Day 2: Escaping the routine. With routine.

So the thing about holidays, is escaping the day-to-day go to work routine. What I like best is not being woken up by an alarm. I'm not a morning person and I think the normal work day is better suited to those who spring out of bed before the sun is even up. My perfect work day would be getting up around 8am, eating breakfast slowly while reviewing the coming days events and then getting to work around 10. Lunch would be around 2 and I would work through till around 7.30-8pm, have dinner around 9 and then potter about till 12 or 1am before hopping into bed with a good book.

My reality is somewhat different. Charlie wakes us up anywhere from 3am to 5am. I feed him and then hone my settling skills in the hope he will go back to sleep without screaming the house down for an hour. My alarm wakes me at 6.30am and after a couple of "snoozes" I stagger bleary-eyed from bed desparately wishing I didn't have to get up yet. Wishing does not help anyone. I then run around like a completely mad woman getting everyone dressed, fed and out the door by 7.45am. After that its relaxing to go to work.

So holidays are not about doing any of that, although a pattern is starting to emerge. Breakfast is in the buffet type restaurant, and as we learned this morning, it's best to get there before 8.30 when every other person and their screaming darling children staying at the resort, descend on the Restaurant. That's around 500 people. Give or take. Did I mention I'm not a morning person? I don't want to fight other people to get my breakfast. 

After breakfast its off to the pool, and then back to the room so Charlie can have a sleep and Aiden can commence his "Can we go to the pool? Can we go to the pool?" mantra. Then lunch, then pool, then sleeps for Charlie and Aiden. Then pool, then dinner, then baths, then bed. Lucky there is a nice view here. 

View from dinner

Obligatory cocktail shot!

Dark and stormy

Tomorrow we might break with routine and go to the beach or the playground. Mixing it up.

Do you like routine? Or would you prefer each day to be different and take it as it comes?

Day 1: It's not that far to Fiji.....

So a 3.5 hour plane trip isn't too long. This was one of the deciding factors in choosing a holiday destination. The no 1 criteria was that it had to be warm. Last year we were well and truly sick of Sydney's winter and ended up just going away for the weekend. You can read about it here. Not good. This year we were going to go on a real winter break. To somewhere warm where there would be swimming and cocktails. After much thinking, reviewing, googling and indecision, we arrived at Fiji as the chosen destination, which is only 3.5 hours on a plane. Sweet.

After about 10 hours door-to-door we arrived at the Shangri-la resort. Hmmmm...

Two very tired and hot boys. Two very tired and hot parents. 

We started our day at 5am in Sydney, where it was dark and cold. A short ride in a "family friendly" taxi and we arrived at the international airport where island time had already started in the Virgin check-in line and Aiden was really just getting warmed up with his rant about wanting to go on the moving walkways and escalators. Once through customs we all had our own agenda. Me to secure as many current fashion and interior design mags as possible. Arran to secure a new pair of sunglasses (because he is obsessed with sunglasses. I don't know why) and Aiden to maximise the number of moving walkways and escalators he could drag us on before boarding the plane. At 8am we boarded the plane along with two main groups of people - happy islander type people and Aussies with small children, a slightly less happy group.

The flight over was a little manic. Small plane. Small children. Big Islanders. I'll let you think about that. Luckily the Virgin staff were unwaveringly happy, helpful and patient. Landing at Nadi airport in Fiji we disembarked to hot and humid weather and lots of "Bula!" Yes! A bit of waiting around in the airport and then an hour's trip to the hotel. Some fresh Mango juice and some more waiting around and we make it to our room. Even though the pool was officially closed (it was after 6pm Fiji time) we all got into our swimmers and had a dip. Nice. 

Back to our room to get changed for dinner. The day fell apart from here. Aiden wanted to go to bed, Charlie didn't know which was was up and the dinner venue was not great. It was a buffet. I'm not that fond of buffet's. It was VERY crowded with Australian's on holiday who had obviously never eaten before. It was VERY noisy, not just with general people noise but with lots of clanging and dropping of things. And it took a little too long to get medication wine. It was fair to say our little family was over traveling and just needed to be in bed. Which we did very quickly once dinner was finished. 

The sun came up and this is our view.....

What's your favourite holiday destination? Do you like to be by the beach? Do you like a winter's break in the snow?

