New handbag!

For my upcoming trip to Hong Kong, many have warned me of bag snatchers.

So I have been in search of the ideal handbag to take in order to keep my must needed shopping dollars safe. Today at the Strandbags at East Gardens Westfields, I found the one! It was perfect. With an over the shoulder strap which was adjustable with a zipper for the main compartment and one at the front for change. There's even a zipper on the inside for valuable documents. It's also big enough for my camera!


Price: $24.99

Is 3 Jugs of Bulmer's too much for a work Christmas Party?

NAH!

Last night I attended my department's Christmas party at the Paddington Lawn Bowls. It was a lovely event organised by my usual partner-in-crime, Elise. My favourite food was ordered, MINI FOOD! This included mini hotdogs, mini vegetarian pizzas, mini hamburgers, mini chicken schnitzels and mini gelato cones. This was ALL delicious!

So the game itself was boys versus girls, blue balls vs. the pink. Our instructor was Tom, he also doubled as our man candy (it's a tough gig but someone's gotta do it- and I'm glad it was him). The games was explained to us and it was pretty much bowl the ball gently along the green and try and get closest to the jack (small white ball at the other end of the green). The 'catch' is the ball is weighted on one side so when you roll it, it will curve.

We also had trophies to entice our performance, Best and Worst on the field. So I was excited since I had never known the feel of holding a trophy. I also expected to really suck at the game since I had done so previously, so the Worst on field had my name written all over it.

This is where the 3 jugs of Bulmer's comes in. No one else in my department was drinking it, so every time someone went for a drink run, they got me a jug. So as the afternoon continued I began to get quite 'relaxed' and my game also improved, in fact I managed to get my ball touching the Jack... it was a beautiful moment *tear.

Fast forward to the end of the night, everyone voted in a secret ballot who was best and worst on the field... Worst on field was a Batman obsessed 'gentleman' KAV and Best on field was ME! So I am now Kat, owner of a trophy.

P.S- Love a place that has cider on tap.

WANTED: A facial with some serious removal of dead skin cells

So it's the start of the summer season and the party season. So a facial was definitely in order. "Goodbye dead skin cells, goodbye!"

I was also in need of some serious extractions, stat! So I made an appointment with my beautician from by old hood, Sonyla of Sonyla's Beauty Spot in Merrylands. She is the queen of extractions and will get every one of the little buggers. Although it is slightly uncomfortable, the end result is lasting and when I walk away my face is smooth as a baby's tooshie!

Unfortunately Sonyla wasn't available today, but I was placed in the very capable hands of Steph, who also introduced me to a new facial product they had just got in, Sothys. This was instead of the usual Dermalogica facial which is what my skin was use to and although it was good, Sothys is better as it promises more instant results. I was intrigued. My love for trying new products had taken over.

The products used smelled amazing and was so soothing to my face. I was most impressed with were the product which lifted all the blackheads and whiteheads to the surface, making it easier to see all the necessary extractions. Then there was the exfoliator which didn't have the usual sand-like texture, it was more like a cream and when it dried you lightly rub it off the skin and it takes the dead skins cells along with it. It was gross and amazing at the same time. You just felt so much cleaner! Then there was an incredible calming and hydration mask with help my sore and previously dry face.

Currently my face is slightly red, but not as red as it usually is after a facial. My awesome chin pimple (which looked like it was just going to become a permanent fixture on my face) had also instantly looked better after my session.

I can't wait to see my face after a few days to see the real results.

SUMMER HERE I COME!

Where: Sonyla's Beauty Spot (02) 9633 4115- Shop 2, 5 Hilltop Rd Merrylands NSW

Cost: $75

Guy "Like's it like..." sushi!

Yes I saw Guy Sebastian Sunday afternoon sushi at Sushi Roll in World Square. Steve and I walked in, just thinking about Bento boxes and there's Guy Sebastian at the Sushi train. So then we decided to share the train with the Fro-man (minus the fro). There were plenty of random looks around the restaurant, however they were more like..."I think I went to school with that guy look."

