This past Saturday and Sunday was my official birthday weekend but we all know I will spend the whole month celebrating. My actual birthday fell on the Monday – the first weekday birthday I have had in two years – and I was looking forward to it.

The festivities began when work finished Friday night, I met up with Miss A, who was in town visiting from Canberra, and we headed back to Casa Sarah for some champers and a catch up! Lot’s of bubbles later we headed over to Bamboo and Lily Thai for dinner, then back to the city to partake in further drinking at Cookie Rooftop (or Curtin House for those of you who know Melbourne best!). It was a balmy night to be on a rooftop and we laughed and enjoyed the views with the after work crowds. From here it was on to Tony Starr’s Kitten Club for cocktails and further fun and frivolity.

Saturday dawned bright and beautiful; Miss A and I took a visit (via the scenic route when I took a wrong turn) to Brunswick for a spot of op shopping and some fabulous coffee. The Savers Superstore is the place to be – I picked up some vintage slips, elbow length gloves and a tote while Miss A (a fabulous fashionista and designer herself!) procured two tops that will be inspiration and possibly even could be reworked into some seriously sensational new threads. We frocked up for our trip to Madame Brussels for the afternoon (you can read that blog post in detail here) and by the time I got home a quiet night on the couch with Vogue Australia and Cool Runnings was the perfect way to spend a night in.

While Miss A had my couch on Friday night, Miss W had the honours on Saturday night and Sunday morning began with driving a slightly less perky Miss W home (a hens night will do it to you every time!). A few episodes of The OC to fill in the day and by 2pm I was in my birthday dress, pouring a birthday drink, with birthday hair and makeup all set to go. At 3pm, we hit Honey, a South Melbourne bar with plenty of spunk, to celebrate my entry to the next quarter century club (yep, that’s right, I’m totally over the (first) hill).
As friends arrived we drank, laughed and chatted away the afternoon. Champagne, cocktails (on the house for the birthday girl thanks to the wonderful team at Honey) and yummy finger food were all part of the celebrations and I could not have asked for a more special gathering for my birthday. In all, about 15 of my nearest and dearest made the trip into town and by the time we returned to my apartment close to 8pm I was feeling happy and content – and the big day hadn’t even arrived yet!

When it did, my first thoughts were to thank the birthday fairies for blessing me with a birthday miracle. No hangover. I put on (another) birthday frock and headed into work for a day filled with emails, text messages, phone calls, facebook mentions, hugs and good wishes. We had lunch at Poppy’s Thai, there was cake thanks to my boss (and gluten free!) and I left on the dot of 5pm. People wondered why I didn’t take the day off but why would you want to miss spending the day with wonderful people who treat you like a princess on your special day!?

Dinner was with family and worth only having half a piece of cake in the afrternoon for. My favourite home cooked meal, cheesecake and sponge cake, a pile of gifts and a visit from close family friends. When I was full to bursting and felt like I couldn’t smile anymore, I jumped in the car to head back the city (and smiled all the way).

This birthday was truly special and amazingly perfect – I would not have changed one thing. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so happy and loved!!

(Image 1: Miss A, myself and Miss R at Madame Brussels; Image 2: Miss W, Miss M, Miss T and me and Honey)

www.honeybar.com.au

“The feeling of wearing new shoes while shopping for more new shoes. I wish you that on your birthday”

Hallmark cards via my boss

It was a fine Saturday afternoon in Melbourne when I popped on a fabulous frock and heels to meet the lovely ladies of fashion at Madame Brussels. Having heard so much about this establishment I was quite looking forward to an afternoon of cocktails, cupcakes and the quaint décor that MBs is renowned for.

We experienced a minor hiccup, not being able to find the venue from street level (although this does give it the allure of being special and rare!) but upon finding the elevator, the doors opened to a gorgeous garden setting complete with grass, pathways, lattice and ornate furniture. The setting was divine, the guests all dressed for the occasion and the staff finished off the picture perfectly. It was time to (tea) party.

We started with a table on the rooftop, sipping on Pimms and a cocktail going by the name of Undress Me Slowly. A jug of your favourite is $30 for singles and $50 for doubles (think tennis) which was more than enough to keep us going to quite some time. We posed under parasols, admired the staff’s attire and watched little dogs run around the ‘garden’ – it was bliss.

As the sun climbed higher we ventured inside for some relief and continued our cocktail journey with The Golden Girls. The old fashioned hand lawnmower, a Barbie pink bathroom and the floral patterns on the cushions adorning the chairs all made for a surreal experience but one brilliantly put together – you could easily imagine yourself in an English garden if the views of Melbourne from the rooftop weren’t so good.

While we spent only a few hours at Madame Brussels, I can’t wait to pick my outfit for next time. I’ve already earmarked a few more cocktails to try and I definitely want a Dixie Cup (remember the ice cream???). Apparently in winter, the staff bring you blankets when the temperature drops below 14 degrees and the thought of being wrapped up on a Melbourne rooftop is just too fun for words!

www.madamebrussels.com

I’ve spoken before about my limited culinary experiences growing up and how I was bought up to be a meat and 3 veg kind of girl. While I still love my meatloaf (my mum makes the BEST meatloaf, I swear it rocks my world), my favourite cuisine is Thai food and I would eat it for lunch and dinner every day given the opportunity.

