featured – Fashionable Flavours

PARIS

I am obsessed with everything French – the food the, the wine and especially the effortless style of a French girl. I will be forever trying to emulate the natural je ne sais quoi they all possess. As stereotypical as it may be I have dreamed of travelling there for most of my life and was so happy to start living my French dreams with a trip to Paris in September 2018.

I am obsessed with everything French – the food the, the wine and especially the effortless style of a French girl. I will be forever trying to emulate the natural je ne sais quoi they all possess. As stereotypical as it may be I have dreamed of travelling there for most of my life and was so happy to start living my French dreams with a trip to Paris in September 2018.

Two long flights, countless movies and some bad plane food later we had arrived. The city of lights – it was love at first sight, it really took no time at all for me to fall completely head over heels in love with Paris and I hadn’t even seen anything yet.

We stayed in Le Marais district, which is host to beautiful architecture, great restaurants and shopping and is also relatively close to a lot of the main sights or just a short metro ride away. It is also a great spot to feel in the middle of it without breaking the bank on accommodation (thanks Mum for another great find!). Hôtel Bastille Speria was our home for the next four days and while four days it not very long and I know there is so much more to see, it is what we had. I think that just gives me more reasons to go back!

Day 1.

We landed at 9am and hit the ground running. The first thing I wanted to do was see the Eiffel Tower, well the first thing I wanted to do was check into the hotel and shower but after that we headed in the direction of the Eiffel Tower and grabbed some lunch on the way. Lucky for us my beautiful French friend Laura was staying with us and translated the whole menu at a tiny little bistro and also ordered for us too. Having someone French around was super handy. After the tower Laura and I split off from my parents in the afternoon and just walked around the city, grabbed a drink or two by the Seine and then met my parents for a quick dinner.

Day 2.

This all started with an unintentionally long sleep in for me assisted by an ill-advised sleeping tablet taken at 2am, thank you jetlag. My parents headed out early to a GF bakery for my mum and after I awoke in panic from my sleep in Laura and I got ready and went for a traditional French breakfast of baguette, croissant, juice and café au lait. First sight of the day was the Arc de Triomphe where we joined the other tourists in the battle for the best shot. We strolled along the Champs-Élysées and stopped for champagne cocktails and macaron at Pierre Herme. We then set off in the general direction of Notre Dame stopping for spritz and rose on the seine. Then another food stop this time in the form of gelato and then our good old friend exhaustion hit so we headed back to the hotel. Laura and I got ready for dinner and went for crepes with traditional French cider followed by a cute little cocktail bar for some drinks.

Day 3.

No sleep in today, we had early admission tickets to the Louvre and sadly had to say goodbye to Laura. The Louvre is beautiful, expansive and everything you probably have ever dreamed. Also impossible to do all in one day so I would suggest picking your favourite sections before and hitting those first. At our first coffee break disaster struck when I opened my bag to find sans phone (if you know the feeling then you know). A combination of bad Internet and my attempt not to get upset ended in a lot of upset and a trip to security. THANKYOU to the kind person who handed in my phone and while it was embarrassing to admit I had lost it to the people at the desk (thanks again Mum) I was elated to be reunited with it. With my phone safely in my bag we did more exploring and headed out for a late lunch. After visiting some gardens we trekked and I mean trekked to Sacré-Cœur stopping in Montmartre for an Aperol Spritz and to look through the art being sold in the square. My dad and I climbed the dome, which I only recommend if you are not afraid of heights and claustrophobic (both of which I am), however I faced the fear and it was worth it for the amazing views. Another gelato was well deserved after the climbing and we headed back to our hotel. We also had a failed dinner cruise that night but that is a story for another day.

Day 4.

A very special day! Mum’s birthday and the event that sparked the whole trip to begin with. We had a lie in, coffees and headed to the Picasso Museum. Then we walked around the Le Marais and did some shopping. Next we had more coffee and some macaron and eventually a little siesta before our final dinner in Paris. We went back to a restaurant my parents had visited previously which they entitled “The one with the grumpy hostess”. I had some quintessential French onion soup and shared some fries…all the croissants might have been catching up with me because I could not face a full main meal. Then back to the hotel again to pack before our flight the next day.

It was a quick trip but it just cultivated my love for everything French and especially Parisian even more. We walked a lot, I ate a lot of carbs and drank a lot of rose and loved every moment. I can’t wait to head back to this beautiful country in the future and explore more!

SATURDAY STYLE

Saturday’s are for family, friends and food! I try and keep a pretty strict regime of healthy eating and gym session during the week so I love to treat myself on the weekends. Also heading out for a nice lunch or dinner gets me inspired to dress up a little.