I get a Stylist. Part 2

Continued from I get a Stylist. Part 1

I don't cry. I hold it together. We go to another store. One of Australia’s well know chain type fashion stores. Ok, Country Road. Where they won’t let us have more than 5 things in the change room at once and then keep putting garments we have put aside to try on next, back on the racks.  Is it any wonder bricks and mortar retail stores are struggling? They also have the added bonus that any garment with a retail value of more than $150 has a security wire and alarm on it. How classy is that? I ended up spending a lot in this store but even if I just wanted to try on one item, the security wire might turn me off going to the effort of getting undressed and trying it on. One of the dresses I tried on, I had to leave the change room and wander across the store and behind the counter so they could take the security wire and alarm off. Classy. Another customer was trying on her garment with the same security device and her alarm went off before she even tried it on, annoying all the customers in the change room. They need to revise their security and customer service strategy.

But things finally came together in this store. My stylist finally understood my body and what would look good on it, and the store had lots of variety of things to try on. Of course if I was one size in one garment I was a different size in another.  This is complete INSANTITY!

I bought the bulk of my new work wardrobe from Country Road. Here is the tally (and to illustrate the insane sizing issues):

• 1 jacket - size 12
• 3 skirts – 2 size “small”, 1 size 14.
• 5 dresses –2 size "large", 2 size 14 and 1 size 16
• 2 tops – 1 "extra large" and 1 "medium"
• 1 pair of pants - size 10
• 1 pair of jeans (didn’t need any but they really were good. Bloody stylist) – they are size 8. Apparently this is a vanity size. The last time I wore a size 8 pear of jeans was in grade 11 when I weighed 55 kgs. Women who are actually a size 8 are not buying their jeans in this store. 

2 dresses I would never have tried on, plus some cool coordinates

Bright and funky dresses

Colourful top

So what’s the wrap?

The good...

• I ended up with lots of clothes. Probably too many. I’m wondering if I should take some back. 5 dresses seems like overkill. Nah, I'm not taking them back. I like 'em!
• The experience was like shopping with a really good friend or your Mum. You know? Someone who tells it like it is and makes you try on things you wouldn’t normally try. One of the dresses she got me to try on I would have NEVER tried on myself. It was really nice but with a high neck I didn’t think it would be great on me. It did look great. I got 2; one in black and one in blue. I wore the blue one on a recent work trip to Melbourne and it was perfect. It didn't crush, was super comfy and I felt great in it.
• I got clothes in lots of colours. I pretty much always end up buying black, and this trip I only got 3 black items and LOTS of colour! I also usually end up with lots of pants (in black) and no tops. The dresses seemed a good compromise on tops, and they make getting dressed in the morning easy.
• Despite all my complaining the Stylist came good.  She was focused on getting clothes that were good value. She moved with 'pace' and knew the shopping centre well.
• I'm pretty happy that my new wardrobe is easy-care, needs no ironing, is funky, cool, stylish, travels well (either on my body or in my suitcase), fits my body perfectly and makes me look AMAZING, whenever I put it on. Of course my dry-cleaner will be seeing a little more of me than she has in the past!
• I have been inspired to buy some extra pieces to go with what I already have. I've been back to Country Road and bought some pants and a belt. I got a cute graphic jacket from Dotti and spent a lot of money invested in some basic black ballet flats from Net-a-Porter. I think I will buy some additional pairs of jeans from Country Road in different colours because finding flattering jeans is nearly as hard as finding flattering swimwear.

Beautiful packaging

Beautifully made...

The bad....

• I really expected that someone who works with clothes and different bodies all the time might be better and quicker at choosing clothes. Maybe that's unrealistic. Maybe I have watched too many TV makeover shows. Maybe if you are getting paid $150 an hour you need to step it up. Just saying.
• The whole sizing situation is ridiculous. While I think most of us expect to be different sizes from store to store, it would be nice to at least be close to the same size, in the one store. I get that the shape and style of clothes make a difference to how a garment will fit your body but to have bought clothes ranging from size 8 to size 16, and size small to extra large seems a little nuts.

What do you think? Does the sizing of clothes drive you crazy?

I get a Stylist. Part 1

Don’t you just dream about being made over? You know, someone to come along and make you the most fabulous version of yourself! There are countless reality type TV shows devoted to the notion that most of us have no idea about fashion and what looks good on us, so that we need an “expert” to come along and show us the way. Fix us with new clothes, hair and make-up. My expectations are somewhat lower then that. I just dream of going shopping and coming home with more than just a pair of black work pants, that still need to be shortened. Sigh.

