you think Tash's cup cakes looked amazing, well, I hate to tease, but they tasted incredible too. Oh dear!

Shopping - Kikki.K

2010-03-09T15:35:00.001+10:30

A fantastic thing happened on Saturday the 6th of March, kikki.K opened it's Adelaide store in Rundle Mall, and I managed to miss it. This Saturday was the first Saturday I've had off work in a very long time, and I'm still kicking myself for not knowing about the store opening sooner. For those of you who don't know kikki.K is a stationary heaven, created and designed by Swedish born Kristina "Kikki"Karlsson.

It's hard to pinpoint what my favourite part of the store is. The designs are just adorable, from plain red and black journals to fun diaries with bicycles and ice cream cones there is a lot to choose from whether you are more traditional or a bit eclectic. Another thing I love about their products is the fact that they don't just sell diaries and letter writing sets. The shelves are filled with interesting things like friendship books, and folders to plan things such as your 'dream home'. I could go on forever about all the different things they have, but I think it's something that is if you check it out yourself!

I think I've even managed to fall more in love with this store than I am with the colour co-ordinated tie section of Myer. Everything is organised into the different collections and colours, and they have sample products for you to look at and flick through. Not only to get the creative juices flowing but also to have a proper look at what you're actually buying. I'm so sick of shrinkwrapped notebooks and journals that you buy in the hope that it'll actually be what you're looking for.

Finally, what I think was my favourite part of the store, the lovely people who work there! I came into the store with a carton of cupcakes and I wished that I could have actually given one to them all because they were all so friendly and lovely! They were wonderful as I dashed between the store and the bank due to a public holiday money fiasco, because I desperately needed to leave town today clutching one of their 2010 diaries.

So if you find yourself walking down Rundle Mall go check out kikki.K, it's affordable and incredibly gorgeous! They're even offering $10 bonus gift cards at the moment when you buy something to celebrate the opening!

Baking - Rainbow Cupcakes

2010-03-08T17:11:00.001+10:30

Today was the Adelaide Cup public holiday, and I was so thankful for it. Usually I don't really care about public holidays. My mondays at uni are usually pretty short and the only thing public holidays mean is that I can't go to the shops. Today was different. I got to sleep in, get up to date in Gossip Girl, Work on some uni assignments, laugh as my housemate was reeled into talking to some mormons, and I got to bake.

I've been meaning to make some of these rainbow cupcakes ever since I stumbled across the pretty foods tumblr. Kirby (my housemate for all future references) beat me to it a few weeks ago but graciously bought me a packet of cupcake mix so that I could finally get my chance. I just used Green's vanilla cupcake mix, because I was very lazy, my wonderful Wilton's food colouring and I made some cream cheese icing which I piped on and decorated with mini hearts. Now that I've finally got around to making some I'll have to start experimenting with using cakes made from scratch rather than packet mix. This has really just made me realise that I need to buy a new camera!

Rundle Adventures - Clothes and Coffee

2010-03-05T15:55:00.005+10:30

Okay, so, it's my mum's 50th this coming weekend. That's right, the big 5-0. Half a century. Wow... So I guess you're all thinking 'sweet big party'... Well no. Mum's not into big celebrations centered around her so we're just going out for dinner at this beautiful restaurant down in McLaren Vale called Oscars. If you're keen for a fine wine and dining experience McLaren Vale is filled with cute places... But more on that later on. Let's get to the point already... Which is the two 'Essentail C's' - Clothes and Coffee... Yippee!

Earlier today I thought, 'right I'm going out for a lovely dinner this coming weekend what will I need?' Hmmm, I definitely heard the tiny little devil hovering above my ear whispering... What was she saying? 'Mess'? No. 'Test'? No. Ohhhh, dress! Duh. I totally need to go spend money (that I don't necessarly have) on a new dress for my mothers 50th birthday dinner. So, this is exactly what happened. I dragged darling Tash from our lecture/tutorial this afternoon (FYI, a lecture hosted by the nicest, cutest lecturer ever) towards my all time favourite clothing store Kookai.

I found the (purple) dress I wanted in about five seconds flat so there was no problem there, until one of the hot retail assistants pointed out to me that there was infact three colours; purble, black and red. I gasped, Tash rolled her eyes. I wanted the red one, didn't I? Well, after trying the red one on, then the purple again, I settled on the red. I think it looks nice. Unfortunatly not as nice and the grey version looks on this stunning model:

Dont be fooled, the balck skirt does not come with the dress, I'll just be wearing it plain with some accessories. Maybe I'll upload a pic of the red one with me in it... well, that's a big maybe.

So, visit Kookai. It's awesome. Then go to Gloria Jeans Coffees and buy a 'Very Vanilla Chiller with a shot of hazelnut syrup'. That's what we did anyway because everyone knows that after a good shopping experience, you're worn out and need some extra energy... Well that, and, it just tastes so damn good!

