This is where I've been



John & co.



Chin chin - our parents joining inthe fun




Traditional Greek music was played from the brides home & followed us to the Church



Smiles and giggles - the theme of the day





A memorable moment - all guests crowded into the corner, threw pettles (not plates), and cheered on as we took our turn in dancing with the bride and groom





I've experienced some serious blogging withdrawals and this is why (I promise to get back to your beautiful comments & my stylish blogger award! Thank you!). My twin brother married his lovely bride on 27.11.10 so I flew back home to Adelaide for his special day. I think I was more nervous than him before the ceremony. Joy quickly washed those trembles aside. Everything went beautifully to plan and the day led us to some serious dance floor fun - Greek style. I'm considering telling the newly weds they must renew their vows ASAP - I want it to happen all over again!

style bible

images: fifi-lapin.blogspot.com

Early morning starts can be a drag. Brain must function but is rarely happy to oblige leaving body to stumble through a 30min panic zone of piecing a well put-together 'you' to face the world. If, like me, you suffer from work-day sleep deprivation I bring the solution to our problem. Fifi Lapin's style bible 'what shall I wear today' gives your brain a sleep-in and takes them fashion woes into the capable hands of one cute bunny.

[see more]

bells are ringin'

image snippet & ink blog

"you know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams"

I was reminded of Dr Seuss' simple words when I came across this post which I think brings back the pure meaning of a wedding day. Nothing flash, just an honest declaration of an unshakable love. Bride is barefoot dressed in her great-grandma's 1930's wedding gown (beautiful), groom wears vintage, and guests celebrate in the backyard munching on tacos. [see more]

Having nothing to do with the 'love' thing, this quote still fits pretty neatly with my current situation. I'm losing sleep with anticipation for my brother's wedding day - 1 day til my flight back home and just a few more til wedding bells ring. I feel like a kid bursting with excitement! Just thinking about the day and its up-in-the-cloud romance gets me giddy. It's also got something to do with spending a week beside that beautiful family and those precious friends of mine. It's always the simple things. Like tacos, i guess...

Mr Ford

image Grazia and the lovely san blog

Rumour is fact. These heavenly threads are the sneak peek into the line of a man living up to his word. Tom Ford comes back with ss2011 for the ladies, promising a range more impressive, stronger, and glam than ever.

lifes a beach.

While everyone went off to work, I followed the Sunshine...

...and palm lined trails

...kicked back

...watched some black & white paint work sail by

...all in a St Kilda hour

Putman Style

Putman's signature monochrome graphics for the Morgans Hotel in NY, 1983

The 'Crescent Moon' sofa from her collection, Preparation meublee, launched 2003

A former pianist, Putman designed the 'Voie Lactee' piano for French brand Pleyel in 2008

Private apartment in San Sebastian, Spain 2005

images wallpaper* magazine

Coining the concept of the "boutique hotel," revamping the Concord, giving Jean-Paul Gaultier's career a helpful nudge-along, and designing Lagerfeld's boutique reads as a pretty impressive start to one's CV. At 60 years of age, when most retire to a rose garden and day-time TV, this Parisian was stamping her signature monochrome graphics in her redesign of New York's Morgans Hotel. Deemed as "Above taste," just glazes her cherry-topped cake! The Grande Dame of French design responsible for bringing us aspiring guns to a diffident heap is Mme. Andree Putman.

Lately I've been pulling out the old greats of the black-and-white days to admire some talent untouched by the digital wand. Without sounding like I'm channeling my inner fuddy dud, I do respect up-and-comers. I just can't shake the pull of these stars of the day. 85 year old Putman included - her day still burning strong. Sharing her love of piano, design, and a chic bob, I've decided it's time I purchase the correct shoe size to fit her footsteps.

making new old again

 [new]

[old]

image from lastfm.com

Giving me the giggles to top an all round lazy day off was this delightful find of an old Fred Astaire snap. Some months back, without his classic wall-jump in mind, I saved the [new] image for its fresh creative inspiration. There go those giggles again as I indulge in my current obsession with how everything 'new' has a trace back to something brilliant and 'old'. This post has no real point other than to pat the backs of these old time stars. As I restrain my back patting from exploding to a roaring applause it's needless to say that falling upon this Astaire and comparing these snaps has got me doing a little dance (not quite on my ceiling) of joy for the incredible foundation these performers set for the up and coming starlets.

sign up

 images www.4m.com.au

I'm reinventing the days when I was too good to nick what the cool kids covered their walls with!