I’m all about the neutrals, don’t get me wrong I enjoy colour but black and white its where it’s at for me. These white jeans from Levis are AMAZING! They are the wedgie fit in chalk white.

Paired them with a black satin open back top and a flat black sandals, such essentials in my wardrobe! To add a little something extra I wore my leopard print bag that I recently had made in a leather shop in bali – convertible into clutch too!

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS: BLACK BOOTIES

I believe every girl (and guy) needs the perfect pair of black boots, they go with EVERYTHING! Jeans, dresses, skirts…well you get the gist.

Having that perfect pair is so amazing…finding them on the other hand is a totally different ball game. There are so many styles to choose from and as trivial as it may seem to some, finding the ones can be a mission! Personally I like pointed/almond-shaped toe, medium block heels and for them to be fitted around my ankle. It’s all about the fit and for me if they are not narrow enough and too loose on my ankles then they are not the boots for me. that being said to each their own and you might like a completely different style to me, that’s what is so great about fashion!

Here are some of my picks for this upcoming season, Australians like me will know the struggles of being in the opposites season cycle to a lot of our fashion inspirations. I’m heading into Autumn currently but I am a believer that you can wear boots almost all year round – especially in places that are nots as blessed with constant sunshine like Australia (not that that is a bad thing its the end of march and still feels like summer here!)

Zara – Leather High Heeled Ankle Boots ($159.00)
These boots have an almond/round shaped toe and the perfect mid high block heel, also the leather is a mix between classic and patent – hard to describe but I have seen them in person and they are beautiful. 100% cow leather, affordable and accessible because Zara is everywhere and now has an online store for Australia!
Senso – Sabine ($345.00)
I absolutely love these boots but they are defiantly a love them or hate them kind of shoe. My mum thinks they look like “witch shoes” but I disagree. look up their Instagram and see them styles…stunning! Anyway these are more of a style pic, not personally my choice for an everyday black boot but if you are looking for a classic investment piece with a little extra something then these are the boots for you.
RM William – Yearling ($545.00)
These have to be my favourite thing I own (besides my handbags)! Now I know they are expensive but so worth the investment. These boots are extremely comfortable, classic and wear like a dream. My mum has had a pair for as long as I can remember and they still are in beautiful condition. These are not boots you have for a few season, you have these for years and years!
Tony Bianco – Brazen ($219.95)
I want these boots and they will be mine! These here are my perfect boot, pointed toe, perfect block heel and they are fitted around the ankle. The top of the boot is unfinished leather so they are very soft and comfortable around your ankle, I may have tried them on a few times but can bring myself to buy them when it’s still summer outside and I have so many shoes. Regardless these boots are on my must have list.
Country Road – Melody Pointed Boot ($279.00)
If you are looking for a high thinner heel then these are my pick. I prefer a more chunky heel for comfort but there is something beautiful about these shoes. I own a few other shoes for country road and they are all amazing quality and have worn beautifully.
Zara – High Heeled Ankle Boots ($69.95)
Now these are my affordable “fashion” pair. If you already have a classic pair of black boots that you love these are good to add a little extra to an outfit. They have a shaped block heel and zip front, non leather so good for a seasonal style piece that is kind on your wallet.

These are just a few of the never-ending sea of black boots out there, so if none of these tickle your fancy I am sure you will find a pair you love!

COCONUT FLOUR BANANA BREAD- GF & DF

A quick and easy recipe for Banana Bread make with coconut flour – perfect if you are GF and perfect if you aren’t!

Banana Bread has to be one of my favourite things! My Mum happens to be gluten intolerant so I decided to try to make some banana bread with coconut flour and it turned out really well. One of my good friends is also GF so I took her some in, she loved it too!

This is delicious regardless if you are GF or not!

Recipe:

2 Large banana’s
5 Whole eggs
3/4 cup Coconut flour (don’t substitute for different flour – the coconut flour absorbs all the eggs, without it the recipe won’t work)
150g Stevia
140g Dark chocolate chips (I added these for a little extra treat)
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Cinnamon

This easily makes between 8 – 12 serves, depending on how large your like you slices. I ate this for breakfast most of the week and it is super filling because of the coconut flour. If you don’t have a house full of people like me you can easily freeze it. Pop it in the microwave to warm it up, I think it is best served warm!

Step 1. Mash 2 ripe bananas until mostly smooth

Step 2. Add flour, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, baking soda and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth

Step 3. Add chocolate chips and mix in gently, don’t overwork the batter

Step 4. Smooth batter into a lined baking tin

Step 5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 45 – 60 minutes. Use a skewer to test the centre is cooked

Step 6. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

I love to eat mine warm with a fresh cup of coffee!