I thought about taking secret photos of him, but then I was like you know what, it's Sunday and the man just wants some lunch. No one likes it when people are taking photos of them chowing down, it's just not cool.

So we msged our friends instead and this is when you see how different you and your partner can be.

My very quick and witty friend just stated; "kat did whaaat". Which sums up the moment.
Steve's friend, "You should reach out for the same sushi dish and sing "What about me, it isn't fair. You've had enough now I want me ". Quirky response yes, will we go to a sushi restaurant together? No.

P.S.- Dude has an awesome tat on his left arm.

Kat and 'The City'

Now I've always been one to avoid the Laguna Beach alumni, but there was just something about Whitney Port's 'The City' that drew me in. So Saturday night, Steve was working and I just wanted to not think and so I began my 'Whit' marathon...

After a few episodes I was hooked and determined to watch the whole season in one night. Whitney is such a lovely person and I also finally found out why Olivia Palermo was 'famous'.

I feel in love with the fashion and the music that was featured on the show, I was also very glad that the Australians on the show didn't have sub-titles!Surprisingly many Australian artists were featured throughout the show which was AWESOME! My current girl-crush Jess hart (Aust. Seafolly Model) was also on the show for 2 minutes. It filled the void in my life that 'Sex and The City' had left. So I am now officially hooked!

The major bonus is that Speidi (the most irritating people in the world) are yet to be seen! This show is the best!

One step closer to being the female Bond, James Bond.

You will soon learn of my obsession with 007...
How did I get one step closer? I attended a Defensive Driving Coarse on Saturday at the Eastern Creek raceway (yes on the 30 degree day).
I was invited by Elleni from Galmatic a company who aims to educate women on their cars, how to look after them and how they work.They also run 2 hour workshop on the general maintenance of your car, incl. how to change your Tyre- a very skill if you like to drive through parking areas with a lot of speed humps and just fly over them in your mum's 1990 Toyota Seca (trust me- you WILL need to know how to change ata tyre).

This driving coarse was such a great experience, Mark (the man with the crap load of driving experience and the instructor) took us through some road rules that you knew about, but also weren't quite sure about. Vehicle safety was the biggest wake up call, we can't just assume that since we're in car we'll be okay. In fact, the only difference between cars and motorcycles is the bonnet and the boot, the side panels are just full of air. So learning how to drive defensively could save lives.

There was also a practical component to the day, so this meant that I was able to take my Astra (Ella) onto the track- and boy was she excited! It was then that I really understood the difference between doing 40km and 80km. Without other cars on the road, you realise how fast 80km is and how much damage it could do.

So the main lesson of the day is (as obvious as it is) obey the road rules, don't get distracted by the mobile or by your own awesome singing, pay attention to the roads and DO THE SPEED LIMIT. You stop a lot quicker at 40km than at 80km.

Sorry to get all preachy, but as someone who has lost a loved one from a car accident it's so important to look after yourself as well as others in the road. Ask yourself, is your life (or someone else's) worth the rush?

My first Hen's night... oh what a night!

Where to begin...

A good friend of mine is getting married at the end of the month and last night was her Hen's night. So it seemed like I had a friend in need of some refreshments and boys, boy, boys.

So to get us feisty ladies warmed up for the night, we were introduced to the incredibly talented Rick who performed Puppetry of the penis. I had heard of this act during my teen years and hadn't really thought about what it entailed... Rick showed us the full potential of the male appendage. As jaw dropping as this act was, it was also hilarious! Although i will never look at the Grand Angus Burger or Pop corn chicken, the same ever again (you don't want to know- if you do want to know go to Puppetry of the Penis Private Parties).


The nakedness didn't end there. We also had some gorgeous topless waiters, Nathan and Robert to serve us our beverages (I kept to the red bull as I had a driving lesson on Saturday-so yes I was sober for the whole experience).

Just to break up the constant visual man flesh (yes, it can be too much- sometimes), we had a sex toy party which was informative for all. By this point I felt like Oxford street had come to the Forrester's Hotel in Surry Hills.