My walk down High Street not only gets me to my yoga destination but takes me past some unique finds of local art and design. Spotting out these treasures has sometimes been more of a motivation to get off my rear than Bikram itself. With the street's rundown appeal, 4M's window display of dented and weather-worn street signs seems rather fitting. You could be mistaken that a savvy teen is cashing in on that road-sign-snatching phase, but a closer snoop tells you the mind behind the sign is that of American metal-smith Boris Bally. Genius. The impression that we have one less clearway sign on the street is secretly satisfying.

fashematically inlcined

images www.fashematics.com

By the looks of things, Jonathan Zawada seems to have had one of those minds drifting to far away places in math class.  Math class or [+/-] no math class [=] Zawada is now an internationally renowned brilliant graphic designer and creative director.  Maybe I should've paid less attention too?

jokes on you

via the terrier and lobster

The 150th Melbourne Cup made its way to an overall trotting success through rain, more rain, and a glimpse of shine this year. With marquees resembling something like penthouse accommodation, A-listers were mingling in their styled perfection and general admins barreling like alcopops are going out of style. Then there's that thing I'm avoiding mentioning. The moment your giggle gags you to a snort. I'm talking all things fascinator! With 10% of race-goers getting this accessory right, I say we should take our fascination back to spring 2003 and follow Philip Treacy's mad hat parade.  Making a deliberate joke of it seems like the best way to go!

lb.oxford.st.

 via broadsheet.com.au

See that perfectly lined strip of block stools outside that funky little cafe? That, my friend, is The Pound. Thankfully local to my abode, this unassuming treasure tucked off of Chapel St serves up a great coffee, fresh fruit squeeze, and a perfect set of poached eggs. 

Offering a selection of brekkie's finest (all day long), choose from your usual bacon-egg dose or risk-it-up a little with their signature 'Berry Bomba' or 'Train Smash' (egg and spag brekkie). Take your pick, seat yourself at the window-bench, and enjoy the wait. Check out the happenings of the open kitchen, enjoy a sun kissed moment, and get your "yummm" ready for a delicious start to the day.

[and with your hands your hearts]

via Artessen

With wedding blogs bursting the seams of my favourites list, one could say the love bug has got me good. Anxiously awaiting the flight back home for my brother's wedding, I'm stung with nerves for his step into wedded life and at the same time wrapped up in the romance of it all. I can't help but be swept away to a dream of my own [very distant] fairy tale with pictures of this stunning French wedding. [see more...]

100 tutus later

via http://www.behindballet.com/

Melbourne's Hermès on Collins St has dressed for the occasion and raised a toast to the centenary year of Dame Peggy van Praagh [The Australian Ballet’s founding artistic director]. With the Australian Ballet's wardrobe on hand, Eric Matthews and Chen Lu limbered up and styled a window tutu pretty for words. Worth a peek!

cabinet noir

Did you know that traditionally the cabinet noir was that secret code-breaking post office room? No? You just knew it as the design-world's achingly beautiful colour scheme, huh?

images: grahamatkinshughes.com 

Photographer Graham Atkins-Hughes and stylist Jo Atkins-Hughes own and run this divine east London house(above), specifically designed for photographic shoots. Hire only sets you back about 1200(pounds).

images: littlebitsoflovely

They say you hurt those you love most. Black, as it would appear, is all that and them some for me as everything I bring in to my humble abode is nude, beige, and another shade of white...