Review: The Beach Club at Cottesloe Beach Hotel

Not sure if you've been to the revamped Cottesloe Beach Hotel but let me tell you now... it is absolutely GORGEOUS! A few years back, a younger version of myself used to spend every other Sunday afternoon whiling away the hours in the 'Cott's' infamous beer garden after a terribly trying day of sunning myself on the famous Cottesloe Beach. It was a hard life. 

Ten Things...

1. This is a great read for every 20-something out there just trying to get their shit together. 11 Life Hacks that you will totally relate to! Via Thought Catalog.
2. How cool were Jack Nicholson and Anjelica Huston? These photos show off their general badassness. Via BuzzFeed.
3. Also from BuzzFeed; a tribute to Space Jam, one of my absolute favourite movies of ALL TIME!
4. Not sure if you've come across the notorious photo of the Naked Breastfeeding Yoga Mom but her blog is a fascinating snapshot of a totally different lifestyle. Definitely worth a look!
5. Here are some AWESOME free printable note cards from Eat Design Repeat.
6. For the super lazy, here are some super inventive 2 Ingredient Recipes. Via Crazy Food.
7. From Thought Catalog, an Ode and Guide to Trashy Beauty. As a lover of spray tans, false lashes and bright lipstick...I can definitely relate!
8. The Gloss has spotted what could be the next big hair trend. Not too sure about this look to quite honest. That being said, I wasn't too keen on Balayage when it hit the scene either!
9. This is a truly excellent tutorial on how to DIY your own scalloped hem. Adorbs! Via Extra Petite.
10. Another crafty little DIY project... Pixel Painting! This looks totally do-able! Via Wit & Whistle.

Over and out!

Homemade Pulled Pork & Carnitas Tacos

Welcome to part dos of my Mexican fiesta! I made a huge batch of pulled pork which is a. delicious, b. so freaking easy to make it actually embarrassing and c. so versatile it can be the base of at least four different dishes! I made it quite basic in terms of flavour in keeping with the versatility theme but you can definitely jazz it up to suit your tastes.

Viva Mexico! Guacamole, Pico De Gallo and Sweetcorn Salsa

Buenos días! Growing up, I thought Old El Paso was the epitome of Mexican cuisine. Just goes to show what I know! Now that I've wised up a little check out these colourful kiddies I made to go with some pulled pork tacos (recipe to be posted later this week) I made yesterday. Clockwise from the top we have Pico De Gallo, Sweetcorn Salsa and Guacamole.

Ten Things...

1. Now I'm not normally much of a coffee drinker but these babies might just change my mind! Via FoodBeast.
2. Here's a little inspiration for any budding iPhone photographers out there. Via BuzzFeed.
3. Cara from Maskcara has come up with this genius video showing you how to do the harder-than-it-looks 'no makeup' look.
4. As someone who usually sticks to the old liquid liner, this has definitely given me some ideas to   change it up! Via BuzzFeed
5. Rosie The Londoner has come up with this great low carb version of Egg Fried Rice. Who would have thunk it?! 
6. I've actually tried this Coconut Yoghurt recipe and it really is delish! It's also ridonkulously easy to make. Via xojane.
7. The divine Martha Stewart has graciously provided a free copy of Everyday Food for download. There are some great ideas to try this summer! 
8. This is so Fetch! The alphabet by way of Mean Girls. Via BuzzFeed.
9. With all this technology around, when was the last time you wrote something by hand? And what does your handwriting say about you? Via Visual.ly.
10. To prep your lips for those great bright lippies, give this Brown Sugar and Vanilla Lip Scrub a whirl! Via College Fashion.

Idiot-Proof Muffins

Let me begin by saying, I hate doing the dishes. Yet, a pile of dirty dishes in the sink drives me to distraction. It's a terribly vicious cycle of annoyance. So, when I first began baking on my own (in other words, doing more than waiting to lick the spoon), the main selling point of a recipe was how little washing up there was to do after. Words like one-bowl and melt & mix were a siren song to my dirty dish hating ears. These muffins were one of the first things I ever learnt to make and as such; I dub them Idiot-Proof Muffins! This recipe uses exactly one bowl, one jug and one spoon. Period.

