Friday 27 September 2013

10 Ideas For Spring

Pineapple Dazzle Spring Flower

I love that the weather is thawing. With the weather now co-operating there are hundreds of things you could do to enjoy your time outdoors. Sometimes you just need inspiration. If your life needs some zing here are 10 ideas to make the most of Spring.

Get a great crew together
Nothing beats being on the road with your mates. Even a short trip away guarantees laughter, fun times and fond memories. Last weekend my girlfriends hired a bus and we went on a day trip down to the McLaren Vale Wine Region. We definitely saw the best and worst of each other and I know I love them more because of it.

Get lost
Turn your phone off. I believe the fun happens in the journey and not in the destination. Take a left turn and see what adventure springs up in your path.

Slow down
Rushing to get more done doesn't automatically mean you feel more fulfilled. There is something in the art of subtraction. Let yourself have an entire day dedicated to nothing. It might just give you time and energy for spontaneous fun.

Finish off a project
Hang a hammock in your backyard. Grow a new herb garden. Paint a mural on your fence. There is something in putting effort into your home that makes you connect and love the space. Do something that will make you love your life. I'm working through a big project converting my yard into a low maintenance succulent garden. It's a big job but it will be worth the effort come summer.

DIY cocktails
I love balmy spring evenings sitting outside listening to the crickets with a simple cocktail in hand. Having a few simple ingredients around (ginger ale, soda, limes) means if the desire to relax and chat with loved ones occurs you have everything you need.

Discover new music
Look you wont always like your friends taste in music but it is a different way (other than Spotify) to stumble into new and amazing sounds. Be brave and step away from your normal music style. Music equals memories for me. Each new season has had a unique soundtrack. I'm instantly transported back in time to those happy memories whenever I hit play.

Find a secret camping spot 
Just pack the car and go. Brave the dark night and the wandering seemingly endless wilderness at an off-the-track camp site. The further away from civilisation you are the brighter the stars become and the wilder your heart grows.

Rooftop cinema
It's the beginning of the outdoor cinema season. As much fun as the local drive-in or park cinema is I absolutely love being up amongst the rooftops. Grab your mates and have a memorable night out with a urban landscape view.

Night time adventures
Some of my favourite adventures involve riding my bike at night.The stars and street lamps shroud familiar streets in mystery. Maybe pack a small picnic before you head out on your ride? It just feels great. Go do it.

Take happy snaps
It is easy to forget all the magical moments you are about to have so don't forget to pack your camera.

So there you have it my 10 ideas for Spring. I hope these inspire you to get out there and enjoy the outdoors. What are you most looking forward to?

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Hanging Out At The Whythe Hotel

Pineapple Dazzle Brooklyn Whythe Hotel

Brooklyn has such a different pace to Manhattan. I fell in love with Brooklyn's arty quirky side and I regret not exploring it further.

A good friend Camille suggested that I go check out the Whythe Hotel if I was in the area. I immediately fell in love with its ultra cool rooftop and bubbly clientele. The gorgeous people were out in full force soaking up the sunhine. We immediately struck up a conversation with a few of New York's Nomads and had a fabulous time.

If you are in the Williamsburg neighbourhood you should definitely check this place out. Did I mention the view?

Pineapple Dazzle Brooklyn Whythe Hotel Rooftop

Pineapple Dazzle Brooklyn Swampy Water Tower

Pineapple Dazzle Brooklyn Whythe Hotel Manhattan Skyline View

Friday 20 September 2013

A Day at MoMA

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Andy Warhol Cow Print

Whenever I travel I always make an effort to see at least one Art Gallery. My favourite day in New York was the day I went to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). We were lucky to be in town when the Rain Room Exhibition was showing. When we arrived at MoMA early that morning there was already a giant queue to go see the exhibition. Turns out the day we picked happened to be the last day that the exhibition was on. I regret not taking a picture as the queue spanned a block! It was quite hot outside and I had no desire to wait in that long queue so we headed inside to cool down and to check out the rest of MoMA.