I often get the feeling that the “fashion” industry fails most women. While I get that you can’t be all things to all people, it would be nice to find a fashion label that is genuinely concerned about not just selling the latest neon T-shirt but also ensuring that their fit is consistent across their range, and each season.

I really like fashion. I have a huge stack of fashion magazines that show testament to this passion. Unfortunately it is mostly fantasy. Apart from what is seemingly random purchases, its rare that I can translate by passion and desired design aesthetic into something that a) actually fits my body, and b) makes me feel good, off the rack. And I don’t think I’m alone here. 

I don’t have the perfect body. Who does? I’m short. I have big boobs. I have good great legs and narrow hips. I have a thick waist and carry my fat in the middle. Classic apple. I try to keep healthy with Pilates, yoga and walking but I am what I am. I like food. I like wine.

I have learnt the kind of garments that usually look ok on me, and those that look hideous. I know what colours wash me out (camel, cream, neutral, bone…I swear the next sales assistant that brings me a garment in these colours will be punched in the nose!) but I still struggle to find the kind of clothes I desperately want to wear when the occasion requires it. It seems that the universe is determined to only produce garments that look hideous on me.

So with a new job start date looming I decided I needed help. Surely a Stylist would know:

·      EXACTLY what would look amazing on me

·      EXACTLY what size I would be in each brand available in the Australian market (as well as any secret cool online stores)

·      EXACTLY what colours would suit me, and

·      Be able to translate my need for a working wardrobe that is easy-care, needs no ironing, is funky, cool, stylish, travels well (either on my body or in my suitcase), fits my body perfectly and makes me look AMAZING, whenever I put it on.

Easy!

Reality

Meet stylist at 9.30am. She talks about her hair and her hairdresser and her friends hairdresser for around 20 minutes. Like I give a fuck about any of her and her friends hairdressers. We are here to talk about me. ME!! The person who is paying. We then talk about me and my need to look fabulous instantly (after getting two small boys to day-care) for around 5 minutes, while trying to get across how funky, cool, not-too-dressy, but dressy enough, effortlessly cool and professional I need to look. And I definitely don’t want any suits. Any matchy-matchy buttoned up, corporatey style suits. You know!!!!? And I need shoes. I pretty much hate all the shoes on the market at the moment. WHEN. WILL. THE. PORN. STAR. TREND. END? Any shoes that more classic either don’t fit or are seemingly made of some sort of material made to withstand a nuclear holocaust. So hard.

Off we go.  We start at a shoe shop near where we were having coffee. I tried on classic healed pumps in black and nude. They didn’t fit. Size 36 too small. Size 36 and a half too big. How is that possible? Next: three shops I thought represented how funky, cool, not-too-dressy, but dressy enough, effortlessly cool and professional want to look, which is great. Except I have visited these stores quite recently and tried on everything I thought was a good colour and would suit my body and would fit. And they didn’t suit, fit or look good. But that’s OK because I’m with a professional stylist. And they would have all the secrets. Wouldn’t they?

Well no. She was quite keen that I try on some jeans in the first store we visited. I didn’t specify I wanted jeans. I have jeans. I can’t wear jeans to work. WHY AM I TRYING ON JEANS!! Jeans are ok. Not fabulous. They have a 2cm fly zip and cost $300 and do nothing for my muffin top. Next.

Stylist: What about this top?

Me: I love that but when I tried it on last week it looked like a tent. These pleats separate and made me look like a whale!

Stylist: Oh

Me: (in my head) Why doesn’t she know this!!!!

Next shop…

Stylist: What about this?

Me: (purusing the camel/flesh coloured top) That colour doesn’t look good on me.

Stylist: Oh. What about this? Holding up a high necked knitted orange sweater top (Trinny & Susannah would never have suggested this for me!)

Me: I have big boobs. I need something that is lower in the neck, that shows some of my skin. And I don’t like knitted things. Makes my bulky boobs look bulkier.

Stylist: Oh. What about this? (showing me a skirt and jacket suit)

Me: ummm I don’t really want a suit (we talked about this)

Stylist: Just try it on and see how it looks

Me: (I try it on because she is a professional stylist and I am a 157cm apple shaped 39 year old mother of 2 who may have no idea what suits her). The skirt won’t do up in a size 14 and the jacket doesn’t fit even fit my arms because it is a size 10. Stylist says don’t worry about the size. She just wants to get an idea of the look. Seriously. I look like I might cry.