BLUE JEANS & BRUNCH

Bruch! I don’t think I have ever met someone who doesn’t love brunch…right?

Read more to see what I love wearing on casual comfy, Sundays!

Bruch! I don’t think I have ever met someone who doesn’t love brunch…right? This Sunday I picked my parents up from the airport so we decided to swing by The Grounds of Alexandria on our way home. Why not when you are in the area!

It’s always super busy there but the place is so beautiful I don’t mind waiting around for 20 minutes for a table, plus gave me some time to get some pictures.

I am all about comfort on Sundays and also had to get up super early to be on time to the airport, hello traffic central! I threw on my current favourite pair Levis 501’s with a white embroidered t-shirt from Zara. Added my go to black belt, sandals and this cute bag I got recently for country road. This is going to be my new traveling bag for sure!

Casual and comfortable, this is basically my Sunday uniform.

HONG KONG

Hong Kong is busy, expensive, overcrowded but lots of fun. I can’t say that I will be racing back to Hong Kong any time soon but I am glad that I have been.

This is defiantly an expensive city so I would suggest overestimating your spending money before you go. Not the place I would head to for a “cheapie” holiday, which are totally valid and some of the best holidays. Lets face it we don’t all just have endless funds to drop while travelling…if only right?

Anyway moving on from the money side of things, this a beautiful city but very much a city! I think the point of going to Hong Kong is to embrace the culture and with that comes the business and crowds. You can defiantly find little gaps of peace though.

One of the best thing to do is catch a ferry across Hong Kong Harbour, a practical way to get across it and a nice break from the train system. The ferries remind me of the old ferries in Sydney Harbour.

Also a classic is heading up the Peak (centre image below). You get some really scenic views of Hong Kong but head there early, the line for the tram gets insane! I mean obviously, I think I have already covered how many people there are. So we headed there just before it opened and go onto the second tram of the day, this was great because the Peak itself wasn’t crowded and we got to walk around in peace.

Next on my list is visit a temple, I really love to immerse myself in local culture when travelling because there is no better way to see a place. Below are pictures from Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. This is one of the oldest traditional-styles temples in Hong Kong and was built-in the colonial era in 1847. This temple in nestled in and surrounded by sky scrapers.

There are over 600 temples in Hong Kong ranging in various religious beliefs, so there is something for everyone.

If you are looking for some peace in the busy city head to Kowloon Park, right in the centre of Tsim Sha Tsui. This once military fortress that was handed over to the public in 1970 is filled with lush gardens. My mum and I took a walk and found some local performance’s that were super fun to watch.

You have to go to at least one night market while you are there, they are super busy but super fun. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the market we went too – my sisters local friend took us to a few and this was a few years ago now. There are so many, you can look up some recommendation or ask a local.

I had never been to a Disney Land or World before so I took this opportunity to go. OMG does your inner child come out or what! I have no shame in loving Disney in my 20’s and this was one of the best days I had. Not sure why but there were no crowds…like none. I think my longest wait for a ride was 5 minuets, which is basically unheard of. There were quite a few people but a lot of families with young kinds that couldn’t go on the ride I was interested in.

We spent the whole day there, if you are planning to go just commit a day. We were exhausted after. It’s only a short train ride from the city and the trains run very consistently so getting there is easy.

Another one (not pictured) is the Hong Kong Ocean Park, much smaller and we only spent a half day there. I think it would be really good for families with younger kids.

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden cut through Diamond Hills expansive sky scrapers and high-rise apartments with beautiful traditional architecture and gardens. Chi Lin Nunnery was established in 1934 and renovated in Tang dynasty style (AD 618–907) in 1990, the Chi Lin Nunnery is a large temple complex of elegant wooden architecture, treasured Buddhist relics and soul-soothing lotus ponds. The Nan Lian Gardens is a public space that were also designed in the Tang dynasty style and span over 3.5 hectares.

We visited here on our last day in Hong Kong at it was such a beautiful a peaceful way to end out trip. the gardens are serene and easy to while away a day in.

Food time! I thought about doing a whole post on restaurants but it has been a few years since I visited so I am unsure if any of my recommendations would still be open. My top pick is a Korean BBQ called 7080, we went back multiple times because it was just so good! I love food so we went to lots of different restaurants but this is the only one that I am certain is still open.

Zucchini Pizza Base

I LOVEEE pizza! I think it might actually be the key to my heart…that being said the good part of my brain normally chimes in and reminds me that this is the year of fitness for me and not endless carbs. So I have started to find alternatives to my not so healthy favourites that are just as delicious.

