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Next time I'm in Paris...

Thursday, October 29, 2009


...I want to stay here...

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Favourite new nailpolish colour

Wednesday, October 28, 2009


Finding a new nailpolish colour that you are in love with i believe is close to the moment you find religion.  Who knows when it will ever come along but you have faith that one day it will happen...well I found it!  It's called "Over the Taupe" by OPI and I'm obsessed.  It is my new religion.
L xxx

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This little piggy went to Prada

Monday, October 26, 2009


Last Thursday was my last day at my old job and my wonderful colleagues gave me a georgous Georgio Armani pen as a leaving gift.  My boss also gave me as a little side gift the most fabulous book and I had to share it with you! They are "Nursery Rhymes for the Blahnik Brigade" and as soon as I have children I will be definately be reading them this version of Baa Baa Blacksheep.

Baa Baa black goat,
Have you any wool?
Yes Missoni,
Three bags full
One for a cami,
And one for a throw,
And one for some cashmere socks
To warm Mimi's toes.

L xxx

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Motorhead Tee

Sunday, October 25, 2009



 

C xx
1. Before applying makeup and after moisturising, USE A PRIMER. It'll help you acheive a flawless finish. It'll also help to protect your skin.

2. If your nails get discoloured from wearing nailpolish, remove the polish and soak nails in warm water for 15 minutes with the juice of half a lemon. An amazingly good natural whitening trick.

3. Always take your make up off before you go to bed. Otherwise it'll dry out your skin and clog your pores. Even if you use mineral make-up, take it off - you need to give your skin a rest! Oh and you don't want ugly make-up stains all over your pillow.

4. To help reduce frizz and flyaways, use a satin/silk pillow slip. If you can't find one, they're ridiculously easy to make, or alternatively place a silk/satin scarf over your pillow at night.

5. If you've run out of toner, splash your face with cold water after cleansing. Toner is supposed to get any remining dirt/oil/makeup off your face, reduce the appearance of pores/fine lines/ wrinkles and prepare the skin for moisturiser. A good cleanser should really get rid of makeup, oil and dirt and the cold water will help to stimulate circulation, thereby helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and reducing the appearance of pores.

6. Switch to a lighter moisturiser/treatment in the warmer months. Your face will already be getting extra moisture from increased sweating and sebum production. If you use a heavier moisturiser in summer there's also a greater chance your make-up will slide off by mid morning.

7. Eat after exercising. Exercise stimulates your metabolism which means you'll burn kJ faster. It also means you won't have your food jumping around in your stomach.

8. Whilst you can't actually make pores smaller, you can reduce their appearance by making sure they don't get clogged. A great way to do this is by steaming your face over a bowl of hot water and a few drops of your favourite essential oil (I suggest peppermint or lavender). It'll also help to calm and relax your mind.

9. Eat tomato's, spinach, fish, eggs, blueberries, nuts and pommegranates to keep wrinkles at bay. These foods contain high amounts of vitamins and nutrients essential for healthy (and moisturised) hair, skin and nails - including B-vitamins, Lycopene, Anti-oxidants, Omega fatty acids, B-Vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Selenium just to name a few. It's just as important to look after your skin from the inside.

10. Wear a sunscreen (even in Winter!) UVA/UVB rays are THE major cause of wrinkles - even on cloudy days.

C xx
OK old news I know. Ridiculous shoes = shock value. What I want to know is, as fabulous as they are, has anyone seen a pair of these (doppelganger's or otherwise) walking down the street??


 
 

 
LOVE the clutch...
 
 



I want one!

All images care of Style.com

C xx

Lippy

Saturday, October 24, 2009


Regardless of the season, lip gloss, stain or stick is a must. Here are a few of my Summer favourites...



Clockwise from top:


Sally Hanson Lip Inflation
I've already blogged about this sticky plumping gloss, still a summer fave although not really suitable for the beach or windy days. awesome over lipstick for ultra shine.  

Invisible Zinc, Tinted Lip and Cheek Balm
Love love love this product. Works like a stain/cream blush on the cheeks and is an absolute dream on the lips - although I should warn that unless you have naturally super moist lips you'll probably want to use in conjunction with a clear moisturising balm/gloss (I like to use the Vaseline Lip Therapy) over the top as it had the propensity to dry my lips out a bit. 

Clinique lip gloss in Peach Plump
Such a pretty shade, gives only the slightest pinky hugh to the lips. 

Aesop Tuberose Lip Heal
I won't go on about this one as I've mentioned it on this blog before - absolute lip must have. Abosrbs quickly, more of a treatment than a gloss. It's a conditioner for your lips.

Dior, DiorKiss in 008 Lemon Sorbet Meringue and also778 Red Currant
The best thing about this lip gloss is the smell. No. 008 smells like lemon delicious and tastes just as good. Unfortunately it was a little thicker and sparklier than I had anticipated (what was I expecting with a description like Diamond Sparkles??) It'll stay on for a good few hours though, and on the face of any loved ones, clothing, etc.