I have never been to Thailand but I hear the food there is more than phenomenal. Thai here is pretty darn good too and I’d like to point you in the direction of my favourites. It seems that more often than not, the ‘good’ Thai places in Melbourne are generally the ones that get called ‘dodgy’ or are so full of kitsch you feel uncomfortable being there. My favourites are clean (I wouldn’t settle for anything less) and have charm (not to mention amazing food), but don’t overdo it.

Pad Thai is a staple at every Thai restaurant and falls in my top 3 Thai dishes. I have eaten it at each of these restaurants so many times I can’t count anymore and while I rarely stray from ordering from my favourites, each of these venue has a drool worthy menu of dishes to tempt and delight. 

First up is Bamboo and Lily, Elwood. This one is a modern Thai restaurant that has no cultural décor as all. It is minimalist at best but the food is spectacular. Lisa, your host, is also lovely and will probably remember your name (she knows ours!). Bamboo and Lily has the friendly appeal of your local with your favourite international cuisine and being located in a beachside suburb with an al fresco feel from the open shop front gives it that bit extra over traditional Thai eateries.

Poppy’s Thai, in Docklands and Croydon, are both favourites from way back. Poppy’s Croydon is located in Main Street and while it’s very quiet during the week, book for Friday and Saturday or risk missing out. Poppy’s balances just the right amount of oriental décor with divine food and speedy service. The Docklands equivalent serves equally as good food, but their service (for a restaurant with ‘express’ in the title) leaves something to be desired. Lunch here is somewhat slow but very much worth the wait.

If you are out in the Eastern suburbs, Basil Leaf Thai in Montrose is the pick of the bunch. Don’t even think about turning up without a booking – this intimate venue only seats about 20 people and is full up most every night, A favourite for surrounding suburbs, Basil Leaf has been in Montrose institution for quite some time and the kindly owner gives the place plenty of personality. Visit Skyhigh around the corner at Mount Dandenong after dinner – another good reason to visit the ‘burbs.

Bamboo and Lily 94 ormond road elwood vic 9531 3382
Poppys Express 763 bourke street docklands vic 9600 4166
Poppys Thai 106 main street croydon vic 9725 2969
Basil Leaf Shop 9/926 dandenong tourist road montrose vic 9761 8188

Where is your Thai local? What do you love about it and which dish takes your number one spot?

28 days of February

Good things come in small packages.
February is one of them.

February is my birthday month and I just love my birthday. It’s kind of disappointing it’s always so hot and unnecessarily close to Christmas, but it’s still my month and I love it. I like to spread my birthday out over the whole 28 (or sometimes 29) days with dinners, lunches, catch ups and drinks – any excuse to throw in ‘oh, it’s my birthday’ and I’ll be there. Another great thing about February is that you can take the whole 28 days and not be greedy, when months with 31 days are just plain self-indulgent.

In honour of my 28 day long birthday, here are 14 things on my wish list this year, one fopr every second day (cause I’m not greedy. Much.)

The Riley Doc Bag in Black from Mimco $379
http://www.mimco.com.au/Product/Bags_15/Leather_21/RILEY-DOC-BAG_3143/index.aspx

Scrumptious Productions black rose earrings $20
http://dorothyandevelyn.com/index.php?cPath=135_544_597

Leona Edmiston Olivia maxi dress POA
http://www.leonaedmiston.com/

IKEA Kilan Bedspread in Orange $99
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/categories/departments/Textiles/

The September Issue DVD $34.95
http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/810051

Kikki K Life Through A Lens Camera Kit $39.95
http://www.kikki-k.com/shop/product/camera-kit-love-mail/

Venus purple chair from Chair Imports POA
http://www.chairimports.com.au/Chairs-European_Beech.aspx

Chanel: Collections and Creations $40
http://www.amazon.com/Chanel-Collections-Creations-Daniele-Bott/dp/0500513600/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265002517&sr=8-13

Geneva shoes by Tony Bianco $159.95
http://www.tonybianco.com.au/product.asp?page=7&categoryID=37&productID=988

Maticevski beaded tulle strapless dress at Myer Designer Pop Up $549
http://gifts.myer.com.au/Collection.aspx?CollectionID=49

Manning Cartell ‘Ratler’ Jacket at Myer Designer Pop Up $479
http://gifts.myer.com.au/au_manning-cartell-ratler-jacket_d_3231.aspx

Prada sunglasses $252.50
http://www.visiondirect.com.au/designer-sunglasses/Prada/Prada-PR01HS-1AB1A1-2118.html

Tiffany & Co Somerset silver bangle $580
http://au.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=22763024&mcat=148204&cid=287458&search_params=s+5-p+2-c+287458-r+601323338-x+-n+6-ri+-ni+0-t+

‘Fashion can be bought, style one must possess’ Bangle by Jessica Kangan Cushman $179
http://www.mico-mico.com/Fashion_can_be_bought_Style_one_must_possess_Br_p/jkc0012.htm

A few weeks back you might remember I went to the Britney Spears concert. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t brilliant either. Last night I went to the Lily Allen concert. It wasn’t bad. It was fucking brilliant. Lily wiped the floor with Britney, and threw in one of her songs (which she performed live and better) for good measure.