Zucchini Pizza Base! Now we have all heard of and probably tried the classic cauliflower pizza but I wanted to try something new. The hunt was on for some alternative pizza bases, I did come across one that uses sweet potato but that happens to be one of my favourite vegetables and I eat it ALL WEEK so that was off the table this time (might have to revisit that at a later date).

Zucchini was where I landed and after looking at a few recipes and tweaking it for myself I took on the task and WOW. Unlike the cauliflower pizza I’ve made in the past this was even more crispy and held together like a normal pizza base. I don’t know if it’s that fact that the zucchini is grated in larger pieces opposed to when you blitz a cauliflower but I could pick this up with no trouble.

I finished mine off with a few of my favourite toppings – prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and blue cheese. No tomato for me, I prefer my pizza bianco. You can top yours with any of your favourites, that’s what I love most about pizza!

Now for the recipe!

This makes 1 large pizza – I had half with a little salad for a dinner and heated the rest back up for lunch the next day

2 Cups grated zucchini
1/2 Cup flour (I used regular flour but you can swap it out for GF too)
1/2 Cup parmesan cheese (you can swap this for a more mild cheese but it adds flavour)
1 Whole egg
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon of dried basil
1/2 Teaspoon of dried oregano

Step 1. Measure our your ingredients as above. Take the zucchini and squeeze as much water out as you can, I use a clean chux for this.

Step 2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. You can use a spoon but I just went straight in with my hands. The mixture is pretty wet and sticky but don’t worry that’s how it is supposed to be!

Step 3. Spread mixture into desired shape, about 1/2cm thick. I cooked mine on a perforated pizza tray, but any tray you have will work.

Pro tip: Heat the tray up before hand – even better if you have pizza stone. This will help the bottom get crispy

Step 4. Cooked the pizza 220 degrees celsius for 20 minuets – or until its cooked, golden and crispy

Step 5. Add your toppings and place it back in the oven. This is only to heat up the topping and let your cheese melt. The base should be cooked and crispy by this step.

Last but not least serve and ENJOY!!!

Gilli Islands

The Gilli Islands are situated roughly 3 hours from Indonesia and can be reached by a fast boat from Sanur. They are made up of three small islands, Gilli Trawangan, Gilli Meno and Gilli Air. Gilli Trawangan is the largest of the three and is more know as the “party island” and Gilli Meno and Gilli Air are more suited for honeymooners and couples. I have been to Gilli Trawangan and whilst if a party is what you are after you can find it, there are also plenty of places to relax and unwind.

The Gilli Islands are situated roughly 3 hours from Indonesia and can be reached by a fast boat from Sanur. They are made up of three small islands, Gilli Trawangan, Gilli Meno and Gilli Air. Gilli Trawangan is the largest of the three and is more know as the “party island” while Gilli Meno and Gilli Air are more suited for honeymooners and couples. I have been to Gilli Trawangan and if a party is what you are after you can find it, however there are also plenty of places to relax and unwind.

Now lets talk accommodation and transportation…because they are both limited. I chose to stay a little out of the main hub as I wasn’t interested in the whole party scene but that also meant being further from restaurants and other activities. While the island is only about 6km in circumference and can be walked in 1.5hrs, late at night and when it is very dark the walk can seem a little longer. Also motorised vehicles are not a thing, its push power all the way…well that and donkeys. You have two options for transportation, a donkey and cart or push bike. If you hotel or villa is not in the main part of the town get a cart to take you to the hotel, not hard to find seeing’s as usual they are all waiting to pounce. Don’t get ripped off but also just pay them and get out of the chaos. Once you are all settled in your hotel head out and rent some push bikes, while walking is a viable option having a bike is great. A little PSA that the “roads” a very bumpy and you can end up with a sore rear end by the end of a long day. Overall I suggest looking at the accommodation carefully and try to get something not too isolated as the roads are barely lit at night and when a bike or walking are your only options it can feel a little eerie.

The Gilli’s are the place to be for snorkelling, beaches, relaxing, beaches and more beaches. I mean obviously it’s an island so don’t expect anything crazy but it is beautiful and perfect to spend a few days to unwind and relax (also so many Instagram opportunities). I am unsure if I could spend more than a few days there as I tend to get a little stir crazy when I feel trapped in my options…hence while you will never see me heading off on a cruise. There are some amazing snorkelling locations and I would suggest heading to the other island which I sadly didn’t, but places like Turtle Point on Gilli Meno are so close by and would be amazing experiences. Just go on Pinterest and look at the pictures if you don’t believe me! Seriously though if you are like me and have done Bali before or you have some time to spare, heading to the Gilli Islands for a few days in the middle of your trip is a nice change of pace and atmosphere.