The last show for the night was Zorro. Dressed in tight leather pants (with a butt you can bounce a coin off), a very swishy cape and a Zorro mask. He provided a Latin dance which was hypnotic, until he ended up with his knees on my chair and thrusting is crotch is my face, then I was out of the trance and trying to figure out what I should do (what would you have done?), so i just laugh. Yes I laughed in the man's crotch. Zorro then turned his focus on the Bride-to-be (who was also blind-folded) and asked her to lie down, which was in order to slide over the top of her so that his crotch was in her face... Yes lots of man crotch action.

I don't think I need to go to another hen's night for a while...(keyword: need)

What a bonza sheila!

Last Friday's Ladyhawke performance at the Enmore was very surprising...

This was her first headlining tour and you could tell that she was nervous ( it was kid of a dead give away when she asked us if we could see her hand shake- we could), she didn't really warm up until she played her B Side track, Danny & Jenny.After that she really seemed to rock the stage as fans danced away (many looked like they were having air sex with the music, but I guess that's just how the kids are getting their groove on these days).

I wasn't actually into her music prior to the concert, so I wasn't very familiar with her tunes, except of coarse for "My Delirium". But when I left I was humming "Paris is burning" and wanting to load her album into the car.

So overall, top gig for a headline virgin.

Rockpool Bar & Grill- The Experience

The experience was once in a lifetime. Steve and I had heard good things about Rockpool Bar & Grill and given the write up in InDesign magazine, we were curious to say the least. We wanted to explore the interior as well as our palettes. 

For entree I had oysters, it tasted like the ocean, like a mermaid had delivered it to 66 Hunter Street and recommended the best way to eat them. Steve ordered the tastes of the sea, this was sashimi with an Italian twist. It was beautiful (although one of them did have avocado- so it almost killed Steve, but we like to live dangerously). We also decided to have a middle corse. Hand cut fettucini with Wagyu beef bolognese... THE BEST MEAL WE HAVE EVER HAD! Holey moley, I cannot describe how incredible this dish was. It was a dish that you will remember for the rest of your life. I wanted to marry it (I think Steve did too). It was rich with flavour, the wagyu beef was perfect, the whole dish was perfect. For mains I had lamb and Steve had grass fed fillet, both dishes worked well and left you with a feeling of contentment. You just wanted to sit back and breathe. The meat was succulent and flavourful. It was a moment that made me proud to be a carnivore. We also had a side of mixed steamed vegetables and potato puree. The vegetables tasted like what vegetables should taste like and as a kid you would never push away, they were yummo! The potato puree was a side dish that I wanted to bathe in and would be content to become over weight by it, because I would be happy.

Then there was dessert,which I am never one to shy away from it. I had creme caramel. It was awesome! 

The interior also pleased our visual appetites as it reminded me of an old New York building from the 60's. This theme was carried right through to the bathrooms. The service was also perfect, they were there when we needed advice and then would make themselves scarce when they could see we just wanted to enjoy each other's company. What more could you ask for when it comes to wait staff! 

Overall the night was deliciously perfect. The best dining experience I have ever had. 

Was it really magic?

Monkey Magic, the Japanese restaurant on Crown Street in Surry Hills with the giant tree was next on my restaurant calender. 

I will admit that I did expect the waiters to be on flying clouds, long awkward side burns and to be seated at cloud tables. I am not sure if this is an accurate representation of the show, but being born in '85 I don't quite remember that much about the show. 

I digress... I was at Monkey Magic last Thursday night with 3 friends from work. 

I was driving so I had an extravagant mocktail with pineapple, lychee and tropical juice. My friends had a Lychee martini (apparently very strong- so be warned) and a tropical punch (like mine, but with some alcamahol). For entree we

 had Edamame (which was delicious because they were fresh!) and a small sashimi dish, this included salmon, king fish and tuna pieces- YUMMO! 