Festival Hall can be called an iffy venue at the best of times. In my experience (I’ve seen Muse, Pete Murray and The Presets at Festy) the venue is akin to a big shed with no climate control, a dirty-grungy feel and poor accessibility. However, the acoustics are pretty hard to match and for an ‘intimate’ venue (when compared with the likes of Rod Laver Arena) the crowd vibe is pretty unique. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I had general admission tickets and within minutes of the music starting I was taken back to the days of my youth (yes, I know I am only 25, I’m talking like 18) when vodka based lolly water and a nightclub was the best part of my weekend. Being in seats might be civilised but being in the crowd where the heat is oppressive and your personal space is invaded really gives you that concert feel.  

Miami Horror started the night – I have to confess I didn’t know who they were until I Googled them – and got the crowd geared up for an awesome few hours of entertainment. Their hit, Sometimes, finished up their set and a brief (ok, it felt like forever when you are standing in the Festival Hall hotbox) 15 minutes later, Lily Allen was on stage. She wore a black and silver long sleeve mini dress with runners, her short bob loose.

Lily Allen at Festival Hall. Image thanks to Herald Sun

Lily interacted with the fans, chatted between songs and bounced around the stage like the pop star that she is. All the favourites were there – Smile, Who’d Have Known?, 22 and The Fear – while she also showed her talents at others songs, covering the Kooks’ Naive, the SOS Band’s Just Be Good To Me and Britney Spears’ Womanizer, where she wowed in a leopard print skin tight frock.

While Lily spoke of Melbourne being a bit special to her, she also confirmed that this was one of her last solo gigs for a while and thanked the fans for their support. Her encore was sublime, starting the frenzy with Womanizer, hitting the right notes with Fuck You and finally ending with Not Fair. It was an amazing erformance and one which the predominately female crowd resonated with.

I loved the concert, it definitely makes my top 3 and you might say I have been converted to the joys of the general admission ticket. Everyone else might be taller than me, there might be beer spilt on my feet and I might spend most of the two hours on my tip toes but the general admission crowd are the essence of any good concert and they certainly know how to party.

Fancy something special for your beloved this Valentines Day? Why stop at just one? You can get three something specials for $80 when you shop online with Conversation Pieces in the next 72 hours. Find cute, sweet, sexy and sultry all the one place at www.shopconversationpieces.com.

It doesn’t take a brain scientist to work out that I am a bit of a princess at times. I like a little bit of luxury, am fond of the finer things in life and yes, I have a cleaner. Some things are just better left to the professionals. I love the beach and the snow, but I’m not so fond of the country. I enjoy lying on the sand in sun (fully slip slop slapped of course), but I don’t go in the water. I’m a minimum 4 star girl all the way – definitely not the kind of girl one takes on a camping trip.

My last camping trip occurred when I was about 15 years old. A girlfriend and her family invited me to Lakes Entrance for the New Year and I was thrilled to be the one she wanted to take. I remember packing my bag taking everything but the kitchen sink – you never know when you might need something! My bags could have seen me through a European work holiday for six months but I was adamant – I needed it all. Just as I was getting geared up to head off for the week, Mum saw the size of my bag(s) and immediately proceeded to unpack the lot and identify why I didn’t need each item I had packed. Who needs full size Pantene shampoo and conditioner while camping? Who? ME!

While my mother unpacked my bag, shaking her head and laughing, my dad caught the entire unpacking shambles on our video recorder. I hate to think where that footage is, but I have that unnerving feeling that they are hiding it somewhere, awaiting my 30th birthday. Repacked, I headed off for the week, with much less baggage than before.

Ten years later, I can’t recall what I wished I’d had while I was away, or what I never used, but this Australia Day weekend, I braved camping again and this time, I think I may have got it right.

While this was only one night of ‘roughing it’, I like to think that I must ease myself into these things. I scare easy. The destination this time around was Port Arlington. There was a camping ground, a fully fitted out tent (x7 – my friends travel in packs), the beach was less than 100 metres away and there was a café with some of the best coffee I have ever had. I slept on a blow up single mattress with a sleeping bag and towel as a pillow. I lived to tell the tale. I had fun.

I am sure some of you must be thinking – um, hello? It’s just camping!! But ten years ago, while camping with my friend at Lakes Entrance, it rained. It rained a lot. Our tent leaked and I was miserable. We spent the week sleeping in the boat (which was actually a lot of fun when you are 15 but beside the point) and I said ‘never again’. I don’t do water, I don’t do country, I don’t do tents. 

So it seems camping has come a long way in ten years. And maybe I have grown up just a little bit. It wasn’t all sausages in bread, toilets in holes and showers in the river – I’m pretty sure you can even get camping couture. My friends have put me down to stay the whole four nights next year. I can’t imagine how many bags I will need to take for that though.