Napolean Perdis, Satin Lips in Alexis
This is such a gorgeous shade, if you want a sheer cherry hue, just apply to the bottom lip and press lips together. If you apply a few coats, you'll get a lovely dense red/coral gloss. The only down side is that if you do apply a thicker coat or two, you'll need to keep reapplying constantly throughout the day/night.

Chanel, Brillant Levres, no. 68
Sooooooo lovely. I have nothing to complain.

Vaseline Lip Therapy (clear)
My all-in-one gloss coat and lippy sunscreen, I would be lost without it! VLT stays in my bag ALWAYS and if I have dry elbows, it'll sort that out for me too :)

Lucas Paw Paw Ointment
A cult favourite. The paw paw actually acts as a tenderiser and so maked the lips feel softer, although I don't know so much about whether it actually nourishes the lips. Either way it comes in a pretty red tube. I gave it to a younger cousin for his scratched knee and it seemed to help speed the healing process along quite nicely.

C xx
It was such a beautiful day today that I decided to lay out a Sari and basque in the sun (wearing SPF 30+ of course). I try to avoid buying expesive sun glasses now considering the rate at which I lose or break them... I've left a pair of Moschino's on a plane in Singapore, D&G's are floating around Darwin somewhere, I sat on my fabulous Chanel's after only 2 weeks, my Pradas decided to take themselves out of their case never to return and I dropped a pair of Oroton's at a festival, which were promptly stomped on, just to mention a few. SO I've resolved myself to eyewear that doesn't cost the earth, so it doesn't hurt as much when they go missing...

The vintage Carrera's were given to me by my grandpa when I found them in his car and the other two were market finds that were only $5AUD each!








 xx
I can't say I'm a fan. Other than that Madonna looks like a waxwork 20 year old, there's something decidedly Donny Darko about this add campaign...



Property Tycoon

Thursday, October 22, 2009


My dream one day is to own several different properties all over the world while I fly between each in my private jet going from Summer house to Summer house....one day. But for Daniel Radcliff, this is becoming a fast reality having just splashed out on almost $7million USD on a New York apartment!

The Harry Potter hottie, who already owns 2 other lavish properties in the Big Apple, is now the proud owner of 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 6 fireplaces and a 39ft garden on the upper east side
If Emma Watson (aka Hermonie) wasn't earning her own sizeable fortune I would have to have a serious chat with that girl and ask her why the f*^k she isn't dating the man with the goblet of fire!?!?!  But lucky for her she has enough of her own mojo to get by.  My prediction is therefore, Lindsay Lohan will be in there asap trying to get in on the fortune seeing her own is quickly diminishing ... watch this space...
Laura xxx

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On a Semi unrelated note - the image is of Elizabeth Taylor as Gloria, wearing a slip and a mink, padding about her lovers Fifth Avenue apartment after a night of dissolute behavior. When she discovers the envelope full of money and a note that says "Is this enough?" she revolts, and writes "no sale" on the mirror in lipstick, and runs out the door with a bottle of scotch.
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Designer collaborations seem to be the in thing to do now.  We have Stella McCartney for Target, Peter Morissey for Big W and now Alex Perry for Designer Rugs.  Admittedly, Designer Rugs have been championing the designer partnerships for a while now - Akira and Easton Perason etc, but I desperately want one of these Alex Perry ones for my apartment!!! At least it would cover the hideous carpet that is there at the moment. 
Laura xxx

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One crazy day...

Wednesday, October 21, 2009


Quite recently, we decided to play dress-ups.  Just like in the old days when you raided your mum's wardrobe and stole your Grandma's furs - well we did it again!  It was an absolutely hysterical morning and we definitely want to do more.  We did each other's make up (but avoided hair becasue we are both useless hairdressers) and then photographed each other.  And this is what happened....
Laura and Caity xxx

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Just saw this awesome painting idea on design sponge - black doors with white walls.  I love it! I spent all saturday painting the 2 bedrooms in my apartment white and still have the living area to go - thank god my builder is doing the laundry, kitchen and bathroom.  I'm thinking this would work brilliantly for my place.  I have already planned on a blackboard wall in the kitchen so it would tie in quite nicely...
Laura xxx

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Chic or Freak?

Tuesday, October 20, 2009


Fashion comes in all shapes and colours...


the more I look at this photo, the more I like it



Courtney Love fan?

Thanks viceland.com for the pics...

xx

Last month was my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary and we all drove up to Port Macquarie for a huge celebration over the weekend.  It was so beautiful and the thing that made it more special was that Grandma found her wedding dress and had it hanging up for people to see.  I had never seen it before other than in pictures and it had apparently just come back from a museum in the country where she grew up.  I took a few photos becasue it was so beautiful.  I just wish I was tiny enough to fit into it, but my grandma is so short it would probably only come up to my knees!
Laura xxx 

grandma's wedding dress

grandma's wedding dress

Grandma's wedding dress

grandma's wedding dress

The Sartorialist

Monday, October 19, 2009


This is possibly my favourite photo ever from the Sartorialist.  Scott Schuman is my photographic hero. 
Laura xxx

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Lego kitchen

Friday, October 16, 2009


This is the coolest idea ever and I'm pretty sure my boyfriend would be obsessed with it - it's the little boy's dream inside every man.  A lego benchtop!!!