Stylist: Don’t be despondent. We will find something.

Me: Wondering if I should just go home and cry.........

Do I cry? Do I throw a hissy in the middle of Saba? Part 2 coming soon

Does this resemble your shopping experience?

 

Playing Tourist in My Own City

Oh it's been a while. I know. Complete slackness really...sometimes you have to leave your home time to get inspired, which is what I did a few weeks ago. I had a flight credit that needed to be used so off I went to see one of my favourite people Jacqui Simpson, who moved to Auckland about 7 years ago. For love. I haven't seen her in 5 years. Again, complete slackness.

We had a lovely time. There was champagne cocktails, which we both regretted the next morning. And red wine. Ditto. There was luxuriating at a day spa (mmmmm....relaxing) and girly shopping to try on things that were a stupid amount of money, and we both needed new boots. Of course. Then cocktails and a girly dinner at one of Auckland's hot restaurants Soul Bar followed by a drink we seriously didn't need in a very trashy bar-come-nightclub where some dancing was undertaken, surrounded by 18 year old males who really should invest in some regular showers and deodorant.

I got back to Sydney on Sunday night after 3 days away (Aiden and Charlie were SOO excited to see me) and Monday was the most beautiful Sydney winters day. I decided that if Tuesday looked to be the same I was going off to Bondi. Being unemployed and all. It's pretty nice to play tourist in your home town, when the weather is so gorgeous.

Most Sydneysiders detest Bondi Beach, preferring any of Sydney's other amazing beaches which are less crowded with tourists. Not me. I love Bondi Beach and the surrounding shops, bars and cafes. All the different people that visit, work and live at Bondi. If we decide to go to the beach, that's where we go. In summer we take Aiden there for a swim. We go late in the afternoon and then have fish and chips at Mongers. In winter, often on Sunday night we head out for an early dinner at The Italian, which I first visited during a work function at Bondi.

I had a really nice day playing tourist. I started with coffee and scrambled eggs at Trio Cafe. I sat outside in the winter sun and watched the world go by.

Campbell Parade

Then I wandered down and sat on the sand at Bondi Beach. This beach has the best people watching. While I was there taking a few shots, these two came down to the beach in front of me and started doing some yoga type stretching as well as some dance moves and acrobatics. I put on my zoom lens and indulged in some pap-style shots of Bondi's beautiful people!

 

I walked back to the car, along the beach and these two jogged past me about half way along. Such an obscene display of health and fitness!

Winter's day at Bondi Beach

Surfing with your mates, Bondi Beach

Out for a stroll...

Multi-million dollar properties

After Bondi I drove around to Coogee where I discovered a couple of Ocean Baths. These are dotted alongside many of Sydney's beaches and most have been around for generations. I'm a bit fascinated with them. On doing some research, there are apparently over 100 Ocean baths in NSW and there are 4 in Coogee!! If you would like to read more about Sydney's ocean's baths there is a good article here The day I went to Coogee I only found 2, my favourite being McIvers Baths, also known as the Coogee Women's Baths (Beach Street, Coogee). It's a women's and children only pool, the only one left in Australia. It's really beautiful and quite private and sheltered, which would explain the couple of topless women taking in the winter sun. Here is a short blog post about this pool.

Picture postcard taken from the change rooms

Honesty system entry fee. Flash sign!

Book swap going on in the change rooms.  Nice

 After checking out the pools I walked from the North end of Coogee beach around towards Maroubra for a km or so, and then back to the car. I slept well that night!

Aiden gets another new room!

It seems to me, that if you are 3 and you have had 3 new bedrooms, then perhaps you are a little spoilt. Yep. That's Aiden. He got a new room in our Glebe St house when he was born. You can read about it here. Then we moved to Bridge Rd and even though it took us a little while, he got a new room and a big boy bed. You can read about that room here. 

And then Charlie came along. Poor Charlie has not even had one new bedroom. He has spent most of his life so far in our bedroom, which is not ideal. No one was sleeping that well. It was hard for Arran and I to come to bed without waking him and it was hard to get ready for the next day by the light of our mobile phones. Often the three of us were awake when Arran got up to ride his bike at 5am. I was finding it hard to sleep because I woke up with Charlie's every move, snort, snuffle and cry as well as waking up to feed him a couple of times a night. Arran was finding it hard to sleep...oh wait. Hold on. Arran can basically sleep through anything. Bastard. Arran was only waking up when I shoved him to go put Charlie's dummy back in. Really, the only person who was sleeping well was Aiden. No wonder. He keeps getting nice bedrooms.