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Van Gogh Art

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Plunger Sphere Sculpture

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Elephant

I have a huge appreciation of modern art and found the Museum fascinating. Some of the work shown were iconic. Pieces by Van Gogh, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Monet, Matisse and Klimt. But what I really enjoyed was that the Museum was a time capsule of all things Modern: Art, Architecture, Design, Film and Literature. It was beautiful to see an Eames Chair and a Philip Stark Juicer nestled in amongst the artwork. Here are some of my favourites from that day.

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Art

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Art

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Andy Warhol

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Sculpture Courtyard

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Courtyard

Turns out not waiting in the long queue paid off. Whilst the line for the Rain Room dissipated in the heat I got to sneak in and see what all the fuss was about. I felt like I had stepped into a cool, soothing ambient dark box. People spoke in hushed tones. It reminded me of a Church in many ways if you ignore the rain pouring out of the ceiling. It truly was one of those awe filled moments. I was lucky enough to see an impromptu performance by a pair of dry dancers twirling in the rain. A pretty magical day.

Pineapple Dazzle New York MoMA Art

Thursday 19 September 2013

A Week In New York

Pineapple Dazzle New York Rockerfeller Center

Pineapple Dazzle New York Near Macys

Pineapple Dazzle New York Central Park

I absolutely loved my time in New York City. I wish I had a few more days there. Lets be fair can there ever be enough time? It's a strange town to visit as you iconically know all the big sights. I am not used to that when I travel. I found myself constantly recognising shots from favourite movies and television shows. Whilst we were in town we stumbled over a few film sets ourselves. I could see how the film industry could test the patience of the average New Yorker just trying to live.

As there was only a short amount of time to get a taste of New York life I realised that I couldn't do everything as much as I truly wanted to do. I've estimated that it would take at least a month to a few years for everything. I knew I would go a little crazy with that knowledge so before I left I set myself a small New York Challenge which I talked about here on the blog. Here is how I went!

  • I did walk through a Shoe Department although I never found Barneys. I found myself lost in Macy's instead. 
  • I rode a bike around Central Park. It was a glorious day for a ride and I swear all the Outdoor-loving New Yorkers were in the park frolicking in the sunshine.  
  • My apartment where I was staying had a fabulous rooftop so we bought a bottle of champagne and watched the sunset over Manhattan from up close. 
  • I took a quick stroll along the Highline. Quick meaning short unfortunately I didn't see the entire thing. 
  • I did find a secret in the city. But it's not a secret if I share it with you now is it? I will say that I did get to play an 80s arcade game on my birthday and finding the secret was worth the effort.

I loved my time in New York. It was a place that energised my soul and gave me lots of inspiration. I will definitely go back in the near future. New York, you stole my heart along with my head.

Pineapple Dazzle New York 5th Avenue Fashion

Pineapple Dazzle New York Love Sculpture

Pineapple Dazzle New York Finance District

Pineapple Dazzle New York


We were lucky enough to be staying in a fabulous apartment right near the Highline. It meant we were up close and personal to everything. If you are looking to stay somewhere ahh-mazing I cannot rave enough about where we stayed. You can book the apartment here

Friday 13 September 2013

Feel Good Friday

This week I've been lucky enough to have a few happy surprises. Earlier this week I found out that Pineapple Dazzle ticked over 100 followers on Bloglovin. I nearly fell over I was completely blown away. Thank you so much to my lovely readers!

Pineapple Dazzle Flowers in Garden

As a thank you I want to share a little about me that you might not know.
  • My parents are courageous and they have always brought their large dreams and crazy ideas to life. My Dad loved playing Cowboys and Indians when he was a kid so back in the 1980's after a trip to America he created Vultrek 5 - the first Laser Tag Game in Australia. Yes, he just made it up inside his head. I grew up in a kids fairy tale playing arcade games and laser tag almost every day. 
  • I first put roller skates on when I was about 7 years old and I immediately fell in love. The sensation of effortlessly gliding around a room really fast was exhilarating and it has never left me. 
  • I once declared at a Family Restaurant that I was setting myself a personal challenge to eat as many passion fruits as I could in one sitting. (46 pieces and I felt very sick afterwards) 
  • My sense of humor has a wicked cheeky streak. 
  • I love the taste of lipbalm and lipstick. I tend to carry around 4 or 5 types in my handbag at all times. 
  • I'm a collector. The more sparkly and brightly coloured the item the more likely I will covet it like a bower bird. Two of my most prized collections are my vintage dresses and my rainbow of vintage glass (seen below, this is not all of my glassware!)
  • For those who follow me on Instagram you already know that I'm obsessed with my garden. I have over 80 different types of succulents growing proudly. I've become one of those people who can name plants just by looking at them. 
Pineapple Dazzle Rainbow Glass