Before I go, just a quick comment about Tash's Burp post: a Burp wrap without guacomole is like a meat pie without sauce. Poor form Burp, Poor form.

Ciao!

Things - Polaroid

2010-03-04T00:57:00.000+10:30

So I told myself I wouldn't post more than once in a day, because I don't want to be hogging the blogosphere. Technically I suppose I'm not going against that because it is now technically Thursday so we'll just ignore the fact that I made my first 'Tash-only' post merely hours ago.

As the title suggests this is about Polaroid and their instant cameras, it has been brought about by me realising that I really want one of these:

According to Gizmodo this baby will be coming out sometime in the near future and I want one of these all for myself. I currently own 6 Polaroid cameras, the latest addition came just the other day when my aunt bought me one at auction. I've only ever taken photos with one of these cameras and have only ever used up two packets of film. Despite my somewhat measly dealings with the actual 'instant photography' side of things I love Polaroid cameras probably more than all of my other cameras, but I just don't understand where I stand with this company and these cameras.

When Polaroid announced that they were ceasing production of their film I was devastated, granted I'd never used or owned one before but I was still devastated. Then along came this amazing thing called The Impossible Project who were going to start manufacturing Polaroid instant film once official production was stopped. I loved the concept of this site, especially the fact that they had little media packs you could download to help spread word of the plight of Polaroid instant film. The only problem was I never really understood what was happening, whether they were actually going to go ahead with their plans with large scale possibilities or whether it was a bit of a pipe dream. So today, days after receiving my newest Polaroid addition, I've been scanning their new and improved website (online store and all) and I still can't figure out what the deal is.

So much of the film in the store is "sold out" and I have no idea whether this means sorry this has all been snatched up super quick, wait for the next batch or sorry, while we make some random Polaroid films anything you actually need was sold out long ago and will never be manufactured again. If anyone knows the real situation I'd love to know what it is because I have six pretty babies sitting on my shelf yearning to pump out some instant shots.

Eateries - Burp Burrito

2010-03-03T16:04:00.004+10:30

I began a love affair back in 2005 with a little place called Burp Burrito. It was this fantastic place that introduced me to having rice in a burrito and where you could stuff a tortilla with so many fresh salsas that it could hardly stay closed. Throughout the years our relationship has become less and less frequent. By the time I get to the end of Rundle Mall I'm usually more interested in catching the tram home rather than heading on down Hindley Street and forking out $7.20 for a burrito. Today though I got the craving and I made my way there, but I was sadly disappointed.

Firstly as I got to the end of the subway like burrito bar I discovered that they were all out of guacamole! This is one of my favourite additions to the dear burrito but despite my enquiries as to whether there was more out the back my burrito was guacamole-less. Perhaps it was just the disappointment over the guacamole that tainted that first bite but the burrito just wasn't the same. The flavours didn't combine together to create the awesome "POW" that I was used to.

Maybe I should have pieced it together at first by the fact that they were playing this:

rather than this:

I'm sorry Burp but you just lost your style.

(saying this, if you haven't been to Burp then definitely go there. It's far better than most fast food places and much more affordable than places like Nandos. Don't let my little qualm deter you, they are still a fantastic place to eat)

Welcome

2010-03-02T14:16:00.002+10:30

Hi there. Welcome to the blog, I'm Tash.

Hey. Ditto, I'm Roxy.

We've known each other since we were three years old and for part of that we lived next door to each other or I've lived on the other side of the world, or we operate as we do now living at different ends of Adelaide and mainly only seeing each other for breakfast dates or lunch dates at uni.

Regardeless, our friendship still rocks and we are close. Knowing everything about someone, what they like and hate, what their virtues and vices are... it's cool. For example, I know Tash loves baking and she knows that I love eating her cookies so we have this unspoken agreement that when I really need cookies... I get them! Do you have that sort of friend?

I read somewhere that for a blog to be successful the blogger should be obsessed with something, therefore I think I'd make a perfect blogger as my life is filled with obsessions. I'm obsessed with home wares, particularly things in pastel colours, floral patterns or anything that aids in baking or presenting baked goods. I'm obsessed with lots of other things too like books, dvds and origami. Basically I guess this doesn't really narrow down the things I'm likely to post about.

And me. Well I wouldn't say my life is filled with static obsessions, I'm one of those people that flitters in between them. I might be obsessed with reading for a while, then suddenly decide to be an exercise nut and randomly become a surf life saver. I love shopping, and for a while I was the 'shop in the shopping centre only' type of girl but now I'm finally accepting the online shopping environment. Yay. I really like food; cooking and eating out, bring it on; so you'll probably hear a lot about the new fun and yummy places I've been to.

Basically this blog will be about things we enjoy, things we discover, things that we just want to complain about and things that we come across in the Media.

But don't worry, we don't complain much. Enjoy!