So with me returning to work and being fed up with not getting a decent nights sleep, something had to change. Aiden needed to move into a different bedroom so that we could put Charlie in the room beside us, so it's easy to get to him during the night. I thought about them sharing a room together, I know many small kids do, but up until recently Charlie was very good at screaming in the middle of the night. Despite Aiden being a good sleeper I figured that as we have the room, we may as well make use of it.

Aiden's new room used to have cream coloured walls (same as every other room in the house), a bare MDF cupboard with stained brass coloured knobs, exposed beams and light brown carpet. Not that exciting. I really should take 'before' photos. Before becoming Aiden's new "Big Boy Room", it was a spare room with two single vintage beds and two basic (dare I say ugly), pine bedside tables.

Here's how it turned out. I seriously wish this was my room:

We had "Just Screw it" paint two of the walls in a soft blue/grey colour called "Miller Mood" and the other two walls including the built in cupboard in my favourite white "Antique White USA". Both colours by Dulux. I really like how these two colours provide a base for some of the vintage and industrial pieces I found for his room.

Around a month ago I had what Arran refers to as the "Festival of Lisa". Inspired by Arran being away on another mountain bike weekend I decided that Arran could look after Aiden and Charlie all weekend while I got to do whatever I wanted. Those of you who are friends on Facebook know that there was facials, massages, a "float" as well as some shopping. The shopping was focused on some furniture stores on Regent, St Redfern. I have driven past these stores many many times on the way to the airport. I thought they were just second hand furniture stores but discovered they were an amazing collection of mid-century retailers selling second hand and restored furniture and artefacts. They made me want to redesign our whole house to incorporate this era of design and furniture. I had a lovely time talking to each of the store owners and learning about their connections with the other stores on the street and their history and backgrounds. 

Some of the wares in Rudi Rocket

Graham and Graham Design

I wanted something quirky and unique for a bedside table and was looking for something that wasn't designed to be one. I found this great mid century set of drawers at Rudi Rocket that were most likely used in an office or factory. I thought about changing the colour and sawing off the legs a little but once I put it in the room I like it just as it is. It's one of my favourite finds. The lamp is from Ikea and it has a similar industrial feel.

Industrial vintage meets new

 Another favourite is the "Fresh Young Poultry" sign which I also found at Rudi Rocket on Regent St. It's retro but fresh and young and vintage, and really cute. I imagine it would have hung on the farmer's fence and I like that it now has a new home, where the sign-writing and colours are appreciated for a new purpose: as art!

Aiden's big boy room!

I bought and stained this table for my nephew's Marley and Jordi when they were little. Now they are in Aiden's room!

 The letters are from Typo and the red lacquer book shelf-come toy storage is from Ikea  I like that is has an industrial feel with the castors on the bottom.

A place to keep books and toys in red lacquer

Every boy needs a Tonka Truck

Just like new

 The old MDF cupboard looks like new. I was going to buy new handles for the cupboard doors and drawers but man are they expensive!! I ended up spray painting them silver. They look great. They looked like this before:

This was so easy!

 Aiden loves his new room. Who wouldn't! I think its my best "Aiden" room yet.

 

Bookclub is back, baby!

So I wrote recently about the Book Club Problem. I cheekily emailed the link to my blog, to all our book-club members and suggested a time to meet. It worked! Last Saturday all of our book-club members (except one, see you next time Suzanne!) came along to my house for our first book club meeting in nearly 12 months, though I haven't seen some of our members for longer than that.

It was a lovely afternoon. There was wine and cheese.

Good friends and lots of chatting:

Long time member Sally and new recruits Nicole and Evie

Sally, Nicole (hidden), Evie, Laura, Luella and Karina. Karen was sitting to the right of Karina.

There were some sweet things:

 

Little cupcakes from Babycakes. Bought by new member Evie. She can come again!

Charlie hanging out with Evie

And we all agreed how nice it was to see each other again and be back "book-clubbing". We chatted about the books we had read recently that we loved, and chose a book for next time. If you want to read along with us the book is The Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman. We are meeting next on the 2nd of June. I'll do a blog update and let you know what we thought of the book!