In Defence of Drugstore Makeup

Alright, I'm just going to come out and say it. I love drugstore makeup. While I also covet the highly pigmented, luxury makeup brands like MAC, Illamasqua and NARS, I find they can be a bit much for the everyday makeup routine. I have 3 reasons why I love drugstore makeup:

1. One of my biggest, admittedly irrational, fears is running out of makeup. Crazy, I know! But being able to buy these products from just about any Priceline or department store is very comforting. I do realise how insane that makes me sound but then we all have our little peccadillos! 
2. As someone who wears makeup almost everyday, sometimes applying it twice a day, I go through products at an utterly ridiculous rate. I'm also a bit of a germaphobe so I definitely stick to that old 3-month mascara rule. This means that makeup can be quite an expense for me so buying my everyday stuff at L'Oreal prices rather than Chanel ones definitely hurts the wallet a little less.
3. It's fun! I love walking into Priceline and checking out the staggering number of displays and picking up a couple of new lip colours or nail polishes for less than a pineapple ($50 note for those not accustomed to Aussie slang). High end cosmetics seem to be marked up so much more here, whether because of import taxes, shipping etc and it's hard to justify paying $60 for a lipstick you may only wear twice. Read more about the cost of high end cosmetics in Australia here.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation is super light on the skin and comes in a load of different shades and undertones. I mix this with Revlon ColorStay for Oily/Combination Skin which bumps up the longwear factor and increases coverage as well. Also, Revlon foundations are a little bit too pink for my skin so the golden undertone of the Maybelline foundation helps to counteract that a bit. 

Ten Things...

1. You cleanse, tone and moisturise every night but you still get those pesky blemishes! Glamour gives us 13 reasons why.
2. Also from Glamour is a brilliant article written by the fabulous Olivia Wilde (who I will always think of as Marissa's lesbian lover from 'The O.C.'). Being halfway through my twenties; this is great advice for the road ahead!
3. Feeling blue? Here are 20 pictures from Ned Hardy that will definitely make you smile.
4. Or to try a different track; check out this guy going to great lengths to convince his friends of his imaginary girlfriend. Via Pleated Jeans.
5. Now I never had braces but I was definitely guilty of committing these Tween Beauty Mistakes. Never forget. Via BuzzFeed.
6. These situations should feel VERY familiar... and awkward. Via Thought Catalog.
7. Rachel Green is my spirit animal. Girls everywhere will relate to this BIG TIME. Via HelloGiggles.
8. I've never been a huge fan of rice pudding but maybe I just haven't been making it right. Time to experiment I think! Via The Savory.
9. What do you get when Disney princesses and Instagram collide? Magic. Via Pleated Jeans.
10. Ever since I watched 'The Godfather: Part II' I have LOVED me some Bobby DeNiro. Check out the trailer for his upcoming movie 'The Family'. Michelle Pfeiffer is absolutely channelling Victoria Gotti here!

Over and out!

Review: The Burger Bistro Leederville

Yesterday, baby bro and I were on a mission to pick up and deliver some delicious baked goodies from Top The Cupcake and on our way home we stopped by Leederville to grab some nosh. It was crazy windy and raining so we ducked into The Burger Bistro and settled in for lunch.

Mini Monogrammed Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

This week I made some cute little vanilla bean sugar cookies for my godson's first birthday. I was inspired by these Vanilla Letter Cupcakes by my domestic goddess of choice; Martha Stewart. I adapted Sweetapolita's fantastic recipe for Perfect Sugar Cookies, adding a couple of tweaks of my own. Above is the naked version of my cookie based self obsession! See below for the iced cookies!

Ten Things...

1. 40 Days Of Dating is a fascinating project where two friends decide to date each other for 40 days. Definitely worth a look!
2. A guy and his girlfriend get upgraded to business class during an Emirates flight and they show us how the other half lives. Their excitement is utterly infectious! Via Ned Hardy. 
3. Bakerella shows us how to make delicious Oreo ice cream sandwiches.
4. Check out these gorgeous photos of the Philippines. It really is more fun in the Philippines! Via BuzzFeed.
5. ModaMob lists 20 Trends that need to go away. I agree with this whole heartedly; high low skirts need to die immediately!
6. For my fellow twentysomethings out there; this will make you both laugh and cringe! 21 Things 20-Somethings Say. Via Thought Catalog.
7. These Olive Oil & Sea Salt Brownie Cookies look AMAZING! Via Butter Lust Blog.
8. Now I love brownie cookies as much as the next girl but since I'm not 18 anymore, this article on re-training yourself to eat right is particularly poignant. Via Hello Giggles.
9. This article by beauty maven Zoe Foster Blake on sleeping in your makeup has officially scared me into committing to a proper cleansing routine. Via Fruity Beauty.
10. And lastly, a little something to brighten your day. Via We Rule The Internet.

Over and out!

Tomato Soup: My ULTIMATE Comfort Food!

I love me some tomato soup when its cold, raining and just that little bit miserable outside. I make it nice and spicy and spiked with lots of basil. The bright flavour cheers me right up! Cool sour cream and of course; tomato soup's best friend, grilled cheese, are always welcome guests at the party.