Thank you once again and hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Have any of you had any good surprises happen to you this week? 

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Empire: A Night Inside The Spiegeltent

 Pineapple Dazzle Empire Spiegeltent

Last night I had the opportunity to see a show inside the Spiegeltent. What is a Spiegeltent? Imagine a century old lavish art deco tent where the inside walls are adorned in mirrors. Sounds gorgeous doesnt it?

My husband and I were married inside a Spiegeltent last year during the Adelaide Fringe Festival. It has now become our tradition to hunt down a show whenever our path crosses with the tent. It's a wonderful way to celebrate and remember our unique wedding day.

Lucky for us a Spiegeltent always visits our home town every summer. We've been blessed this year with two visits so immediately bought tickets once we found out about the new show called Empire. Flown in from New York with rave reviews it was just too tempting a show to not go. The show is hard to characterise as it is a merging of comedy, cabaret, circus, vaudeville and burlesque.

Pineapple Dazzle Empire Spiegeltent

For the entire show I was held in a state of wonder. The cast of Empire push the limits of their strong and limber bodies. I was well and truly hooked when during the first act the room was flooded with a cascade of bubbles.

I highly recommend if you get the chance to grab some tickets to Empire if you get the chance. It'll be haunting my day dreams for a while to come.

Pineapple Dazzle Empire Spiegeltent

Wednesday 4 September 2013

How to Get Better At Roller Derby Part 2

Pineapple Dazzle Roller Derby Rollercon 2013

Earlier this year I wrote about how to get better at roller derby. Considering the rules of the sport and the interpretation of those rules are constantly evolving its easy to be quickly phased out of the game if you don't push yourself to improve. Hopefully I can give you some inspiration to step up your game.

People say practice makes perfect and in Roller Derby it's also true.  There is no other way to get better at the game. If like my league you only get a few opportunities to train each week don't waste your time when on skates.  To seriously improve you must practice with the same intensity as on game day. Guns a blazing! Each jam will only ever go for 2 minutes so you should push yourself to skate faster, jump around, duck and contort your body into fluid unblockable shapes.

Im a huge fan of messing around on your wheels. Jumping. Street skates. Walking on your edges. Spins. Jump twirls. Cart wheels. Dancing. All of these things are super fun and they massively improve your balance and agility skills without you even knowing. I came back one summer able to transition after spending my time spinning around and twirling in the off-season.

One skill that seems to be super important (and often gets overlooked) is being able to change your speed instantly. Befriend your wheel edges. Use your toe stops for a burst of speed. Being able to juggle your speed will keep you a moment ahead of the opposition, able to drop back instantly to help a jammer or even burst through a pack.

To learn a new skill and be able to automatically execute it during a bout takes a lot of practice. Its not just going to magically happen in your next bout. Force yourself to trial new ideas in jams at training. Its the best place to improve your technique. Don't hate on yourself if  it's not working. I learnt a long time ago that just before you nail something new you will feel super awkward and fall over a lot. Falling over shows you are pushing your limits and once you adjust you will soon get better. You are meant to hit the concrete, get knocked out of bounds and sent to the penalty box when trying something new so no self pity. In no time you'll be automatically doing that new move on track.

Finally let your team mates know what you are up to. If you feel yourself stalling and your body just can't figure out what your brain keeps telling it to do enlist a friend or team mate to watch your technique. They might be able to see what your doing wrong!

So get out there. Happy skating!

Photo taken on my recent adventures to Rollercon 2013.