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Munchausen, a duo formed by Parisian designers Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti, took a bold approach with their own kitchen by venturing to IKEA for the basic kitchen island and then spending the next week covering it with more than 20,000 pieces by another Scandinavian brand, Lego! Love it! Thanks to cool hunter for giving me the idea!

Laura xxx
Sorry I have been MIA for the last week or so.  It is times like these that I really appreciate a best friend that picks up the slack when you can't be bothered to do anything or are just plain uninspired.

One of the reasons i've been missing is I'm starting a fabulous new job in a few weeks doing PR and events and I have had a few preliminary events as a warm up.  One of these events in particular absolutely blew my mind so much that I had to share it with you.

New York based chef, Pichet Ong, came out to Australia for the recent International Sydney Food Festival and for one night only he took over the stove in Sean's Kitchen to cook a sensational gastronomic delight for a few special media and the lucky me.  The food was out of this world! So i secretly stole the menu and wanted to share it with you (I wish I was able to take photos but that would have been kind of weird).

Butternut Squash & Coconut soup, tonka bean, amaretti crumbs
2008 Josef hromy 'Pepik' sparkling rose, Tasmania

Crab salad, beets, Avacado, Tarrago, Passionfruit, Green Apple Mousse
2008 Josef Chromy sauvignon blanc, Tasmania

Rice Flake Crusted kingfish, Watermelon, Curry, Radish cress
2008 Josef Chromy sauvignon blanc, Tasmania

Crispy pork two ways, papya, frisee, macadamia ginger vinaigrette
2005 Josef Chromy 'Zadar' reisling, Tasmania

Duck Bisteeya, Cocoa Crusted Breast, Peas, Mole spices
2005 Josef Chromy 'Zadar' pinot noir, Tasmania

Shaved Manchego, Arugla, Kumquat, Pomegranate
2008 Josef Chromy pinot noir, Tasmania

Chevre Cheescake, Walnut, Basil, vanilla Roasted Pineapple
2008 Josef Chromy 'Delikat' reisling, Tasmania

White miso semifreddo, olive oil cake, chocolate, blood orange sorbet
2008 Josef Chromy botrytis reisling, Tasmania

Chocolate cup cake and cookie.

pichet ong

To say that I was full at the end is the understatement of the century.  I almost rolled out of there.  But it was soooooooo worth it!  The duck had a stripe of chocolate across the plate which complemented the crust perfectly. The chevre cheesecake was beyond bliss and the cupcake and cookie was served at the end all bloken up on one share plate becasue Pichet believes that different people like different parts of the cookie.  Some like the squishy bit on the inside and some like the crunchy bit on the outside.  I went straight in for the squishy bit.  AMAZING!!  His food is what Sydney is missing in the resturant scene. 

Laura xxx

P.S. Make sure you go to Pichet's website - there are a few really awesome recipie's on there. http://www.pichetong.com/home.php

"Simplicity is complexity resolved" - Brancusi

Lee Gutkind - The Best Creative Non-Fiction

Thursday, October 15, 2009


Dear Readers,

My most sincere apologies for not posting a book review in so long, my problem is a) I'm reading too many books at once b) It's assessment season c) said books have been pushed aside by ridiculously large law text books.

My only solace has come in the form of Lee Gutkind's "The Best Creative Non-Fiction", an amalgamation of short works, sourced by Gutkind and his team from blogs, sites, magazines (of every kind), journals etc. The authors are astute writers with an opinion, general commentary and personal reflection on a variety of topics, willing to share their thoughts with (and you will be,) avid readers.

In my limited spare time I've been reading through TBCNF vol.3. and it does not disappoint. I was particularly charmed by 'Letter from a Japanese Crematorium' by Marie Mutsuki Mockett and 'An Insider’s Guide to Jailhouse Cuisine: Dining In' by Sean Rowe. The latter delivers a remarkably honest account of the author's time in jail and criminal background through his tales of prison 'cuisine'. The pitch is that of a true foodie, the author's descriptive language, literally leaves your mouth watering - or with the feeling like you need to purge yourself and then brush your teeth a thousand times.

I highly, highly reccomend you read any volume (only 3 so far) of TBCNF, whether you're looking for something to fall in love with, laugh about, cry about or be shit scared by - WHATEVER it is that you're looking for, you'll find it here.

If you live in Sydney you can find TBCNF at Kinokuniya in the Galleries Victoria (Sydney). You can also purchase online from Amazon.com

Caity xx