For mains we girls like to get a little crazy and mix it up, we all ordered Teriyaki chicken, we also assumed that this would include rice... boy was that a crazy assumption. The waiter also didn't ask if we wanted rice. Strange. So we ordered a serve of rice. I said 4 serves and he came back with 1. Strange. Personally I thought my chicken was a little dry, the flavors were there, but I love a moist chicken. Moist. So after our mains, desert was definitely in order. I ordered an apple and pear dish which sounds more exotic on the menu, because it it arrived, it was pretty much just an apple and pear turn over (just letting you know so you too won't be disappointed). My friends ordered a chocolate pudding which looked incredible as the chocolate sauce oozed out of the centre....mmm.... oozing chocolate... and then my other 2 friends ordered banana desert which was presented as a desert spring roll. Intriguing. Apparently it tasted very strange as the textures contradicted each other.

Overall, the atmosphere was good. I loved the interior. Food and drinks were okay, it was moderately priced. The highlight of my evening though was my lovely friends, the restaurant itself was merely a fog (not a cloud) in the background. 

I'm afraid it was a bit more monkey than magic...

Tonight... I'm going to Rockpool Bar & Grill. I wonder what I should wear...

Sarah Blasko Concert

I am in love. The Sarah Blasko concert last night at the Enmore was incredible. Sarah's voice is just something else. You might expect to just walk in, sit down and it'll be one of those concerts where you're just listening to a CD. Not Sarah's concert. No way. She appeared on the stage in a white dress with big bubble shoulders and smaller bubble sleeves. You just kind of except that she is quirky and she just wants to have fun on stage. She's definitely quirky, but in the 'quirky to be cool' way. It is just who she is. You can tell when she's on stage that she just feels at home. Her graceful movements reflect how the music takes her into another world, a magical world which she conducts the music with her voice and dance.

There are also pleasant surprises throughout her show. She exposes her heart on stage and her bubble shoulders open out and there are a myriad of concertina colours.
Sarah also sang a song from her favorite movie, Annie Hall and Xanadu (a song which I have also fallen in love with cause lame is cool).

It was one of the best concerts I have ever been to.Sarah Blasko seduced me with her music, her voice and her bubbles sleeves.

My favourite restaurant...

It's October long weekend and instead of having a seedy night out at an Oktoberfest event, I decided to have dinner with my good friend and the new man in her life. So the ultimate question... Where to get some grub?

Why not my favourite restaurant, La Ricetta. This is the best place to get the best Italian food in Newtown. I am pretty much there at least every 2 weeks.

Last night I had the Ravioli all' anitra (Homemade ravioli stuffed with duck and prosciutto served with a butter and sage sauce), entree size which was only $17.90. The butter and sage sauce becomes your friend as you subtlety inhale your delightful Italian dish. My friend's new man, who is a chef by the way, agreed with me and loved the incredible flavours that were exposed to us.

My friend had the Pappardelle Ragu (Homemade pasta with slowly braised beef). I had have this dish before and it always tastes the same. Amazing. The homemade pasta tastes like it should taste, fresh and made by a Nonna who had the recipe handed down to her by her Nonna. The beef can only be described as an experience. It is almost like the beef saw the knife which was craving it and it just decided to fall off, it is moist, flavorful and pretty much perfectly braised. I just don’t know how they make it taste like that every time!

Then there’s desert. I had the Fragole con liquore (Fresh Strawberries marinated with Grand Marnier, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was simply, extremely tasty.

So if you’re in Newtown and you want great food which is reasonably priced with a great wait staff, La Ricetta should definitely be an option (also if you order the food take away, you get 15% off- just a little tip from me to you).

Happy eating and I hope you're having a great long weekend.

Welcome

Hey hey!

Welcome to my blog, initiated by a creative brain burp I had after a road trip to Melbourne's Fringe Festival.

Melbourne itself I believe, from my experiences there, is the ultimate creative oasis for people who are creative and for wannabes like be who aspire to creative endeavors (like me).

When you walk down one of Melbourne's hidden alleys you suddenly find yourself in an art galley of sorts, filled with pieces of self expression. This is what I love about Melbourne. It's almost like a small piece of every one's soul has been absorbed by the city through explosions of creative psyche.

OK, so enough about Melbourne, since I live in Sydney (born and bred) I will be using this space to advise you of my (hopefully) exciting adventures as I often find myself in the strangest situations. I will warn you though. I am lame, so some of the stories may be classified "I can't believe you said/did that".

You have been warned.